Texas Tech Davis College Department of Animal & Food Sciences’ sophomore Sofie Jones stepped into the spotlight last week as the university’s 65th Masked Rider – one of the most celebrated symbols in college athletics. The Transfer of Reins ceremony was held Friday, April 17, at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center.
Jones’ ties to the university run deep. A third-generation Red Raider, Jones counts more than 20 alumni in her family, a lineage dating to the 1930s.
For Jones, a member of the Texas Tech Rodeo Team, the appointment crowns years of discipline shaped not by spectacle, but by routine. Horses, she said, have long provided steadiness rather than strain.
“It doesn’t feel like work,” Jones said in a university release. “Taking care of them has never really felt like work to me. I actually feel like it helps me with my strive for school.”
A native of Houston, the talented animal science major began riding at age three, following a path set by her mother. More than a decade of competition in barrel racing and other equestrian events followed, ultimately guiding her to Texas Tech, where she now balances coursework, rodeo commitments and the demands of one of college athletics’ most visible ambassador roles.
In the months ahead, she will assume full duties as the Masked Rider, leading the Red Raiders onto the field — a ritual that began in 1954, when Joe Kirk Fulton galloped onto the turf during the 1954 Gator Bowl in Tampa, electrifying a national audience. Texas Tech’s 35–13 victory over Auburn that day helped cement the ride as one of the most dramatic entrances in college sports.
Jones’ ties to the university run deep. A third-generation Red Raider, Jones counts more than 20 alumni in her family, a lineage dating to the 1930s. From football Saturdays to her father’s involvement with the Saddle Tramps, Texas Tech’s traditions have long framed her sense of identity.
“The biggest thing that resonates with me is there’s going to be a lot of little girls looking up to me,” Jones said. “A lot of little girls who will want to do this one day.”
CONTACT: Chance Brooks, Chair and Professor, Department of Animal & Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or chance.brooks@ttu.edu
0420NM26