WT’s Live Buffalo Mascot Thunder XIV and Herdsmen to Make Football Season Debut Sept. 9

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Thunder will roll once more this season in Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium — and that’s Thunder with a capital T.

Thunder XIV, West Texas A&M University’s live mascot, will again make on-field appearances on the newly renamed First United Field at all five home games of WT’s Buffs football team, beginning with the home-season opener against Adams State University at 7 p.m. Sept. 9.

The boisterous buffalo, who is officially sponsored by Texas Farm Bureau, will run onto the gridiron accompanied by his handlers, the Herdsmen.

This year’s Herdsmen squad is comprised of eight men and women: Mia Encinias, a senior animal science major from Edgewood, New Mexico; George Graybill, a senior animal science major from Keenesburg, Colorado; Hayden Howick, a sophomore animal science/pre-vet major from McLean; Kaden Husband, a junior animal science/pre-vet major from Childress; Makenzie Norden, a senior animal science/pre-vet major from Sugar Land; Jett Mizer, a junior agribusiness major from Amarillo; Rebecca Tracy, a senior animal science/pre-vet major from Borger; and Jaden Vititow, a sophomore animal science major from Sulphur Springs.

They are led by a new faculty adviser, Dr. Kelly Jones, clinical assistant professor of agriculture, who earned his Ph.D. in agriculture from WT while working as manager of WT’s Nance Ranch, a working ranch and research facility east of Canyon.

After working as a high school agricultural science teacher and spending time in the ag industry, this will be Jones’ first year as a full-time instructor at WT.

“I met Thunder just a couple of weeks ago,” Jones said. “He was raised as a bottle baby, so he’s very gentle, very smart and knows when he’s fixing to go to work. The Herdsmen are doing a great job with him. I’m very impressed with how they work as a team.”

Dalton Keener, a graduate student in animal science from Fredericksburg, serves as the graduate assistant for the program.

The Herdsmen date back to 1977, tasked with the safety, care and management of Thunder XIV, as well as his pen, dubbed the “Thunder Lodge.” They also serve as ambassadors for WT’s Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and the University at large.

WT’s first live mascots were purchased in 1922 from Col. Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight; the buffalo “Charlie” was mounted for posterity and donated to Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. The live mascot program was revived in the 1970s.

WT is believed to be one of only two universities in the country with a live buffalo mascot.

Bolstering regional pride and campus spirit is in line with the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021— has raised more than $125 million and will continue through 2025.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo (Courtesy Gina Renea Photography): The Herdsmen's 2023-24 members are, from left, Makenzie Norden, Rebecca Tracy, Jaden Vititow, George Graybill, Hayden Holwick, Jett Mizer, Mia Encinias and Kaden Husband.

—WT—