1000’s of followers cheered the Toronto Argonauts to a decisive 41-24 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, nevertheless it was the horseplay of one other set of followers that drew media protection this previous Gray Cup weekend.
A bunch of Calgarians suited up in western apparel and rode a horse right into a downtown Vancouver resort on the Thursday earlier than the large recreation. The rider was Di Wensel, chair of the Calgary Gray Cup Committee, and horse was a black mare known as Tuffy Nuff.
“It’s certainly one of my most favorite issues I do all 12 months,” Wensel instructed a reporter final 12 months when she rode Tuffy right into a Hamilton resort foyer. “I’ve been coming to the Gray Cup for twenty years, however being part of this nice, superb group is unbelievable, representing town of Calgary and the Stampede is superior.”
It’s a convention that started in 1948 when, in accordance with legend, a gaggle of Calgary Stampeder followers traveled to Toronto for an epic match up in opposition to the Argonauts. An enthusiastic (and maybe inebriated) supporter rode a horse into the foyer of the Toronto’s ritzy Royal York Resort. On recreation day the Stampeders gained and went on to win eight consecutive Gray Cups, thus a customized was born. And now, 76 years later, it continues.
It could appear that Tuffy Nuff is the unofficial mascot of the Stampeders and the Gray Cup, for a look by the information archives akin to this gallery on the Calgary Herald exhibits many various horses all recognized as “Tuffy”.
“I noticed Tuffy do it in 1948 and I’ve helped him do it since 1975,” mentioned 88-year-old Cy Addley, one other member of the Calgary Gray Cup Committee who has been readily available to observe a horse and rider enter resort lobbies from the start.
Irrespective of if it’s a horse of a special color, one factor is for certain: the sight brings pleasure and pleasure to Canadian soccer followers from coast to coast.
“We really feel so welcome wherever we go,” Wensel instructed the CBC. “Doesn’t need to be Calgary and even in Alberta.”