High Riders

Texas Tech University traditions are an important part of the culture of Texas Tech University.

The Masked Rider, Texas Tech's primary mascot, dates back to a 1936 prank. George Tate borrowed a horse from the Texas Technological College Dairy Barn and led the football team onto the field. This was done a few more times during the 1936 season but was not seen again for 17 years. At the Gator Bowl on January 1, 1953, Texas Tech student Joe Kirk Fulton, riding Blackie, rushed onto the field ahead of the football team. The crowd sat in stunned silence before bursting into applause. At that game, The Masked Rider became the official mascot of Texas Tech and the first mascot in major college sports featuring a live horse.

The Masked Rider wears a black gaucho hat, a black mask, and a scarlet rider's cape. From its inception to 1974, the rider was always a male student. Ann Lynch's selection as the first female rider caused controversy at the university. Today, the student serving in the role is selected by the Masked Rider Advisor Committee after a written test, preliminary screening and equestrian skills tryout period. Ashley Hartzog, a senior animal science and Spanish major from Farwell, Texas, will represent the university as the Masked Rider during 2008/09.

In 2000, a sculpture by artist Grant Speed was unveiled to commemorate the tradition. That statue is 25 percent larger than real life. It sits outside the university's Frazier Alumni Pavilion.

Texas Tech's other mascot, Raider Red, is a more recent creation. Beginning with the 1971 football season, the Southwest Conference forbade the inclusion of live animal mascots to away games unless the host school consented. For situations where the host school did not want to allow the Masked Rider's horse, an alternate mascot was needed. Jim Gaspard, a member of the Saddle Tramps student spirit organization, created the original design for the Raider Red costume, basing it on a character created by cartoonist Dirk West, a Texas Tech alumnus and former Lubbock mayor. Though the Masked Rider's identity is public knowledge, it has always been tradition that Raider Red's student alter ego is kept secret until the end of his or her tenure. The student serving as Raider Red is a member of the Saddle Tramps or High Riders.

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Wikipedia