Peruna

Peruna
Peruna I in 1933
University	Southern Methodist University
Conference	The American
Description	Shetland Pony
First seen	1932

Peruna is the official mascot and fight song of the Southern Methodist University Mustangs, named after a popular patent medicine (18 percent alcohol). The name "Peruna" is given to each successive live mascot. A black Shetland pony, Peruna has been present at every SMU home football game for over 70 years. The costumed mascot is also referred to as "Peruna." Peruna was selected the #10 Best College Mascot by America's Best and Top Ten in 2009.

On November 4, 1932, Peruna I made his first mascot appearance, appearing at the SMU football game against Texas A&M University. Peruna I was a four-year old, 150-pound pony that was donated by T.E. Jones, the owner of Arlington Downs racetrack. Cy Barcus, a 1929 graduate of Perkins School of Theology and director of the Mustang Band, introduced the black Shetland pony as the mascot and volunteered the name Peruna, which was already the name of the school Fight Song. In the March 22, 1985, edition of The Daily Campus, Barcus related his story to Linda Beheler: “I was out on a picnic and saw a little black horse running through the high weeds and I said, ‘that would make a good mascot for SMU.’ So I went to coach Ray Morrison and said, ‘Ray, I’ve found a horse that I think would make a good mascot,’ and he told me to bring it to the pep meeting. So I got a popular [student] to bring the pony to the pep rally and from then on it became the official school mascot.” On Halloween 1934, Peruna I escaped from his on-campus living quarters and was struck and killed by an automobile on Mockingbird Lane. The event devastated the SMU community and sent the university into mourning.

Since then, the university has moved Peruna's living quarters from campus to a Dallas-area ranch. Nine Perunas have represented SMU's athletic teams. The most recent to be retired was Peruna VIII, in 2011. Peruna VIII represented the school from 1997 until 2011. After he was retired from the field, Peruna VIII continued to represent the school on The Boulevard, the tailgating area for football games for one season while Peruna IX was in training. Peruna IX has represented the school since October 15, 2011.