"[1] She describes the process by saying, "if something is fearful to him, as long as he looks to me, and I tell him hes OK, hes OK."[19] The only frightening stimuli that was an ongoing problem for both Thunder Sr. and Thunder II was when the crowd would perform the wave; Thunder Sr. would stand still, but tremble. [19] Like the other horses, though, he dislikes pom-poms and was unsettled when fans in the stadium did the wave. Required fields are marked *. A look at a day in the life of Denver Broncos mascot, Thunder You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. She is an accomplished equestrian. Ann Judge Wegener rides Thunder prior to the game between the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sept. 23, 2013. . JB Kobask also had a substantial amount of Crabbet breeding in his pedigree. Denver, CO, USA. He continued making community appearances until his death in 2009. Thunder is the stage name for the horse who is the official live animal mascot for the Denver Broncos football team. Spectators were allowed to interact with Thunder and pet him prior to the game. Thunder stopped immediately, averting a potentially dangerous situation. [2] Thunder has gone up elevators, walked through indoor tunnels, has been ridden among the banquet tables at Magness-Blake's Western Fantasy fundraiser, and has attended indoor and outdoor press conferences. The game was in New York, Thunder II was 20 years old, and Judge didnt want Dos flying across the country in bad weather. The purebred Arabian gelding is also part of a good luck ritual for the Broncos. "If anybody can get that thing turned around out there, it's him.". Finally, hear some of the best sound bites from some of the Broncos' most vocal leaders from over the past month. [11], Thunder leads the team onto the field at the beginning of each home game,[12] and typically gallops from one end of the field to the other whenever the team makes a touchdown. The horses who have served as Thunder need to remain calm in situations that would normally frighten most horses, such as being in football stadiums with thousands of cheering fans, exploding pyrotechnics, cheerleaders waving pom-poms, and other spectacles common to National Football League (NFL) games. Every time the Broncos score a touchdown, Thunder will celebrate with fans by galloping across the gridiron. [13], The horses who have served as Thunder have been trained to remain calm in situations that would normally cause a horse to respond with a fight-or-flight response, such as the flashing explosions of a pyrotechnic display, or items suddenly landing on the field including skydivers with parachutes and various objects thrown by spectators, or loud music and the sounds associated with tens of thousands of cheering fans at Mile High. An Arab thats calm, cool, and collected (Judge says she could walk him across the field if she wanted to) doesnt really fit the stereotype. All Rights Reserved. "Thunder" the Denver Broncos mascot walks along the sidelines on Aug. 19, 2006 at Mile High Stadium at Invesco Field in Denver, Colorado. The horse reflects the enthusiasm and excitement that Denver Broncos fans have grown to know and love, from his death-defying antics to his upbeat disposition. Since its establishment in 1960, the Denver Broncos have had two official mascots, and these two Thunderbolts have created quite a stir. These mascots, from Miles the Horse to Thunder II, have been a vital part of the Broncos experience and will continue to provide fans with fun and excitement for many years. "He definitely looks rejuvenated," Campbell said of his former boss. after this one." [20][31] He served as the Broncos mascot for 11 years and was retired in 2004 after developing arthritis, which made it difficult for him to gallop down the field. [1][2][a] Thunder's debut as team mascot was on September 12, 1993, during the Broncos' victory over the San Diego Chargers. But according to Thunder's rider and trainer, Ann Judge of Bennett, Colorado, Thunder thinks the celebrations are all about him. Secluded Colorado Ranch, Once Home to Denver Broncos' Arabian Mascot "[7], The original Thunder, also known as Thunder Sr., was retired in 2004 after serving 11 years as the team mascot. [24] While at home, Thunder arrives at Mile High approximately two-and-a-half hours before kickoff. Broncos mascot Thunder the horse heading to the Super Bowl On this edition of "BroncosAtoZ," with Nathaniel Hackett out as head coach, Alexis Perry and Zac Stevens share their biggest takeaways from the joint press conferencefrom BroncosOwner and CEO Greg Penner and General Manager George Paton and previewwhat can possibly be be expectedin the coming weeks and months here in Broncos Country. Denver Broncos mascot Thunder will have to wait a year for his turn as She is also a horse show judge who has adjudicated national and international events. He became known as Thunder III, a 2000 Arabian gelding registered as Me N Myshadow. All Rights Reserved. Unlike most other famous horses, Thunder rides solo. Thunder III may differ from his predecessors on the field, but Judge describes him as the perfect blend of each of their personalities. Thunder took the reins as the Broncos mascot at Super Bowl XLVIII in New York. Offer ends in 23hrs 36min 12sec! He came out of retirement to lead the Broncos Super Bowl 50 Championship parade. The Denver Broncos Aug 2021 - Present 1 . Peyton Manning's quip makes horse a hero", "Denver Broncos mascot Thunder the horse heading to the Super Bowl", "Cheerleaders and Thunder Meet the Press", "YepBroncos mascot 'Thunder' is flying FedEx", "Denver Broncos' and Seattle Seahawks' mascots head to town for Super BowI", "Get Ready for the Super Bowl at the TODAY Pep Rally", "Super Bowl 2014: Denver Broncos come galloping out at Super Bowl 48 (GIF)", "Thunder, the Broncos mascot, on his way to Super Bowl; NFL says he can gallop on field", "Denver Broncos' Equine Mascot Thunder Takes Manhattan", "Cheerleaders, Miles and Thunder bringing Broncos style to Super Bowl", "Broncos' Mascot Thunder Traveled Through Snow, Ice For Super Bowl", "Ann & Thunder, Denver Bronco's [sic] Mascot", "Broncos Mascot Thunder to Retire at Sunday Night's Game", "The Squeeze: Von's Vision, Key and Peele and Thunder II", "Handling the Broncos' horse is more than scooping poop", "Davidson: 20 years, $20 million for Volunteers of America's Western Fantasy", "Western Fantasy: It's not just the cowboys who have true grit", "A game in the life of Denver Broncos mascot, Thunder", "The Denver Broncos Mascot's $23 Million Ranch Is for Sale", "Super Bowl 2014: Broncos, Seahawks Enter the Field", "Denver Broncos Thunder during opening ceremony", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thunder_(mascot)&oldid=1137594742, Individual Arabian and part-Arabian horses, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2022, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 13:45. Thunder III? [20] Thunder II would become tense, requiring ground handlers and his rider to help steady him. They also look back at the Chargers' Week 5 win over the Browns and point out ways Denver's defense can contain Justin Herbert and his arsenal of weapons. [25] He has a large private box stall located next to the visitor's locker room, and has hay, water and treats,[6][26] including a big basket of carrots and apples. Then one day he spotted such a field from high in the mountains, way down in the city of Denver. On this installment of "Broncos A to Z," Alexis Perry and Zac Stevens discusswhat went well and what didn'tin Denver's Week 6 loss to the Chargers. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. He is loaded into a horse trailer and hauled out of the stadium at the two-minute warning. [39] Thunder II, who was retired at the end of the 20132014 season after the Broncos won the AFC Championship game, had remained in Denver. Judge described him as being somewhat timid when he first began his role as mascot but eventually grew into it. Although Thunder II was still active as team mascot during the 201314 season, Thunder III was sent to Super Bowl XLVIII because he was younger and better able to handle air travel. [11] Like Thunder II,[54] he appeared at Magness-Blake's annual Western Fantasy fundraising banquet for the Volunteers of America. [53], Thunder III had been trained specifically for the role of Thunder, beginning at age three when Judge first started working with him under saddle. More than 20 of the Broncos' biggest stars including Hall of Famers John Elway, Terrell Davis and Steve Atwater come together to relive some of the best moments throughout the 1997 season and detail what it was like to finally hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. 11 / 14 Thunder and his rider take the field before the game. $169.99 $ 169 99. [1][18] Ann Judge has explained that because so many unexpected things can happen, it is important that the people working with him remain calm; it is trust in his rider and handlers, not just desensitization, that helps the horse remain steady: "You want them to look to you for the appropriate response and for confidence and faith so that the flight response doesnt get initiated. Broncos mascot Thunder named National Western Stock - The Denver Post Even behind enemy lines, Broncos Country was loud and proud at Arrowhead Stadium. Pro Football Hall of FamerSteve Atwater and Gridiron's Michael McQuaid take a deep dive into some of the main storylines and matchups to keep an eye on as the Broncos and Jaguars take the international stage on Sunday. [37] Thunder was also allowed to run in the end zone after a touchdown, but because MetLife Stadium was considered a neutral zone for both teams, he was not allowed to run the length of the field. Curiously, Huddles, who was a horse on two legs, has a curious backstory. In case you werent already self-conscious about how your horse doesnt even like walking into the indoor, Thunder has been to hospitals, libraries, gymnasiums, and even rides the elevator. Thunder II served as the Broncos mascot for 10 years after taking the reins in 2004. Broncos mascot in SF after getting stuck on I-80 - KMGH In The News. In addition to his appearances at all Broncos home games, Thunder also appeared at Super Bowl XXXII in San Diego and XXXIII in Miami. [21] Judge signs autographs for about 45 minutes before each game,[27] allowing fans, particularly children, an opportunity to become better acquainted with Thunder. Meet Denver Broncos Mascot 'Thunder' - ABC News Ethan is currently an editor and author for outdoorskillz.com and twoverbs.com, Your email address will not be published. Free shipping for many products! [12][24] He was Magness-Blake's personal riding horse for several years prior to becoming the Broncos' mascot. As of 2022[update], Thunder has appeared in four Super Bowls. The Denver Broncos logo history spans more than five decades, and includes 5 major phases. Thunder shares mascot duties with Miles, a human who wears a horse head mask atop a Broncos uniform. For desensitization training, Judge and the rest of Thunder's team would haul him to the football field at a local high school to work with people carrying pom-poms and to run across a marked field. The original Thunder made regular appearances at events and community functions following his retirement. It's because of them that an Arabian horse is a face for philanthropy. On this edition of "Broncos Weekend," Hall of Famer Steve Atwater, former Broncos offensive lineman OrlandoFranklin andhost Alexis Perry take a deep dive into what you mightbe able toexpect as the Broncos and Raiders meet for the final time this season. [56] In 2018, another horse, foaled in 2007,[57] was announced as in training to become Thunder IV, but as of 2021[update] has not been publicly identified.[58]. On this edition of "Broncos Country Connected,"ILB Alex Singleton details his path to Denver and shares his mental approach while preparing to face the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time this season.