Published: Feb. 1, 2020

Old Chip costume

CU students have performed as varying versions of Chip, CU Boulder’s character buffalo mascot, since the 1980s. 

Aside from crowd-enchanting duties at CU athletic events, Chip has snowboarded the slopes of Winter Park, danced in a NASA spacesuit and conducted an orchestra in Macky Auditorium. Once, Chip breathed fire while wearing a dragon costume. 

Up to six students split character duties to cover Chip’s athletic, campus and community appearances — which can total as many as 400 events a year. The commitment is worth it. 

“It was one of the highlights of my life,” said Robb Moody (Jour’95), who performed in this mid-90s era Chip costume from 1993 to 1995. 

Chip Facts: 

  • Each semester, several students share mascot duties. Their real identities remain a secret. 
  • Students who wore this costume cleaned it themselves, said former Chip Robb Moody (Jour’95). Sometimes the bathtub would do. 
  • In 2009 and 2010, Chip won first place back to back at the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s Mascot National Championship. In January 2020, he won again. 
  • This Chip was retired around 1997. 
  • Cameron Forth (CivEngr’97) donated this 90s-era costume to the CU Heritage Center this fall. 

 

 

Photo by Mona Lambrecht, CU Heritage Center