Boomer and Sooner

Boomer and Sooner are two matching white ponies who pull the Sooner Schooner, a Conestoga wagon across the field when the University of Oklahoma football team scores. The Sooner Schooner is the true mascot of the team, bringing to mind the pioneers who settled Indian Territory during the 1889 Land Run and were the original "Sooners". The Sooner Schooner represents the University of Oklahoma as a mascot for the university and its sports teams, the Oklahoma Sooners.

Boomer and Sooner ponies

The Sooner Schooner and ponies were introduced in 1964 and became the official mascot in 1980. The Sooner Schooner is cared for, maintained, and driven by both the Oklahoma RUF/NEKS, OU's all-male spirit squad, and the RUF/NEK Lil' Sis, OU's all-female spirit squad. Mick Cottom, a freshman Ruf/Nek member from Liberty Mounds, Oklahoma, has the distinction of being the first person to pilot the Schooner across Owen Field in 1964. Darby Dean became the first woman to drive the Sooner Schooner during the Bedlam football game on November 21, 2020. ^[1] The Sooner Schooner and ponies were kept at the Bartlett Ranch in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, till 2011 when the university took over the care for the Schooner and ponies. Charley F. (Buzz) Bartlett and his brother, Dr. M. S. Bartlett, organized the Doc and Buzz foundation in 1964 for the purpose of presenting scholarships to deserving students, but the foundation also supports the OU mascot.

There have been five sets of ponies.

Boomer and Sooner I
Boomer and Sooner II
Boomer and Sooner III
Boomer and Sooner IV (1993–2007)
Boomer and Sooner V (2008 to present)

Boomer and Sooner V are two crème white Welsh Ponies who were introduced in 2007 to replace the retiring Boomer and Sooner IV.^[2]

Costumed mascots

Non-animal mascots were needed to represent the University of Oklahoma at certain athletic contests, charity events and children's hospitals.^[3] The Boomer and Sooner costumed mascots represent the University of Oklahoma in these situations. They represent the two crème white ponies that pull the Sooner Schooner,^[4] a Conestoga wagon across Owen Field in a victory ride after every OU score. Boomer is the blue-eyed horse and Sooner is the brown-eyed Horse. Traditionally, Boomer wears crimson jerseys and Sooner wears white jerseys that match the team that they are supporting. The mascots replaced the Top Daug mascot at Oklahoma Sooners basketball games. Boomer has competed in Universal Cheer Association National Competition for 4 years, placing 2nd in 2012.

References

^ "OU football: Darby Dean becomes first woman to drive Sooner Schooner". 21 November 2020.
^ "Boomer and Sooner IV Retiring". University of Oklahoma. November 20, 2007. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
^ Mascots, University of Oklahoma Spirit Squads. (accessed October 7, 2013)
^ "Mascots". Spirit Squads. Retrieved June 7, 2012.

External links

[1] "OU football: Darby Dean becomes first woman to drive Sooner Schooner". 21 November 2020.

[2] "Boomer and Sooner IV Retiring". University of Oklahoma. November 20, 2007. Retrieved October 7, 2013.

[soonersports-3] Mascots, University of Oklahoma Spirit Squads. (accessed October 7, 2013)

[Spirit_Squads-4] "Mascots". Spirit Squads. Retrieved June 7, 2012.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Oklahoma Sooners football
Venues	Boyd Field (1905–1923) Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (1923–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Missouri Nebraska Oklahoma State: Bedlam Series Texas: Red River Rivalry
Culture & lore	T formation Wishbone formation 1971 Nebraska game 2008 Big 12 South 3-way tie controversy 2016 Texas Tech game Oklahoma drill Sooner Schooner RUF/NEKS Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass Boomer and Sooner "Boomer Sooner" Marching band The Kick Play Like a Champion Today
People	Head coaches Starting quarterbacks All-Americans NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball
Venues	Oklahoma Gymnasium (1907–1919) University of Oklahoma R.O.T.C. Armory (1919–1928) McCasland Field House (1928–1975) Lloyd Noble Center (1975–present)
Rivalries	Oklahoma State
Culture & lore	Boomer and Sooner RUF/NEKS Jumpman Invitational
People	Head coaches NBA draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

v t e Live animal mascots in college sports
The American	TOM (Memphis) Stella (Temple)
ACC	Osceola and Renegade (Florida State) Tuffy (NC State) Rameses (North Carolina) Peruna (SMU)
Big 12	Judge (Baylor) Ralphie the Buffalo (Colorado) Shasta (Houston) Bullet (Oklahoma State) The Masked Rider (Texas Tech)
Big East	Butler Blue (Butler) Jack the Bulldog (Georgetown) Jonathan (UConn)
Big Ten	Traveler (USC) Dubs (Washington)
Conference USA	Tech (Louisiana Tech)
Ivy League	Handsome Dan (Yale)
Missouri Valley	Racer One (Murray State)
Mountain West	Aurora (Air Force) CAM the Ram (Colorado State)
Patriot League	Army Mules (Army) Bill the Goat (Navy)
SEC	Tusk (Arkansas) War Eagle (Auburn) Uga (Georgia) Blue (Kentucky) Mike the Tiger (LSU) Bully (Mississippi State) Boomer and Sooner (Oklahoma) Sir Big Spur (South Carolina) Smokey (Tennessee) Bevo (Texas) Reveille (Texas A&M)