Sports · Other Sports · 55 mins ago
Taffy the horse will carry on Grey Cup hotel tradition in Calgary
Taffy, a 12-year-old Appaloosa, will take on the name Tuffy for a Grey Cup tradition in Calgary.
On Thursday, horse wrangler John Scott’s horse is set to walk into the Homewood Suites, led by bagpipers and drummers and ridden by Calgary Grey Cup Committee chair Steve Sommerfeld.
The tradition dates back nearly 80 years, to a Stampeders fan riding a horse into Toronto’s Royal York Hotel in 1948.
Different horses have repeated the hotel walk over the decades, and Taffy is the horse chosen for the 113th Grey Cup.
Scott says Taffy is used to loud sounds and simulated danger from work as a cast horse in films and television.
The walk is meant to entertain hotel guests and children during the Grey Cup Festival, which ends with Sunday’s championship game between the Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes.
Taffy, a 12-year-old Appaloosa, is set to carry on the Grey Cup tradition of a horse walking through a hotel in the host city.
The horse will take the name Tuffy for the event and is scheduled to enter Calgary’s Homewood Suites on Thursday.
Horse wrangler John Scott says Taffy has the calm disposition needed to handle people, music and noise.
The tradition dates back to 1948, when a Calgary Stampeders fan rode a horse into the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.
The 113th Grey Cup championship game is scheduled for Sunday between the Edmonton Elks and the Montreal Alouettes.
- Who
- Taffy, a 12-year-old leopard Appaloosa, will take the role of Tuffy. Horse wrangler John Scott and Calgary Grey Cup Committee chair Steve Sommerfeld are involved.
- What
- Taffy is set to walk through a Calgary hotel as part of the Grey Cup tradition.
- When
- Thursday. The article says the Grey Cup Festival begins Tuesday and the championship game is Sunday.
- Where
- The Homewood Suites hotel in Calgary.
- Why
- To recreate a long-running Grey Cup tradition of a horse walking through a hotel in the host city.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A Stampeders fan rode a horse into the lobby of Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, inspiring the tradition.
The Grey Cup Festival is scheduled to begin.
Taffy is set to walk into Calgary’s Homewood Suites as Tuffy.
The Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes are scheduled to play the Grey Cup championship game.
- Horse
- Taffy, a 12-year-old leopard Appaloosa
- Event
- 113th Grey Cup
- Hotel
- Homewood Suites, Calgary
- Tradition began
- 1948
- Championship teams
- Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes
What people are saying
He’s just got the right disposition, the right mind to be around people, music, noise
He’s just been an all-around horse
I think it’s awesome; and being a born and raised Calgarian, I’m just loving it