History of Steamboat

Steamboat

The cowboy and bucking horse have been the symbol of the University of Wyoming since the early 1900s.  In 1903, the famous photo of the bucking horse Steamboat ridden by cowboy Guy Holt was taken at the Albany Country Fair by UW Professor B. C. Buffum.  This photograph was used by Deane Hunton, manager of UW Athletics in 1921, to create a silhouette that was used on the UW baseball team uniforms.  Since then, this image has been used on all UW athletics gear and is a symbol of the university.

Steamboat defines and embodies the untamable spirit of the state and the University of Wyoming.  He was the star of the rodeos and Wild West shows for 15 years.  A legendary bucker, he was jet black with three white feet.  He received his name because, when he was a colt, he sustained a broken nose, which caused him to make a whistling sound when he bucked.  Throughout his tenure as Wyoming's worst bucker, Steamboat was ridden only a handful of times.  His trademark move was to plant his front feet straight into the ground while throwing his back legs into the air.  He represents the toughness, pride, and independence of Wyoming and its inhabitants. Steamboat's history exhibit is located in the McMurry Foundation Grand Atrium.