Mustang News Staff Report
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Cal Poly has chosen a name for its live horse mascot: Chase, after past president Margaret Chase, according to a university press release.
Chase was Cal Poly’s second president and the only woman to hold the position. She served on an interim basis in 1924, between the resignation of Nicholas Riccardi and the appointment of Benjamin Crandall.
Chase was interim president during a difficult time for the university. Cal Poly faced financial problems and was under intense scrutiny of its educational mission.
The winning name was submitted by Catherine Trujillo, a curator at Cal Poly’s Robert E. Kennedy Library, in a public naming contest. The name was chosen by Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong and a committee with members from different campus organizations.
“It is a metaphor to encourage our community of scholars to always pursue and chase after their dreams,” Trujillo said in her submission. “It is also a throwback to our campus history and the powerful women who helped Cal Poly become what it is today.”
According to an email by university spokesperson Matt Lazier, there are three horses in the mascot program. The first mustang was donated by an alumnus, and two more were adopted from the Federal Bureau of Land Management — which removes mustangs from western rangelands to prevent overpopulation. The horses are cared for by Cal Poly’s animal science department.
A live mascot has appeared at every Cal Poly football home game this year. The committee overseeing the horses would like to bring them to other athletics events as well.
Emily Kucera contributed to this report.