Warpaint (horse)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Warpaint was the mascot pinto horse for the Kansas City Chiefs National Football League team from 1963 to 1989.

The gelding is most famously associated with the Chiefs' glory days at Municipal Stadium when the team won two American Football League Championships, and the horse led the team's victory parade after their win in Super Bowl IV.

The Chiefs have reportedly considered bringing a horse of the same name back for a future season,[1][2] but the team currently uses K.C. Wolf as their mascot since 1989.

The horse was ridden bareback by rider Bob Johnson who wore full Native American headdress.[3] Warpaint circled the field at the beginning of each game and after each touchdown. In 1975, the Chiefs defeated the Oakland Raiders by a score of 42-10, prompting Warpaint to circle the field plenty of times.[3]

“ We couldn't beat the Chiefs, but we damn near killed their horse.[3] ”

—Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden, following their 42-10 loss to the Chiefs in 1975.[3]

The horse was said to have lost its footing when the team switched from natural grass at Municipal Stadium to artificial turf at Arrowhead Stadium. Charges were also made that the horse and rider were demeaning to Native Americans, helping to end its use as the team's mascot.

After the Chiefs attempted to use an officially licensed mascot in the mid-1980's, but it was scrapped in favor of K.C. Wolf, team's current mascot, in 1989.

The first Warpaint was born in 1955, and the second was born in 1968.[4] The second Warpaint died in 2005 at the age of 37 at Benjamin Stables in Kansas City where it is now buried.[4] The horse made an appearance at a 1997 Chiefs game where it received a standing ovation from a sold-out crowd.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Part 3: Chiefs still ‘Rock and Roll’", The Kansas City Star, September 1, 2006. 
  2. ^ "Another Warpaint comes and goes", The Kansas City Star, November 5, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-10. 
  3. ^ a b c d Chiefs cheerleaders and mascots Accessed 15 March 2008.
  4. ^ a b c Veterinary Medical Review University of Missouri-Columbia Fall/Winter 1999 (pdf)
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