AUSTIN, Texas — The big guy is celebrating a big milestone on Friday.
Bevo XV, the Texas Longhorns‘ beloved mascot, is turning 10 years old, receiving lots of well wishes from fans and groups affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin.
“The beautiful boy himself turns 10 today!” UT alumni association Texas Exes wrote on social media. “Happy birthday to our forever favorite longhorn.”
“Happy birthday big guy,” wrote Texas Football.
Bevo “himself” even made a post to the Texas Mascot Instagram page, sharing a calf picture and writing, “It’s my @vinceyoung10 year! 10 years old today.”
Bevo XV’s beginnings
Bevo XV officially made his debut as the Longhorns’ mascot in 2016, after Bevo XIV died from bovine leukemia virus in October 2015. The previous Bevo served as the Longhorns’ mascot from 2004 to 2015.
In May 2016, UT announced that Bevo XV had been selected and was “in the midst of training.”
On Sept. 3, 2016, then-UT President Greg Fenves tweeted a video debuting Bevo XV on the eve of the Longhorns’ season opener against Notre Dame.
“Welcome to Longhorn Nation. BEVO XV will have a long and victory-filled reign,” Fenves wrote.
Welcome to Longhorn Nation. BEVO XV will have a long and victory-filled reign. pic.twitter.com/GCTxCeszkv
— Greg Fenves (@gregfenves) September 4, 2016
That prediction has proved to be pretty accurate so far. Under three coaches since 2016 – Charlie Strong, Tom Herman and now Steve Sarkisian – the Longhorns’ overall record has been 75 wins and 41 losses.
Bevo XV lives at Sunrise Ranch in Liberty Hill. The ranch’s owners, John and Betty Baker, also owned Bevo XIII and Bevo XIV.
The steer has been the official mascot of UT for nearly 110 years. The original Bevo made his debut during the 1916 Thanksgiving Day game against Texas A&M.