When Wyoming and Colorado State clash in the 111th Border War Friday night, two of the most iconic mascots in college athletics will be roaming the sidelines. CAM the Ram and Cowboy Joe have been part of the storied rivalry for nearly 70 years.

CAM the Ram was introduced in 1947 when a contest winner suggested the name as an acronym for Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical College, as it was then known. Over the years, 25 Rambouillet sheep have represented Colorado State.

Tragedy struck in 2015 when CAM 24 died on the day of the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado. His six-month-old half brother was pressed into service and has been the CSU mascot for four years. A costume caricature of CAM the Ram debuted in the 1980s and has since undergone several design changes.

65 miles north, the legend of Cowboy Joe began in 1950 when the Farthing family discovered a Shetland pony who was starving after his mother had died. As they nursed the orphan back to health, the family was so impressed with his resilience, they donated him to the University of Wyoming.

When the original Cowboy Joe retired in 1965, the Farthing family donated another pony from their ranch. Cowboy Joe II served until 1981. The current mascot, Cowboy Joe V took over in 2013. That same year, he was named the Cutest Mascot in College Football.

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