Taffy the horse made a stop inside Calgary’s Homewood Suites as part of an annual Grey Cup tradition before Sunday’s Edmonton Elks–Montreal Alouettes game.
The Story
Ahead of Sunday’s Grey Cup game between the Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes, Taffy the horse walked through the lobby of Calgary’s Homewood Suites, drawing fans as he toured the downtown hotel to bagpipes and loud sounds.
The horse, a brown-freckled and white cast horse, carried on the mantle of Tuffy, a tradition that has seen a horse with the title “Tuffy” ride through the host city’s hotel every year since 1948, following a Stampeders fan who rode a horse into a fancy Toronto hotel.
At the Calgary hotel, Taffy sauntered to the check-in counter and then went to the bar, where he was given the role of slopping up a bowl of Guinness beer.
Taffy is a 12-year-old cast horse accustomed to simulated danger, which has helped him stay calm around loud noises and music during the event.
Among the fans was Lisa McKay, a Calgary Stampeders supporter, who said at the downtown hotel on Thursday, "Who sees a horse in a hotel, right?" and added, "I've done a couple Grey Cup festivals before, but never saw the horse, so super excited to check that one off on the bucket list."
Picture-hungry supporters also took photos with and alongside the horse, with some wearing football team jerseys.
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