Passing the reins: New era for Broncos mascot Thunder as owner, rider, handler retire

Thunder, the majestic Denver Broncos’ mascot, isn’t being put out to pasture. But the white horse’s owner, caretaker and rider are moving on.

The Broncos told 9NEWS that while the owner of the first four Thunders going back to 1993 and the rider since 1998 have ridden off into the sunset, the mascot Thunder will continue to gallop after every Broncos score (except safeties).

The new Thunder will be team-owned and will again be a white horse.

To date, there have been four Thunders in all, galloping back nearly three-and-a-half decades. Sharon Magness Blake has been the only owner of Thunder for the past 33-plus years.

After the 1992 season, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen wanted to lift the entertainment for the fans’ game-day experience. He brought back the cheerleaders and had his general manager John Beake ask Sharon, a world-renowned Arabian horse breeder, if she had a white horse.

“And I said, yessir, I do have a white horse,’’ Magness-Blake said in an interview with 9NEWS. “And he said, ‘Would you like to be the Denver Broncos’ mascot?’

‘I would love to be the Denver Broncos mascot. Are you kidding me?”’

Thunder I was a Stallion. He started in 1993 and entertained sellout crowds on game days at what is now called Empower Field at Mile High for 11 seasons.

“He was probably the strongest horse I’ve ever ridden,’’ Magness-Blake said.