Clyde the Buffalo, The West’s Most Famous Buffalo, Leads the Stampede Parade

A buffalo walked into the Irma Hotel on Thursday morning, ordered a quick drink, and left a room full of people with a memory of a lifetime. One guest who “only wanted a cup of coffee” was astounded to meet Clyde in the hallway. That is roughly what it looks like when Clyde the Buffalo comes to town.

Clyde, a ten-year-old buffalo from Santa Fe, New Mexico, is in Cody to lead the Stampede Parades down Sheridan Avenue on July 3 and 4, with an appearance at the Cody Stampede Rodeo. He is arguably the most recognizable buffalo in the country right now, with a resume that runs from Paramount’s “Yellowstone” to national ad campaigns, and a temperament that lets him be led through a crowd on a halter without breaking stride.

For a town Buffalo Bill built, and for a Fourth of July celebration whose parade riders once paused at the Irma to tip their hats to the Colonel, the casting is hard to beat. Many thanks to the Cody Stampede Rodeo and the Irma hotel for bringing this addition to the 250th Celebrations.

From Bottle Calf to Breakout Star

Clyde belongs to Clint Mortenson, who owns the Mortenson’s Eaves Movie Ranch, complete with a working movie town as well as Mortenson Silver and Saddles in Santa Fe. He’s spent years working in the film industry as a saddlemaker, wrangler, and stuntman. Mortenson rescued Clyde and started bottle-feeding him when the calf was two weeks old, and Clyde has lived as a pet on the ranch ever since, raised around people and dogs from the start.

That upbringing is the whole story. Clyde is halter-trained, used to being led and posed, and comfortable enough with crowds that Mortenson and others can ride him. Mortenson’s son Wyatt performs as “the Buffalo Rider,” and photos of him saddled up on Clyde have drawn millions of views online.

When Mortenson’s film contacts learned he was raising a gentle bison, the calls started coming. He began hauling Clyde around the country to build up credits, and word of mouth did the rest.

As Seen In…

Clyde’s screen credits include “Yellowstone,” the Amazon Prime series “Outer Range,” the Netflix frontier series “American Primeval,” and “Pluribus,” the new show from “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan. He also appeared in the 2020 film “The Comeback Trail.” On the commercial side, he has worked for Banana Republic, Bass Pro Shops, and YETI, which filmed him nudging one of its coolers across a set.

He models, too. Mortenson has taken him into saloons and bars across Colorado and into the White Elephant Saloon in Fort Worth for Western-themed shoots, and recently posed him for fine-art photographer and conservationist David Yarrow. Now they can add the Irma Hotel to that list.

Mortenson credits the buffalo’s own disposition. Clyde takes direction, tolerates a crowd, and does not, by his owner’s account, act like a star.

Why Cody, and Why Now

Clyde’s visit lands in a big year for Cody. The 2026 Stampede runs under the theme “250 Years of Legends, Liberty and the Lasting West,” marking the country’s semiquincentennial. Not only is Clyde a part of the Lasting West, he also worked for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in Paris for Disney, and Clint created a Buffalo Bill Saddle for that show.

It only makes sense to bring in such a big star with great Cody ties.

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Clyde the Buffalo

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