Cassius the Colt was the mascot of Manawatū rugby for 20 years during the union’s most successful years of the 1970s and 1980s. Cassius was the creation of well-known Māori artist Fred Graham in 1959 and was adopted by the newly founded Supporters’ Club in 1972, the two-man horse entertaining the crowd before games and at halftime. Cassius was later replaced by one-man mascots until the union introduced Manawatū Stu, and then Turboman.
Presented by Clive Akers
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Join us during September at the City Library for Local History Month: Presentations, activities, workshops, wānanga, and celebrations. For more information, email heritage@pncc.govt.nz.
Images: Photo supplied.
Watercolour: Kirsty Porter

