TRFU: Morris West bows out after 21 years as Taranaki Rugby mascot

Morris West has been the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls mascot since 1999. Photo/ Supplied

After 25 years as a mascot, (two as BP Bear, two as Slick for basketball, 10 as Little Bull and 11 as Ferdie), the man behind Ferdie has called time on his career.

Morris West has been the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls mascot since his first game back in 1999.

He's been there through wins and losses, rubbed shoulders with rugby legends like Beauden and Jordie Barrett, Seta Tamanivalu, Andrew Hore and Chris Masoe.

Even his trademark "Aaooooaaaaghhh" bull roar has been picked up by fans across the province.

"I've travelled to every NPC venue in the North Island, plus Canterbury on three occasions, an NPC semi-final, a Ranfurly Shield challenge and a mascot event for the launch of Air New Zealand's Grab-a-Seat."

"My favourite part of the job has to be the interaction with the kids. I always thought the most important part of the job was to entertain the kids, so that mum and dad could watch the game. Watching the look on kids' faces as they looked at the special Little Bull or Ferdie picture autographs is a definite highlight.

"Riding kids motorbikes and recently electric scooters has been great fun as well."

Major highlights for Morris have been three Ranfurly Shield tenures, and touring the province with it and visiting rest homes and the Taranaki Hospice and hospitals with Amber & Black Centurion Peter Burke.

Over the course of 132 games for the Yarrows Taranaki Bulls, Morris has had only six days off, ironically in the lead up to the 2014 NPC win, when he had both hips replaced, but he still found time to help his stand-in and support the team.