 Ralphie has always been a female bison because of their size and temperament . Males can be almost twice the size , although any gender of bison comes with some risk . Because Ralphie is a live animal , whether or not she runs at a football game is at the sole discretion of the Program Manager , who may cancel it if she is unusually nervous . Additionally , Ralphie ’ s run may also be canceled in field conditions are unsafe for either Ralphie or the Handlers . 
