Ooh-la-la! Moo-La makes big return to the Erath County courthouse square, and man, is she pretty.

Clynt and Alisha Hunter pose with Moo-La as she arrives home on Thursday.

By SARA VANDEN BERGE

It’s amazing what an extended stay at a spa can do for a girl.

Facing her 50th birthday, Moo-La was sent off for a complete makeover at Stephenville’s hottest body shop – Hunter Body Works – and on Thursday she returned home (with a police escort) to her perch on the Erath County courthouse square.

Julie Smith, manager of the Stephenville Tourism and Visitors Bureau, said she is thrilled with Moo-La’s fresh look.

“We are so grateful for Clynt and his expert team who have lovingly restored Moo-La to her original glory,” Julie told Beneath the Surface News. “She was in worse shape than we realized and they have worked so hard to ensure she lasts another 50 years!”

Clynt Hunter, owner of Hunter Body Works, is more accustomed to repairing vehicles than cows, but he couldn’t resist the chance to spruce up Erath County’s official mascot.

“Our initial plan was to just sand her down and give her a few coats of paint and freshen her up,” Clynt said. “But once we started sanding her, we quickly realized that she was in bad shape.

“The fiberglass was cracking, seams were separating, her tail and ears had been broken off and patched back on - she was definitely overdue for a makeover.

“We treated her like our own, cared for her and put the same attention into her as we would with any of our customer’s vehicles.”

So, Moo-La was buffed and polished, repaired and treated to four coats of polyester primer and four coats of paint before she was sent home on Thursday.

“We didn’t rush the process so it took longer than expected, but quality takes time and that’s what she deserves,” Clynt said. “Plus, I really think she enjoyed the time away!”