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Spazito

(54,832 posts)
Mon Sep 30, 2024, 08:53 AM Sep 30

This goat hopped into a Newfoundland marathon -- and won a medal

As marathon runners made their way through winding forest pathways and residential roads on Newfoundland's east coast on Sunday, they were joined by a four-legged competitor who has since become a sensation, says one mayor.

The Town of Conception Bay South hosted its first T'Railway Trek Half Marathon on Sunday. When its 250 runners passed a local business called Taylor's Pumpkin Patch, Mayor Darrin Bent said a new contestant spontaneously joined the race.

"They have a resident goat, Mr. Joshua. And when the runners went past the pumpkin patch, the goat decided, 'Well, I'm not staying here, I'm joining them!'" Bent told CBC News.

Joshua ran alongside the runners for approximately four kilometres before his owners caught up with him, said Bent, though they allowed Joshua to finish the race.

more

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/cbs-marathon-joshua-goat-1.7337676

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This goat hopped into a Newfoundland marathon -- and won a medal (Original Post) Spazito Sep 30 OP
Go Joshua Botany Sep 30 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Sep 30 #2
Goats love to run central scrutinizer Sep 30 #3
I didn't know that... Spazito Sep 30 #6
Thanks for sharing this delightful account! brer cat Sep 30 #4
You're very welcome! Spazito Sep 30 #5
That reminds me of how the Royal Welch Fusiliers got their goat mascot Tanuki Sep 30 #7
Wow, a fascinating bit of history! Spazito Sep 30 #8
That goat is THE GOAT Jerry2144 Sep 30 #9
How do I turn off an accidental alert? Clumsy thumbs, pre- coffee.this morning. Batshit_Bruin_CA Sep 30 #10
You can't but don't worry, hopefully the jury will see that the article... Spazito Sep 30 #11
Yay Mr Joshua Faux pas Sep 30 #12

Response to Spazito (Original post)

central scrutinizer

(12,441 posts)
3. Goats love to run
Mon Sep 30, 2024, 10:01 AM
Sep 30

The best way to catch a goat is to run AWAY from it. The goat will immediately start chasing you and you can lure it into a pen.

Tanuki

(15,396 posts)
7. That reminds me of how the Royal Welch Fusiliers got their goat mascot
Mon Sep 30, 2024, 10:41 AM
Sep 30


https://southwestmedalsandcollectables.co.uk/mascots-of-the-royal-welsh-regiment#:~:text=All%20the%20goats%20are%20called,Llandudno%20on%2013%20June%202009.
"Welsh regiments
Did you know it costs the British Army £40,000 per year to keep their mascots?

1st Battalion (formerly The Royal Welsh Fusiliers) – Goat named Billy
The tradition of goat mascots in the military dates back 200 years, from at least 1775. The history of the regimental goat dates back to the American War of Independence in 1775 when a wild goat wandered onto a battlefield in Boston, and ended up leading the Welsh regimental Colours off the battlefield at the end of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Since then a goat has served with the Battalion. In 1884, Queen Victoria presented the regiment, then called the Royal Welch Fusiliers, with a Kashmir goat from her royal herd, and a tradition was started. The British Monarchy has presented an unbroken series of Kashmir goats to the Royal Welch Fusiliers from the Crown’s own royal herd. The royal goat herd was originally obtained from Mohammad Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia from 1834 to 1848, when he presented them to Queen Victoria as a gift in 1837 upon her accession to the throne.


All the goats are called William (anglicised version of Gwylim) Windsor or Billy for short. Their primary duty is to march at the head of the battalion on all ceremonial event. The present goat mascot, Fusilier William Windsor, was chosen from a herd of goats living on the Great Orme in Llandudno on 13 June 2009. After his selection, months of work followed to get him used to his fellow soldiers and to make him learn what is expected of him. As the goat progressed, he was taught to get used to sounds and noises coming from marching soldiers.

The predecessor mascot, Lance Corporal William Windsor, a Kashmir goat from the royal herd at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, was presented to the Regiment by Queen Elizabeth II in 2001. Following eight years of distinguished military service, he retired on 20 May 2009 due to his age. As he left Dale Barracks, Chester for the last time, hundreds of soldiers from the Battalion lined the route from his pen to the trailer to say farewell and thank you for his many years of good service. He was led into the trailer by the battalion’s Goat Major in full ceremonial dress that included a silver headdress which was a gift from the Queen in 1955. He was taken to Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire where he is spending his honourable retirement. Zoo keepers say he is having an easy life at the Children’s Farm.

The goat is more than a mascot. It is a full member of the battalion and in the days gone by, when it was a 1,000-strong unit, it was 999 men plus the goat. As a soldier, the goat can move up the ranks. It starts as a fusilier and if it is well behaved and does well on parades, quite often it is promoted to lance corporal, a non-commissioned officer rank. As a full member of the battalion, he is accorded the full status and privileges of the rank.

There are perks to the job of regimental mascot. Billy gets a two-a-day cigarette ration (He eats them, as traditionally, the tobacco is thought to be good for the goat.) and Guinness to drink when he is older “to keep the iron up.".....(more)

Spazito

(54,832 posts)
8. Wow, a fascinating bit of history!
Mon Sep 30, 2024, 10:45 AM
Sep 30

Thanks so much for posting this, it was both a pleasure as well as educational to read.

Batshit_Bruin_CA

(61 posts)
10. How do I turn off an accidental alert? Clumsy thumbs, pre- coffee.this morning.
Mon Sep 30, 2024, 11:21 AM
Sep 30

Great article. Also gave it a 'rec'.

Spazito

(54,832 posts)
11. You can't but don't worry, hopefully the jury will see that the article...
Mon Sep 30, 2024, 11:32 AM
Sep 30

isn't a problem and vote accordingly. If, by chance, it was removed I would appeal the hide to admin and am pretty sure it would be restored and the hide removed from my profile.

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