Mascot demoted for acting the goat on parade

Reuters ^ | Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:32am ET

[sully777]

NICOSIA (Reuters) - The six-year-old mascot for a British army battalion has been demoted in disgrace for acting the goat during a parade in full view of dignitaries.

Billy Goat has been a mascot of the First Battalion, the Royal Welsh regiment, since he was six months old and had the official rank of lance-corporal before his frisky antics during a parade marking Queen Elizabeth's official birthday earlier this month.

The army said he had been demoted to fusilier (private) as a result of his behavior.

"The goat major had a hard time keeping him in line, he was bouncing around all over the place," military spokesman Captain Crispian Coates told Reuters Saturday.

Doubly embarrassing was Billy's refusal to obey commands in front of diplomats and army top brass, Coates said.

"This is his first overseas tour. He has certainly not made a good start for himself."

[sully777]

The first goat of 41st (The Welsh) Regiment of Foot was adopted during the Crimean War in 1855. The reason why the original goat was chosen as a mascot is obscure. Queen Victoria presented the first 'official' goat from the Royal Herd at Windsor in 1862; he was known as 'Billy'. When the regiment was stationed overseas for long periods goat mascots would come from local sources. Goats continue to come from the Royal Herd, now housed at Whipsnade Zoo. The 69th Foot had no official mascot but, on becoming the 2nd Battalion The Welch Regiment in 1881, they adopted the custom. The goat mascot of the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales is known as 'Taffy' and his official name on the battalion's ration roll is 'Gwilym Jenkins'. (Source: Museums of the Royal Regiment of Wales: Welch FAQ)

[NormsRevenge]

Goats continue to come from the Royal Herd, now housed at Whipsnade Zoo.

--

The Royal Herd.. lol

Thanks,, I needed that.

[ThomasThomas]

Did this goat volunteer or was it drafted. America's all volunteer is military is #1

[cryptical]

The goat mascot of the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales is known as 'Taffy' and his official name on the battalion's ration roll is 'Gwilym Jenkins'.

Gwilym Jenkins

Gwilym Meirion Jenkins (1933-82) was a British statistician. His most notable contribution was pioneering work with George Box on autoregressive moving average models, also called Box-Jenkins models, in time-series analysis.

[AprilfromTexas]

He might make a nice falafel if he's not careful

[KittyKares]

From CNN:

Captain William Rose, a soldier present at the parade, said the goat "was trying to headbutt the waist and nether regions of the drummers."

That's what they get for making a goat a lance corporal.

[sully777]

Just get a costume and dress a human corporal



The alternative is just as silly as the current mascot.

[KittyKares]

That is one ugly costume! I don't think too many corporals would volunteer for that duty. I guess the British will just have to keep drafting the royal goats.

If I were one of the drummers, though, I would pad my "nether region."

[paulat]

Doubly embarrassing was Billy's refusal to obey commands in front of diplomats and army top brass, Coates said.

It infuriates me when people try to "humanize" animals...I love my cats...but they are cats above all!!!

[Tom D.]

Tell Billy to watch out for the geitenneukers.

[cva66snipe]

"The goat major had a hard time keeping him in line, he was bouncing around all over the place," military spokesman Captain Crispian Coates told Reuters Saturday. Doubly embarrassing was Billy's refusal to obey commands in front of diplomats and army top brass, Coates said. "This is his first overseas tour. He has certainly not made a good start for himself."

A true Billy at a party? Oh how nice. A Weather {neutered} one would be problem enough but Billy's have the following traits. They are belligerent, stink, are hard to control, and you never, ever, turn your back on one. The easiest way to handle one if they act up is to grab the horns and twist their head while pulling it to the ground. Hold the head down till he bleats. A calmer goat will be the result for the next little while.

Goats especially the Billy and one Nanny in a herd fight to be the herd leader and it is literally a fight of the toughest. They see a human as being a challanger in some cases resulting in butting. They posture and ram each other head on. For roughly six months {under text book cases} the Billy is the herd leader during mating season and the Nanny leads the rest of the time. I learned the hard way the book is wrong LOL. Taking a non debudded {Horned} goat into a crowd is asking for it.

I have Nubian's and they are among the more gentle breed. But mine have horns and I never let a kid near them without me being present. I prefer they not even enter the lot. I've seen how violent they can actually be by killing each other.

A debudded goat though is another matter. Removing the horns has to be done very early as it is part of their sinus system. Removing the horns makes them far less aggressive towards people and each other. I've owned two Billy's and I'll never own another one again. It's easier in the long run to buy new goats especially if you have a small herd.

To maintain herd integrity the Billy needs to be kept penned up separate in another lot till breeding or that makes for more problems such as Nanny's dropping kids in the middle of winter. High loss of Nanny and kids that way. Penning up a Billy? Build a chain link fence LOL you'll need it.

[Don W]

That chain link fence you speak of had best be buried 1 foot or more underground, and 7 feet above, or you could suffer an unpleasant event.

Not a goat guy, but have several friends who are.....

[Stoat]

Yes, stoats occasionally post stories on goats as well  :-)

Goat, Baby Rhino Make Odd Couple (Goat 'adopts' baby rhino...Warning! Extreme Cuteness Alert!)

[cva66snipe]

That chain link fence you speak of had best be buried 1 foot or more underground, and 7 feet above, or you could suffer an unpleasant event. Not a goat guy, but have several friends who are.....

I tried to keep a Billy isolated with barb wire and 3 strands hot electric. He walked right through it. I hosed him down with water and grabbed the fence break handle and held it to him. It didn't matter to him either and that fence has hit me a good one before about 8,000 volts worth. LOL.. He got my herd in July & August and I was burring goats in Dec. and Jan. thanks to him. He was given away after that and a lesson was learned.

I just have them to keep some land cleared and they are excellent for doing that. Surprisingly my fence for the Nanny's and weathers is more to keep dogs out. After a first few escapes by one or two they never tried it again. They were trying to get back in with the herd though. I learned to keep cheap saltines handy. I use them to have them follow me to another lot.

[KneelBeforeZod]

ah those brits.

I read something today about the myth that carrots improve eyesight.

supposedly this myth started when the brits released the info to keep germans from knowing they had radar in WWII.

if you're thinking WTF?? so was I.

[AprilfromTexas]

???

[Tom D.]

Theo Van Gogh, a Dutch movie maker, referred to Muslims as geitenneukers. Geitenneukers is roughly [and cleanly] translated as lovers of goats.

Mr. Van Gogh was murdered about 18 months ago by some geitenneuker.

For link discussing Mr. Van Gogh see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_van_Gogh_(film_director)

To help Mohammad service his virgins check this out:
http://www.geitenneuker.nl/

I hope this makes things clear to you.