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Following a successful summer of eating, Riverside Park Conservancy’s four goats are headed baaaaack to their regular home upstate with full bellies after dining on Manhattan's finest foliage. But before they go, they’re participating in a talent show called Riverside’s Go(a)t Talent, and you can vote for your favorite furry goat-testant.
And the contestants are … drumroll please …
Big G
Known as an excellent grazer with unparalleled eating abilities, Big G is also a generous creature who shares his snacks with his fellow hungry goats. Big G is also known for his beautiful brown-and-white fur.
Cheech
Cheech makes friends with everyone he encounters, from humans who wave hello to fellow critters and wildlife in Riverside Park.
Elenor
A jack-of-all trades, Elenor can chew and groom herself at the same time. But her true passion is the arts, and she’s been known to creatively arrange leaves and twigs in elaborate patterns throughout the park—a regular Vincent Van Goat. It must be said that Elenor also rocks a phenomenal beard.
Skittles
As a skilled climber and an avid singer, Skittles can traverse the steepest hills to find the tastiest mugwort morsels. Skittles sports two dark brown stripes above his snout and he’s happy to smile for the camera.
Cast your vote
Online voting will close at 4pm on Thursday, August 25. The winner will be crowned at a public ceremony at 11am on Friday, August 26 at 120th Street and Riverside Park where the winning goat will receive an award and a bouquet of weeds.
The goats arrived in Riverside Park in late June and spent two months this summer taming two acres of the park. Navigating steep terrain, they chowed down on a buffet of invasive species and poison ivy, making the park a better place for visitors.
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This is the third time these adorable weed-whacking animals have worked their summer job at Riverside Park, as part of Riverside Park Conservancy’s “Goatham City” initiative launched in 2019.
“This year’s goats were incredibly talented and did a great job to clear out the sloped terrain,” Roxanne Roth, manager of park operations, said in a press release. “In fact, we’re pleased to share that the goats completed their work ahead of schedule, and will end their summer internship early.”
So hoof it to bid a fond farewell to the goats before they head back home to Green Goats Farm in Rhinebeck.