Europe, Editor’s Pick, Weird, Odd & Just Plain Fun

On Sunday, nearly 500 people gathered in the Lithuanian village of Ramygala to watch the fiercest and most anticipated competition of the year. After much primping and preening and some deliberation between the judges, they were ready to crown a winner of the annual goat beauty pageant.

 

 

The goat beauty pageant is an annual tradition in the northern village, who adopted the goat as its symbol sometime in the 16th century. The event proves a popular draw for many people as spectators can enjoy a marching band and dancers while a ceremonial ‘king’ and ‘queen’ look over the ceremony.

 

The winner of the 2016 pageant was Demyte, a fresh-faced one-year-old, beauty being, of course, tragically wasted on the young. Reuters reports that Demyte’s owner has been trying to win the pageant for the last six years and was thrilled that he won, despite the unfortunate oversight of forgetting to paint the goat’s nails.

 

Despite this, Demyte – elegantly decorated with two roses – bleat off five competitors (sorry, we couldn’t resist at least one goat pun) to snatch the crown. It’s unclear whether there was a talent portion of the goat beauty pageant, or if the participants are expected to coast by on their good looks.

 

If you can’t make it to Lithuania to judge the beautiful goats, fear not, as Ramygala isn’t the only town enamoured with the clambering creatures. Puck Fair is Ireland’s oldest festival and takes place in August in Killorglin, Co Kerry. It takes place over three days and culminates with a wild mountain goat being crowned king in perhaps the world’s strangest coronation ceremony.