When we got to Nationals, we noticed a camera crew walking around taking video and doing interviews. They were wearing “Promote the Goat” t-shirts and passing out buttons. We found out they were doing a documentary on goats, so we cornered them and started talking about our dream: big, beautiful, colorful working goats. We told them about Cuzco: the $25 dairy herd cull that sparked a passion. They wanted to meet him. I told them that wethers are not allowed at Nationals but that maybe I could still bring him up when I came back later in the week if I kept him in the parking lot. So that’s what we did.
We had quite the set-up in our truck. I built a run-in shed that fit behind the cab for Cuzco to take shelter in. It actually worked really well! I also installed the igloo we’d gotten for Nibbles when we transported her up to the show because we would be coming home with both goats in the bed, and I wasn’t sure Cuzco would allow her to share his shelter. Then the cart was crammed in behind everything else.
We were quite the Beverly Hillbillies and got an awful lot of strange looks as we drove down the interstate. A few people even passed, slowed down, then passed again, some with cameras clicking on the second go-round.
Cuzco was surprisingly happy with the whole set-up. When we got to the show I put the igloo up top to give him more room. It was cooler out in the parking lot than it was in the show barns, and as this was the end of the week, the air was definitely fresher outdoors than in!
The camera crew came out later that day and did a lengthy interview with Cuzco. He strutted up and down the street with his cart, and each of them also took a ride. He also did his tricks (although not very well… he was pretty cranky about being hauled to a strange place on a hot day and forced to drag total strangers around a parking lot). But despite is lack of interest in doing tricks, Cuzco still posed for the camera with all his usual dignity. The documentary probably won’t be finished for another year, and who knows if Cuzco’s part will make the final cut, but if it does I’ll post a link. 