G.O.A.T. will be crowned in first-ever professional eating competition for goats
Step aside, Joey Chestnut (the award-winning competitive eater famous for his hot dog consumption every 4th of July). The first-ever professional eating competition between goats, appropriately called The Great Goat Graze-Off, will take place on July 12 in New York City. The event will feature five invasive plant-eating fiends from the Riverside Park Conservancy—Kash, Rufus, Mallomar, Romeo, and Butterball. “Competitive eating events—whether human or goat—are quirky, high-energy spectacles that tap into our love for friendly competition and fun,” Alison Ettinger-DeLong, communications manager at Riverside Park Conservancy, tells Popular Science on behalf of the conservancy team. “People enjoy watching the goats munch with gusto and cheer for their favorites, but the deeper enjoyment comes from seeing animals do what they naturally love (for goats, that’s eat!) while learning about their role in environmental care.” Ettinger-DeLong confirms that the contest does not involve force-feeding. It is short, safe, and aligns with the animals’ normal...