40th ANNIVERSARY TEA TOWEL
Can you believe that the Harness Goat Society celebrates its 40th birthday this year!
It’s a huge achievement to have reached this milestone. In recent years our membership has grown and become worldwide. Through our
presence at shows and other events members have introduced many many people to harness goats, something the vast majority of people didn’t know ever existed, and given pleasure to hundreds of children – and adults- who have enjoyed seeing and petting our wonderful goats.
To celebrate this commemorative year we have commissioned animal and wildlife artist, Anna Cara, to produce drawings from photos from the four decades for an anniversary tea towel.
Anna, who is a member of HGS, has given her time and expertise entirely free. She says: “I was both honoured and daunted to be asked to produce these drawings. My medium is pastel and I work in colour so pen and ink drawings is not my fortê. I’m also not at all familiar with harnesses so trying to work out from photos what was harness and what was goat or cart was somewhat challenging, particularly from the older photo. I must also point out that I don’t draw people!! I do hope that members will feel that I have at least done their goats justice and will buy lots of tea towels to raise funds for this wonderful Society.”
ORDER YOUR COMMEMORATIVE TEA TOWELS NOW!
2026 Harness Goat Society Calendar Available now
£7.99 plus P & P
Diary Dates 2025
Please note at the time of publishing the dates are accurate. If you wish to come along and see the goats at one of the events listed, please contact us first to confirm the event is going ahead.
Sunday, April 6th Countryside Lincs (RBST)
Sunday, May 18th Woodhall Spa Country Show (RBST)
Sherborne Castle Country Fair May 26th May Bank Holiday
Bath and West Show May 29th, 30th, 31st
Sunday, June 1st Rutland show A day for showing goats
Sunday, June 29th Fulbeck Fund Day,
Wed/Thursday 18th & 19th June Lincolnshire Show (RBST) County ground, English goats
Sat 5th July Sleaford Charity fun day
Sat 12th July Walkabout Goats fun day. Open day to come and visit goats, help raise some funds for a new roof.
Mid Devon Show Tiverton 26th July
Sat/Sunday 26th & 27th July Heckington Show (RBST) English and hopefully harness goats
Sat 9th August Halifax show
Mid Somerset show 17th August
Frampton Country Fair 14th September
About the Event
August 3rd 2024, 10:00 – 17:00
Willowbrook Farm, Hampton Gay, Kidlington OX5 2QQ, UK
More than just a regular event, we’ve combined our Open Day with a festival twist. Enjoy the festival favourites – Kay Smith’s African Drumming, AbduRaheem Scott’s Archery, Hassen Rasool’s Storytelling & more alongside learning all about goats from the Willowbrook Farmers AND a special appearance by the Harness Goat Society.
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We are excited to announce our very first Virtual Harness Goat Society Show. Details & entry form to follow shortly.
You can now download the entry form from the Virtual Goat Show page.
All members are welcome to enter as many classes as you wish.
Good Luck!
2024 Started with a road trip to Goats Galore in Bromyard Herefordshire. Jill Rollo joes a sterling job running the goat sanctuary, it is a credit to her. Thank you for your hospitality Jill
Some of the harness goats this Christmas time. Loui raised £50 for the local scout group selling lucky dip parcels, well done Loui!
Shout out to the Harness Goat Society members. Time is running out for entries to the Malvern Autumn Show. If you wish to attend please contact us directly for details
Royal Bath and West Show June 2023
Sherborne Castle Country Fair May 2023
Young Goats available
Please email harnessgoats@gmail.com for more information.
Up and coming show dates for 2023
Look out for the harness goats out and about supporting the Harness Goat Society this coming year.
Sherborne Castle country fair May bank holiday
Royal Bath & West show Shepton Mallet 1st 2nd & 3rd June
Midsomer Norton Somerset Festival 24th June
Midsomerset show Shepton Mallet August 20th
Frampton On Severn Agricultural Show September 10th
Nicola & her goat Lucy who is taking her for a ride from Mablethorpe to Huttoft along the promenade on the Lincolnshire coastline.
Rare breed Old English Goats join the Harness Goat Society.
We were thrilled when Sharon her partner Paul and four Old English Goats joined our society recently. Sharon lives in mid wales with her rare breed livestock. The goats have been with her since Sep 2020 when they came for weed clearance, a job which they do really well. Sharon is also able to spin the fine cashmere undercoat. Sharon has plenty of jobs for them to do around the farm using both their backpacks and recently a kart which she plans to train one of them to use.
Recently Sharon was shown this fabulous photograph of her Grandmother Florence Haarnack taken near Regents Park London 1901
Thank you for sharing this fantastic photograph.
Norton and Yarrow (Gold medal award winning cheese makers) have stock available on their farm in Oxfordshire. Kid goats are available for sale at the moment, March 2023 . Please email the Harness Goat Society if you are interested & we can put you in contact with them.
FRAMPTON COUNTRY FAIR 2022
Members of the Harness Goat Society gave a wonderful display at the Frampton Country Fair this year. Young goats in training were splendid in the ring showing off their newly learned skills.
Saxon & Viking make their debut at the Rowington and Lowsonford Fete with their proud owner Michelle. The boys have represented the harness goats previously but on this occasion they pulled their carriage for the very first time for the general public to see them at work. One very lucky young person was given a ride in the carriage.
Congratulations for a fantastic display & Well done !!!
Recently Paul joined the crowds at The Royal Bath and West show June 2022
MEMBERS OF THE HGS GO INTERNATIONAL!
Members of the HGS travel to Wassiac just outside of New York city. Helping to train Rodrigo & give his owner George some useful tips. Read more about our trip on the events page.
There are lots of kids being born this spring time at our members homes. Some hopefully will make it as harness goats, well eventually!
George has kids in America, Alex in Southampton & Lin in Wiltshire. If you are looking for a kid goat maybe as a harness goat why not contact us for details.
Our most recent addition to the Society is Baji.
Baji is an Anglo Nubian male goat destined for a great future. See him on our meet the goat page.
Paul attended the Bath and West show June 2022 with several of his Pygmy goats. Billy started his training… the general public loved him!
Debbie & Shaun attended their first ever show with Dotty & Elsa at Sherborne castle country fair. They were joined by Lin & Tony with their goats Derry & Kookie. Derry did a fabulous job showing off his harness skills and giving rides to some lucky children during the day.
Derry & Kookie also attended Watchfield Fete in Oxfordshire promoting the harness goat Society. Well done you two!!
More up and coming events to follow are the Mid Devon show in Tiverton. The Midsomerset show in Shepton Mallet & Frampton on Severn country fair later in the year.
Some of the young goats will be attending fetes in and around Somerset, let us know if you see us out and about.
Kenny the goat lives in Oxfordshire with his owner Linda.
Linda took him to her local village event on Saturday. They sold kisses with Kenny to raise funds for the Ukrainian appeal. Kenny raised £88!!! Well-done Kenny that is pretty amazing for your first trip out as a harness goat.
A tribute to HRH Prince Philip by Marion White in Devon. Marion has spent the last decade making coats for her goats.
You can view more of her creations on the gallery page.
George & his goat Rodrigo were nominated for goat of the month, March 2021.
Read more about George on the members page.
Kids arriving soon!!
Lin Macrae & her golden gurnsey girls GiGi and Jeanie are due to kid at the beginning of April. read more about Lin & her goats on the meet the members page & check in regularly to see when the kids arrive
GiGi on the right ….. Jeanie on the left
Bryr and her goat UBER
A warm welcome to Bryr and her family in Australia. Bryr is one of our newest members & supports a charity called Foodforhischildren.org in Tanzania. We are looking forward to all the updates as Bryr starts her journey training Uber.
News from Lin Macrae… Meet the new arrivals!
These beautiful Golden Gurnsey goats arrived just a few days ago. Both Gigi and Jeanie gave birth to twins. Both nannies and each set of twins are doing well.
Alex Rubira shares some of the impressive cheeses & soaps which he makes on his small holding.
Goat milk soaps Manchago Crotin
Kids available May 2021
Alex has bred some wonderful kids this spring time. Anglo Nubians and English kids are available for sale. Please contact us so we can pass on your details if you are interested.
Come and meet the three Omegos at Tiverton this coming Saturday. Mid Devon Show gates open at 9am.
Branston Quinn and Denoso will be attending. Their first show outing in over 18 months.
A great day was had by all at the Mid Devon show. Ozo made his debut pulling a cart for the first time at a show & managed to put a smile on many childrens faces giving rides around the show ring.
Many Thanks to Alan for inviting us to attend and for all his support on the day. We very much look forward to attending again in 2022!
Look out for us at up and coming shows. Mid Somerset Show in Shepton Mallet on 15th August 2021.
Stanton Drew on 4th September
Frampton on Severn 12th September Check out their web page for details
Pygmy goats at The Bath and West Show ground check out their web page for details.
Lowsonford and Rowington village Fete earlier this year with Saxon & Viking who belong to Michelle Tomlin.
Michelle is making excellent progress with training the boys as a pair in Harness. Keep checking in to follow their progress.
Look how Lin & Tony Macrae’s Golden Gurnsey Goatlings have grown!!
Here at the Mid Somerset show for the first time. Each kid wearing its own bespoke backpack, excellent handywork by Tony & decorated by Lin
Walk, Feed and pet the Goats at Friends Farm, Swanwick, Hampshire.
Find us on airbnb experiences to book your place for an hour and a half session with our herd of friendly goats. You will be able to feed and groom them, learn a little bit about goat keeping and take them on a walk. Free tea and coffee included.This experience is ideal for families and groups of up to eight people.
Rupert in his harness for the first time. He belongs to Nicola Jowett from Lincolnshire. Nicola applied for a walking Licence, she is now able to take Rupert out and about for his exercise, to meet & greet people ready for when he becomes a harness goat for real. Keep an eye out for Rupert & Nicola, you may see them out on walks if you live in this area.
Let us know if you do!!!!
Merry Christmas from All at The Harness Goat Society
Happy New Year to all our Harness Goat Society members past and present near and far. Everything crossed for a HAPPY HEALTHY 2022
Currently there are kids being born at http://www.nortonandyarrow.co.uk
Please make contact directly with Norton and Yarrow & ask for Linda Vincent who will be more than happy to guide you through selection.
The Harness Goat Society 