Bath College’s goats win prizes at the Frome Agricultural & Cheese Show

Bath College’s pygmy goats did well at their first competitive showing, winning five rosettes at the Frome Agricultural & Cheese Show.

Smokey, Bubbles, Twix and Galaxy are firm favourites with staff and students in the animal care department at the college’s Somer Valley Campus.

The show, which attracts hundreds of people each year, was their first outing and was a chance for staff to meet other breeders and owners.

Level 2 and Level 3 animal care students worked hard to bath and groom the pygmy goats, to get them looking their best for the show.  

All four goats scrubbed up well, with three-year-old goats Smokey and Bubbles winning 1^st and 4^th in their age categories. Smokey also won 4^th in the overall pedigree female category.

Animal care staff Katie Parfitt and Gemma Hancock supervised the showing and won 1^st and 2^nd in the novice handler competition.

Katie said: “They had a lovely day, they met a lot of other goats which they seemed to enjoy because they’re sociable animals.

“It’s quite competitive. The judge checks their mouth, teeth and feet, to check they’re in good condition, and then looks at them in profile to judge their size according to breed specifications.

“I enjoyed talking to like-minded people about their animals. We’re thinking about breeding our goats next year, and we met a lot of people who were able to give us help and advice.”

Bath College offers a wide range of animal care courses, from foundation learning to Level 3, alongside veterinary nursing diplomas.

As well as the pygmy goats, the college is home to a large number of reptiles, birds and popular pets, including rabbits, hamsters and chickens.

All animal care courses have practical duties, so that students spend time looking after and learning how to care for different species.

Jayne Withers, Head of Hospitality, Spa Industry & Landbased, said: “We are so proud of the results for our first showing, which is all down to the students and staff looking after the show preparation and continuous welfare of Smokey, Bubbles, Twix and Galaxy.”