A Goat Named Joshua Became a Half Marathon Star and Received a Medal (10 photos)
Joshua is an adorable goat who lives at Taylor’s Pumpkin Patch, a business run by Heidi Taylor’s family. Joshua loves attention and human interaction, but he never strays far from home. Then suddenly, he disappeared! 
Heidi Taylor, Joshua’s owner, posted on social media about his disappearance, then grabbed his collar, leash, and a bag of his favorite food, Cheese Puffs, and went looking for him.
What she found was a huge surprise: Joshua had somehow managed to join the T'Railway Trek Half Marathon in Conception Bay South, Canada, and quickly became the star of the show, capturing the hearts of spectators. 
Joshua, a 10-year-old goat, is the star of the family-owned business Taylor's Pumpkin Patch in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Taylors acquired him from a farm in Greens Harbour in 2014, and since then Joshua has become the face of their pumpkin patch, with many people coming to see him.
When Joshua suddenly disappeared, it turned out he had decided to join a group of runners passing by a farm. “We live right on the trail, and that’s where the runners showed up at about 9am on Sunday morning,” said Jeremy Taylor. “As a large group of 250 runners passed by, Joshua decided to take off his collar and join them.”
Despite his advanced age and leg injury, the goat ran with the runners for almost 4 kilometres before his owners caught up with him. “He was the highlight of my day,” said runner Sherry Fitzpatrick. “We were at the water station on Minerals Road, and he was so happy to run with all his friends. He was so friendly.”
After catching the runaway, the goat’s owners decided to walk the last half-kilometre with him to bring Joshua to the finish line. "We put a medal around his neck really quickly and he was a real winner. Most of the people who ran the half marathon wanted to take a picture with Joshua at the finish line," Mayor Darrin Bent said.
It was an action-packed day that brought a lot of laughs to everyone! 
A goat's epic run makes him a local hero. Joshua was invited to City Hall, scored a goal at the opening of a Renegades hockey game at CBS Stadium, and even stayed for a while to watch the first period.
Now he's staying on the farm. "I think that's been enough for him. But he invites you to come see him on his plantation!" Jeremy Taylor shared, adding that Joshua enjoys all the attention he gets: "The fame definitely works on his little goat head. He's a very stubborn celebrity." Despite an invitation to run a marathon next year, the Taylors are hesitant because Joshua is getting so old. 
Goats are known for their curiosity and adventurism, but perhaps no one expected a four-legged prize winner to take part in the race. Joshua is now in need of recovery and rest due to his advanced age, but he is clearly enjoying this new unexpected fame.
