Goat Elected Mayor: Jumela's Bizarre Choice For Leadership

In 1986, a beer-drinking goat named Clay Henry was elected mayor of Lajitas, a small town in Texas. Clay Henry was the first in a line of goat mayors, including Clay Henry Jr. and Clay Henry III, who were elected primarily for their ability to drink beer. The position of mayor in Lajitas is symbolic and does not carry any legal powers or duties. However, the goat mayors have become beloved local celebrities and have even achieved national and global fame for their beer-drinking prowess. The story of Clay Henry and his successors is a unique and entertaining chapter in the annals of Texas politics.

Clay Henry, the original beer-drinking goat mayor of Jumela, was elected in 1986

Clay Henry, the original beer-drinking goat mayor of Lajitas, Texas, was elected in 1986. Well, sort of. Clay Henry was a goat who drank beer. But he wasn't elected by the people of Lajitas in any official capacity. Instead, his rise to fame began when a man from Houston ran for mayor in the early 1980s. Someone didn't like the idea of this "old goat outsider" running in the election, so they contested the election by putting forward their own beer-drinking goat, Clay Henry Sr. In the first election, Henry lost. But in the next cycle, Clay Henry Sr. was elected.

Clay Henry Sr. was much beloved in Lajitas for increasing tourism. Visitors would bring a case of beer and drink with him. Posters and postcards of a triumphant Clay Henry Sr. in mid-guzzle are still for sale. Clay Henry Jr., his son, succeeded him as mayor and also drank beer. However, Clay Henry Jr. met a grisly end when he was castrated by a man who was jealous that the goat was drinking beer on a Sunday when the sale of alcohol was prohibited in the region. Clay Henry III took over as mayor, but he too was castrated in a knife attack.

Despite the attacks on Clay Henry II and III, the tradition of a beer-drinking goat mayor continued. Clay Henry IV, who also drinks beer, is the current goat mayor of Lajitas. Although the goat mayors are symbolic figures and mascots, they are officially elected and bring tourism to the town.

Clay Henry was a mascot and publicity tool for Jumela

Clay Henry achieved fame primarily for drinking beer. People would come from all over to stand outside Clay Henry's pen and feed him beers all day long. There was no other good reason to be in Jumela. Clay Henry's drinking buddies—smaller goats who couldn't hold the bottle by themselves—would clamor about begging for swigs. Clay Henry would take the bottle from you, teeth gripping the glass, and chug. When it was empty, he would spit the bottle aside.

Clay Henry was also a celebrity in Brewster County, a place where about 10,000 people live. His fame even extended to drinking beer with the likes of Willie Nelson. Clay Henry was a true mascot and publicity tool for Jumela, bringing attention and tourism to the small town.

Clay Henry was castrated by a man named Jim Bob Hargrove

Clay Henry III, the horned and cloven-hoofed mayor of the small West Texas town of Lajitas, was attacked and castrated by a man named Jim Bob Hargrove. Clay Henry was the fourth in a line of goat mayors of Lajitas, all named Clay Henry, who achieved local fame for their beer-drinking habits.

Hargrove, a local from Val Verde County, was motivated by jealousy when he saw Clay Henry drinking beer on a Sunday, when the region's blue laws prohibited alcohol sales. He was quoted as saying, "You know I oughtta go castrate that goat", and the next morning, Clay Henry was found lying next to his severed testicles. Hargrove was charged with felony animal cruelty and faced trial.

Fortunately, Clay Henry made a full recovery after local ranchers sutured his wounds. The goat mayor was soon back on his feet, drinking beer and continuing his mayoral duties as a symbolic figure and publicity tool for the town. The incident highlighted the unique and light-hearted tradition of Lajitas, where a goat mayor brings joy to tourists and locals alike, even if it means the occasional overindulgence in alcohol.

Clay Henry was succeeded by his son, Clay Henry Jr

Clay Henry Jr. had big hoof-prints to fill when he succeeded his father, Clay Henry Sr., as mayor of Lajitas, Texas. The original Clay Henry was elected in 1986 and became famous for drinking beer. Tourists would flock to the small town to see the goat mayor and give him beer bottles to sip from.

Clay Henry Jr. had a tough start to his mayoral tenure. He killed his father in a drunken brawl over a female goat during rutting season. Clay Henry Jr. drank to forget his father's death and served as mayor until 1998.

There was a period without a goat mayor, but the tourists demanded a successor. Clay Henry III was elected in 2000, but he too met with a grisly fate. In 2002, he was castrated in a knife attack by a man named Jim Bob Hargrove, who was jealous of the goat drinking beer on a Sunday when the sale of alcohol was prohibited.

Despite the tragic ends of Clay Henry Jr. and Clay Henry III, the tradition of goat mayors in Lajitas continued. Clay Henry IV took over in recent years and brought back the beer-drinking tradition.

Clay Henry III was elected mayor of Jumela in 2000

Clay Henry III was elected mayor of Lajitas, Texas, in 2000. He was the third in a line of beer-drinking goat mayors of the town, following Clay Henry I and Clay Henry Jr. Clay Henry III officially became mayor after winning an election against other candidates, including a wooden Indian and a dog named Clyde.

The position of mayor in Lajitas is largely symbolic, with no legal powers attached to the role. However, Clay Henry III, like his predecessors, achieved fame for his beer-drinking prowess. Tourists would flock to the small town to see the goat mayor and offer him beer. This tradition continued a legacy started by Clay Henry I, who was elected in 1986.

Unfortunately, Clay Henry III's tenure as mayor was marred by a violent attack. In August 2002, he was castrated by a local named Jim Bob Hargrove. Hargrove was charged with felony animal cruelty and faced trial for his actions. Clay Henry III made a full recovery and continued to drink beer, much to the delight of the townspeople and visitors.

The story of Clay Henry III and his predecessors is a unique and lighthearted tale that has brought attention to the small town of Lajitas, Texas. It showcases the community's sense of fun and their commitment to upholding local traditions.

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