Bill the Goat & Valour-IT

Bill the Goat - The Navy Mascot

The Navy Mascot

The Naval Academy has had a goat as its mascot since 1890 when, according to legend, on their march from the ferry station at Highland Falls up the steep hill to West Point to play the first Army-Navy football game, the Naval Cadets (as they were then known) saw a goat outside the NonCom's houses at West Point and promptly commandeered "Billy" for their mascot. Since that time the goat has remained as the recognized mascot of the U.S. Naval Academy. (Statue donated by the Class of 1915)

So, now you know why this was a post for Team Navy!!!!


There are many stories about how Bill came to be the mascot for the Naval Academy. The official stories are from the USNA archives - none of which agree with the plaque on the statue that stands at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Listen to 'Team Bill' talk about Bill.

Bill is an Angora goat. All of the modern Bills are Angora Goats. The hair on the Angora goats is mohair. Mohair grows about 1" a month and the goats are shorn twice a year. Their native habitat was Turkey. It is believed that the Ark of the Covenant was lined with mohair.

Want to know more? - let me know. Yes, I raise them, I judge them and I spin the fiber into yarn and knit with it. The shawl is knit from mohair.

Our Angora Goats