Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Longtime goat herder Bruce Pohle waves from the traditional hot tub during a previous Children's Christmas and Holiday Parade. This will be the group's last parade.

Herders march one last time

By Bob Aldrich

It will be the last "ba-a-a-a" for the Los Gatos Pygmy Goat Herders as they march in the 1996 Children's Christmas and Holiday Parade on Dec. 7.

After this year's parade, there won't be another cowboy-hatted bather being hauled along in a steaming hot tub, nor another "Goatburger Barbecue Wagon" with (actually) hamburgers frying. Members of the exclusive Herders, clad in their scruffy clothes, will hike with their tiny goat charges for the last time this year.

Exclusive? You bet. There never have been more than 10 members. You don't get into the Herders by asking, says member Doug Carlson.

After 15 years of taking part in the parades, the 17-year-old club is not butting out entirely, says president Bob Streltzoff of Monte Sereno. "Some members are getting older; some are moving away. We decided this parade would be our last hurrah," he said. "But, no, we're not disbanding."

It all began in 1979, when Los Gatos attorney Terry Graff had a client who lacked the cash to pay for Graff's services. He gave him two pygmy goats instead. Graff and Streltzoff founded the club; Streltzoff kept the goats on his property.

New members are put through a "secret" ceremony to prove their love for goats, especially the African pygmy breed that weigh about 20 pounds and are about 15 inches tall.

The Herders and their animals have been a big hit in the annual parade.

"We do a lot of this for the children," said Streltzoff, sales manager for Sierra Pacific Windows. "Graff and I had two goats and four children. Now there are about 50 kids." Among the Herders are executives, real estate people and lawyers.

On the day before the parade, the Herders get things organized and do a bit of partying. The custom is to drink Bloody Marys before the parade.

In the parade, the goats are usually preceded by a tractor pulling a float with children aboard, with the driver blowing on a horn.