When newly-crowned Wimbledon champion Roger Federer attended the Swiss Open in Gstaad in July 2003, he was welcomed home with an unusual gift: an 800 kg cow with handlebar horns. The animal was dragged onto the clay court and a local farmer in traditional dress offered Federer a ceremonial milking stool. "The cow weighs 800 kilos," the man declared, "but has half the power of one of Roger's serves!"

Federer, asked to name the cow, paused for a moment, stared at the ground, and replied: "Juliette." Among the suggestions shouted from the stands? "Martina! Martina Hingis!"

[Many speculated that Juliette was named after a former girlfriend with whom Federer was no longer on speaking terms. Federer was given the choice of leaving her in the Gstaad meadows (farmers agreed to send him cheese on a regular basis) or taking her home. The only condition? That he learn how to work her udders.]

[Delhi employs 70 "cow catchers" to relocate thousands of cows (which have an average of 200 plastic bags in their stomachs) beyond the city limits. Because they are sacred to Hindus, however, the animals must be gently coaxed into the cattle trucks and often flee instead into oncoming traffic.]