Saturday, September 23, 2006

Matt Laurish with the Bud E. Anderson Liberty Horses


Mr. Laurish was probably one of the best all around animal trainers in the business, having been with Schell Bros., Seal Bros., Bud E. Anderson Circus and Floyd King's King Bros. Circus.
Mac MacDonald once told me that after leaving the Ringling Show in 1938, his first chance at training baby elephants was for Anderson who had just bought "Modoc", "Empress" and "Judy" from the Cole Show. Having only been around big elephants he was completely lost and the horse trainer Matt Laurish had to gave him a few pointers.

Posted by Buckles at 9/23/2006 06:14:00 AM

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember meeting Matt & Mary in Valdosta in the late 60's. They were managing a trailer park I believe. It sticks in memory because it was during the big NE blackout.cc

23 September, 2006 07:11
Anonymous said...

Buckles you do a super job. please keep up the good work. I am so pleased that you have given reference to some unsung heroes in our business. Matt Lauish and Harry Rooks. How this wonderful circus business goes round and round. I worked with both guys and have great memories. My father joined Matt out on my Uncles circus. He was a young Bohunk from the iron range country in northern Minnesota. He proved to be a hard worker, loyal employee and took to working with the animals and helping my dad train elephants, horses and ponies, dogs, etc. When my dad left the show he took over and did a fine job. Later when my dad left the Barney bros. circus to work at the National zoo he got Matt to come on the show and take over for him. From various shows he seemed to settle around Floyd King and I would be with him on the big Maley-King Bros. He had his dog act and trick pony act [later sold to Bert Pettus for Sandy to work] and was generally useful in both ringstock and elephant departments. He and I would be asst parade marshalls under Keller Pressley. Now Harry Rooks was also on the show and had worked the brown and white spotted liberty act on King-Cristiani. Harry was a happy drunk but very capable guy. At Macon Central city park wntqtrs Harry and I would train the pony teams for the hippodrome chariot races. what a comedy with Harry in the sauce and the teams runing wild on the fairground race track. When we opened Matt and I would drive the chariots and it was pretty wild and alot of fun. We had so many horse trainers that year so Harry brcame the show electrician which he was quite capable of drunk or sober. He was a nice guy. The people on the show contracted to work horses and ponies were my dad, myself, john smith, Matt,Dorothy Herbert, her husband A.W. Kennard. I and others as well always said if we ever took out a show the first fellow to hire would be Matt. He also worked lions and could put up the big top. He was flamboyant and his wardrobe was a uniform hat, white shirt and stripped pants but he was always with it and for it. Incidentally Frankie Lou was also married to Franco Richards ibelieve. Its fun to remember and I am proud to have worked with guys like Matt, Harry, Bert and so many others on big shows and small shows.

23 September, 2006 10:46
Anonymous said...

Nothing wrong with lifting a glass or two now and then. My best friend in Nebraska told another friend, " Never give Dutchess a 6 pak and a phone" She gets in more trouble. I don't dare tell her about rhine wine and the computer. She thinks all I do is send dirty jokes over the net.

23 September, 2006 17:25

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