| The complete list of the 2008 Monte Carlo Special Awards. This year, no American award presenters. Even the Ringling award is missing: |
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Richters in Monte Carlo 2008 #5
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35 comments:
Very good but if they had only concluded the act by one person tossing a hat to the head of another.
at least the flying act with the quad received the PRIX SPECIAL DE LA PRINCESSE STEPHANIE, which sounds impressive. still, a gold clown might have been nice. do these judges release scorecards?
Henry and Mr. de Ritis,
As you speak Henry, check out my comment on scan # 10738. It takes immense courage to sign your name to your belief, in a world of anonymous "players". In the Arabian Horse Association, additionally a judge can not judge a competetor, if he has been judged by that competator in the last 3 years. He can also not judge a class if any of the competetors have been his clients in the past 5 years.
Additionally the classes are rated Pro(trainer), Non Pro, Amature, Owner, and Open. With the exception of the Open class, in which anybody can compete, you only compete againt individuals of an equal skill level/disipline. Then there is the Costume Class, where the riders/Trainers dress as Bedoin Sheiks, in a lavish free for all, which is fun and relieves the tension of true competation.
Prizes awared at the shows, are awarded thusly. Champion( one gold award), Reserve Champion( one silver award), and Top Ten( Ten Bronze awards). Only they don't give the awards colors as it has no relevance. The relevance is the number/depth of competetors in a class. If you win a Top Ten at the Nationals, out of a class of 25-30 individuals, that's bragging rights. If you win a Top Ten out of a class of 5-10 individuals, you don't talk much about it. By awarding thusly, "injured ego's" are pacified by the signed judges card. "Hey, you guys were so close, I just flipped a coin, and gave him Champion and you Reserve, could have gone either way.
Monitarily, your horse has immense value as a Breeding Stallion, Broadmare, Halter, Western Pleasure Sire/Dam, Enlish Pleaure Sire/Dam, Reining Sire/Dam, etc. etc. depending on Awards won, and who(or depth) the competion was. Sure you can waste your time in small shows, winning Championships againist "Bag o Bones", but you have nothing Marketing-wise. Compete at the Nationals and win a Championship against "Padron" "The Desperado", or "El Shaklan", and you've achieved greatness. Hell, you've achieved greadness if you go Reserve against them, the signed judges cards prove it.
Guess what? A consistant winner in the Costume class has almost no marketing value. They are only judged on how fancy and neat they look, and respond. But it sure is fun, and every body has a good time in that class.
Mr. de Ritis, you seem to be a realistic, fair and balanced individual. At your leasure, pick apart this type of judging system. Anybody else for that matter, have a go at it. Maybe there is a solution closer at hand then is realized, and the "olympics" and the "Oscars", can be left out of it. I don't recall seeing an Oscars press release stateing, "the Monte Carlo Festival of the film industry" Or an olympic press release stateing, "like the Monte Carlo Festival, top athletes from around the world compete for the coveted gold". Or just thank the Principality for its "patronage", and keep the smoke screen going.
With all due respect, and sincerity, congratulations to all past, present, and future award winners.
Wade Burck
I agree witH henry, the flying trapeze deserved the gold clown, I have seen GiNO doing the coadruple and its amazing, i hope he has new and good opportunities. Thank U
No doubt on the quality of the flying trapeze act: but you don't give a gold just for a trick, even if a quad. The award goes to the complete notion of "act". And the gold, as a silver, must include exceptional achievements or consistent efforts in the construction of the act itself: in terms of presentation, renovation or originality, music, costumes, coreography, style, etc.
For mr.Burck:
I am very impressed by your exemple of the Horse Association concept of jury and notations. I agree that this is closer to the concept of circus acts more than Oscars or Olympics (but gymnastic and figure skating are also good examples).
I think that an inspiration from this system can introduce a serious selection of participants, improve the credibility of a festival, and solve some conflicts.
But, sadly, is impossible: how do you apply this when a Festival is a Prince's toy, is an enormous touristic business, is kidnapped by circus agents and chinese or russian "diplomatics", managed by peoples with very close links with the circus industry moghuls, and controlled by the sponsoring circus producers?
Maybe some minor festival has better chances.
Anyway, the atmosphere in Monte Carlo is always wonderful, it is THE great circus meeting with fantastic shows. So, for example, another solution will be to keep all that and...eliminate the competition. At the 30th anniversary two yearsago, with the all-star shows without competition nor jury, everybody spent a relaxed, splendid week there...
Greetings Mr. de Ritis,
You mention figure skating and gymnastics. Interesting, because figure skating has often been used as an example, the past dozen or so years, of acts performing at MC. When it is pointed out that the judges hold up score cards, the skaters are required to do a certain number of things, so that others may be judged against it, plus one speciality to show case your skills, plus, the figure skaters don't compete against the gymnasts, the milers, the 100 yard dashers, or the tri-athletes, you are usually presented with the before mentioned finger, accuation's of jealousy, and a cloud of dust as they wheel and stomp away.
There are a number of festivals that I will go out on a limb, and say rival MC, starting with Heilbronn and Stuttgart, with basicly the same set of standards and hireing practices, just not the "awards" ceremony. When looking at festival lineups around the world, that award prizes, I'm aghast at the line up of judges in most of them, including our ill fated Sarasota Circus Festival. So you see this is not a "jealous vendetta" aimed at MC, as some may want to think, to keep from looking inside themselves. No way would most get involved with these "awards" festivals, unless they knew the outcome in advance.
I am hurt by your statement regarding industry mogels, producers, and most hurtful of all "the Princes toy". 17 years ago the producer of the largest circus in the United States told me that, "as far as I am concerned, circus performers are like trained monkey's. They will do what they are told, when they are told. All they need is a pat on the head, and confirmation that they are the best little monkey in the world." I have spent 17 years denying that, and fighting that, and you Sir, confirm his statement in one paragraph. Thank you for the blunt, brutal, honesty. Possibly now, when we ask, "what happened here", or "it isn't like it used to be", we will have a good place to start in turning it around, or at least understanding what went wrong.
Wade Burck
P.S. I have had 3 past MC winners, contact me via email, with basically the same message. There are not many bubbles left anymore, please don't burst one of the last ones left. While they are my friend's, I am saddened that they don't have the courage to debate in an open forum, pro or con. All we have basicly had so far is the "public's perception", and "it ain't good". Wade Burck
Unfortunately, much the same can be said of the Hall of Fame, a real mixed bag of some greats plus many in the "other" category and many much better names never considered or elected. This is meant with absolutely no disrespect to those deservedly included in this or similar honorary venues.
Anonymous,
I am glad somebody is getting the point, and none of this is aimed at just MC. I better then some "know" the high, high, high, place on which some, supposedly sane individuals, who are dear to me, place MC award winners/participants, so I am indeed on a thin limb. Bill Hall pointed out much the same thing you now question, eloquently in the Nov/Dec. 2007 issue of White Tops.
We keep doing this "thing of ours" for family and friend's, and "personal" gain, yet we don't buy a ticket, but then question why the seats are empty and no revenue is generated. Ask the public who buy's our product.
I'll wager that when Bill Gates built his first computer, upon completion, if he had asked his daughter what she thought of it, she would have said, "Oh Daddy, you are the best, smartest, handsomest man in the world. Can I "have" it". But he didn't ask her, he asked the public, and became Microsoft, much in the same way the highly successful Cirque du Sol has done(sorry, Col., but it's a fact), and my beloved Ringling Bros. is attempting to do.
I blame my generation, yes, and me, more then anybody because I didn't see it coming. I was instantly blinded by eyes full of glitter. I just pray there is enough time to restore and build a future for my son's in this thing that I love so much. Moreso then myself.
Wade Burck
P.S.
Why didn't you sign your name? Are you running for the Pesidency? Suck it up, more Generals are what's needed here.
Wade Burck
It's always a pleasure when the ubiquitous "Anonymous" tosses a stink bomb into the room and walks away. Here's a list of inductees. Who doesn't belong there? Bill Cody? Ed Ballard? Or is this an anonymous jab at Kenneth Feld? Personally I believe that Pete Rose and Joe Jackson belong in Cooperstown, but until they induct Barry Bonds I can't argue that any past inductees don't belong there.
1958 Lillian Lietzel Aerialist Germany
1960 W.C.Coup Management USA
1960 James A. Bailey Clown & Management USA
1960 Fred Bradna Equestrian Director Germany
1960 P.T. Barnum Management USA
1961 Bird Millman Highwire USA
1961 John W. Ricketts Father of American Circus England
1961 William "Cap" Curtis Maintenance USA
1961 Charlie M. Sparks Management USA
1961 The Ringling Brothers Management USA
1961 Alfredo Cadona Flying Trapeze Mexico
1962 Thomas Poole Management USA
1962 Philip Lailson Management France
1962 Clarke Family Bareback Riders USA
1962 Jacob Bates Bareback Rider England
1962 Lucia Zora Animal Trainer USA
1962 Roy T. McDonald Clown USA
1962 James Robinson Management USA
1962 Charles T. Hunt Management USA
1963 Irene Ledgette Performer USA
1963 Roland Butler Press Agent USA
1963 Sig Sautelle Management USA
1963 Adam Forepaugh Management USA
1963 Antionette Concello Flying Trapeze USA
1963 Henry B. Gentry Management USA
1963 May Wirth Bareback Rider Australia
1963 Victor Pepin Rider USA
1964 Isaac Van Amburgh Animal Trainer USA
1964 Philip Astley Father of ModernCircus England
1965 The Lindeman Brothers Management USA
1965 Dexter Fellows Press Agent USA
1965 Albert J. Powell Trapeze & Contortions USA
1965 Oscar Lowande Equestrian USA
1965 Lalo Cadona Catcher Mexico
1965 Clyde Beatty Animal Trainer USA
1966 Charles Siegrist All Around Performer USA
1966 Con Colleano Low Wire Australia
1966 Orrin Davenport Acrobat USA
1967 Jorgen Christiansen Animal Trainer Denmark
1967 Ernestine Clarke (Baer) Bareback Rider USA
1967 Matthew Buckley Management England
1968 Ernest Millette Flying Trapeze Denmark
1968 William Heyer Animal Trainer Holland
1968 Elly Ardeltly Trapeze Russia
1968 "Poodles" Hanneford Clown Rider England
1969 Mabel Stark Cat Trainer USA
1969 Rudy Rudynoff Horse Trainer Germany
1969 The Pallenbergs Bear Trainer Germany
1969 Edna Christenson Animal Trainer USA
1969 Charles Bell Clown USA
1969 The Nelson Family Acrobats England
1970 Billy Smart Management England
1970 The Reiffenach Sisters Equestrians England
1970 Mayme Ward Flying Trapeze USA
1970 Ira Millette Balancing USA
1971 Karl L. King Musician USA
1972 Jules Jacot Animal Trainer USA
1972 Felix Adler Clown USA
1972 Pat Valdo Clown & Management Lebanon
1972 John Genter (Bonvaita) Animal Trainer USA
1973 Hans Jahn Equilibrist Germany
1973 Otto Griebling Clown Germany
1973 Damoo G. Dhotre Cat Trainer India
1974 "Buffalo Bill" Cody Management & Cowboy USA
1974 Karl King Bandmaster USA
1974 Arthur Konyot Equestrian Hungary
1974 Tom Mix Management & Cowboy USA
1975 Tosca Canestrelli Bounding Rope Italy
1975 Merle Evans Bandmaster USA
1975 The Zacchine Brothers Cannonball Italy
1975 Alfred Court Animal Trainer France
1975 Winefred Colleano Solo Trapeze Australia
1977 William P. Hall Management USA
1977 Charles Moroski Animal Trainer Poland
1977 Massamitiano Truzzi Juggler Poland
1977 Floyd L. King Management USA
1977 George Hanneford, Sr. Animal Trainer England
1978 Dorthy Herbert Equestrian USA
1978 Terrell Jacobs Cat Trainer USA
1978 Justino Loyal Bareback Rider Italy
1978 Andres Atayde Management Mexico
1979 The Wallenda Troupe Highwire Germany
1979 Jack & Jake Mills Management Russia
1979 Stewart Craven Animal Trainer USA
1979 Janet May Aerialist USA
1980 Henrietta Kries Aerialist Germany
1980 Mollie Bailey Management USA
1980 The Holland Family Equestrians England
1980 Mack MacDonald Elephant Trainer USA
1981 Albert Hodgini Troupe Equestrians England
1981 "Cheerful" Gardner Elephant Trainer USA
1981 CountRoberto DeVasconcellos Equestrian Hungary
1983 Beverly Kelley Press Agent USA
1986 Hugo Schmitt Elephant Trainer Germany
1986 Bill Woodcock Elephant Trainer USA
1986 John Ringling North Management USA
1986 Jerry Mugivan Management USA
1986 Arthur "Hardtimes" Leonard Maintenance USA
1986 Charlie Rooney Boss Hostler USA
1987 Bette Leonard All Around Performer USA
1987 Micky King Aerialist Canada
1987 Irvin Feld Management USA
1987 Bertram Mills Management USA
1987 Karl Ahnert Maintenance USA
1987 Cyrill Mills Management England
1988 Harry L. Thomas Equestrian Director USA
1988 Ed Millette Flying Trapeze USA
1988 The Loretta Twins Aerialists USA
1988 Bert Bowers Management USA
1988 Ed Ballard Management & Owner USA
1989 Lou Jacobs Clown Germany
1989 Peggy McDonald Elephant Trainer USA
1989 Jack Smith Management USA
1989 Noyelles Burkart Management USA
1990 Catherine Hanneford Horse Trainer England
1990 Pinito del Oro Trapeze Performer Spain
1990 Cliff Vargas Management USA
1990 Ben Wallace Management USA
1991 Harold Alzana Highwire England
1991 W.W. Wilno Human Cannonball Germany
1991 Jess Adkins Management USA
1991 Zack Terrell Management USA
1992 John August Strong Performer/Management USA
1992 James M. Cole Management USA
1992 Victor Julian Yelding Performer England
1992 Felix Modesto Morales Performer USA
1993 Reuben Frances Carl Castang Animal Trainer England
1993 Charles Nock Swaypole Switzerland
1993 Benjamin C. Davenport Management USA
1994 Emmett Kelly Clown USA
1994 John Robinson Management USA
1994 Christiani Troupe Performers Italy, USA
1995 Lotti Brunn (Chirrick) Juggler Germany
1995 Walter L. Main Management USA
1995 Lewis Sells Management USA
1996 Albert Rix Bear Trainer USA
1996 Robert "Smokey" Jones Elephant Trainer USA
1996 Jerome Medrano Management France
1996 Knie Family Management Switzerland
1997 Annie Oakley Artist/Sharp Shooter USA
1997 Dr. Charles W. Boas Management/Owner Germany
1997 Thomas Taplin Cooke Management England
1999 Gunther Gebel-Williams Superstar/Wild Animal Trainer Germany
2000 D.R. & Isla Miller Management USA
2001 Heinz Erich "Charly" Baumann Wild Animal Trainer Germany
2001 Elvin Bale Daredevil England
2001 L. B. "Hoxie" Tucker Management USA
2002 Rudolph & Suzette Lenz Chimpanzee Trainers Netherlands/England
2003 William "Buckles" Woodcock Elephant Trainer/Historian USA
2003 Hugo Zacchini Human Cannonball Italy
2004 Harold Ronk Singing Ringmaster USA
2004 Albert Schumann Horse Trainer/Showman Denmark
2004 Stephenson Family Dog Trainers/Performers England
2005 Gerard Soules Trapeze/Dog Trainer USA
2005 Trevor Bale Animal Trainer/Performer Denmark
2005 John Milton Herriott Animal Trainer/Ringmaster USA
2005 Miles White Spec Designer USA
2006 Kenneth J. Feld Management USA
2006 Francis Brunn Juggler Germany
this may be quibbling and i'm sure it will upset some people, but as far the hall of fame, i would question why gunther gebel williams is the only performer listed as a superstar when clyde beatty and lillian leitzel are not. if beatty was not a superstar, i don't know who might be one. in his prime, there were very few people in the united states who didn't know his name rather than refer to him as "that blond guy." he also had star billing in several movies, which i don't think any other circus star has done. leitzel was before my time, but based on history, i think she definitely was a superstar.Not to mention emmett kelly or annie oakley. i'm not knocking gunther, he was a fantastic performer, but why does one individual, talented as he might be, get superstar designation? and there are several others whose talent warrant superstar if we don't add in the hollywood definitions of fame and box office guarantee. this is a small point i had never noticed before.
i don't remember signing the post, but i didn't, it was henry edgar rather than anonymous who questioned why the hall of fame only recognizes one superstar.
Henry, I'll agree with you on the designation "superstar." Clearly he earned a place in the hall, but you're right, the designation is a bit silly since it hasn't been applied to anybody else.
Mr. Trumble,
I'm delighted to see you take offense to Anonymous, I fiqured more people would, once they were told it was all right, that's usually the way it works, isn't it my friend. In reading your list, I don't think Kenneth Feld, is even a small part of the issue. And I challenge anybody to prove to me that Knie Family Management doesn't deserve a spot in "my God Bless the United States, Red White and Blue, Stars of the American Circus" Ring of Fame.
Wade Burck.
P.S. I spent 2 hours by myself last month "inhaleing" the Ring of Fame(Ok, your right. I did spend an hour of the 2 at Gunthers wheel. What's your point?), and regardless of what Bill Hall say's in his Nov/Dec. 2007 White Tops article, about all the quadrants being full and no space left, he's wrong. I found a spot just big enought to wedge my wheel in. I just hope those dog's don't ruin it until then.
P.P.S. In a effort to get published more often on the blog, and anticipating my eventual Presidental race, I will also mention that above White Tops has a superb article/interview with North Americas's Greatest Living Elephant Trainer. Check it out. There is some helpful information for "neophyte trainers" in dealing with "devious"(like unseemly, only different) elephants.
Wade Burck
Henry my friend,
G--Dam- you. You sure as hell got that right, when you fiqured your poste would upset some people. As soon as my tag team partner get's here, I'm going to tap out of this one. I need some r & r after the Battle of the Riviara. But don't get to comfortable, and go to sleep.
Wade Burck
I think the term "superstar" sounds better to most then, "last shot of life and spangle into the American Circus". And it is so much easier to spell. I agree it is odd he is the only one with that declaration, however he was a "Superstar". It isn't so much he doesn't deserve the title, but that many would argue, that many others deserved the title as well (Wade you are only famous in ND, Cook county, and this corner of the web so for your own good, please promote Buckles blog. Maybe if on some odd chance you ever make it in, your blog status will result in added superstar title)I think many on the list were also genuine superstars in America, even more famous then GGW. But I doubt it is his fault they didn't get the title.
I have seen this a few times, it is possible, maybe we should just rewrite a little "history" for the books.
PS.
Mr. Trumble I agree. It is a travesty that Rose and Jackson, have not been inducted. And I will lose my last hope for America if Bonds ever is...
I'll go with Casey on this. It isn't that it's wrong to decribe GGW as a superstar, it's just that he's the o nly inductee so described... since several others in their day were every bit as much household names.
Wade, this isn't my first shot across the bow of "Anonymous." It's just frustrating that with "Anonymous" you never know who's behind the mask. Besides, Anonymous is the source always quoted as a close personal friend of Ms Britney Spears in most tabloid stories, and that's a whole different kind of circus.
Casey,
Welcome. Now that the third stooge has set down at the table, let me point something out. Clyde and the others earned the honorable title of the day, "Worlds Formost Subjugator". The word "SuperStar" wasn't even in the vocabulary then. When it was in, and they looked around the movies they said, "let's give "it" to Brando." In the Music industry they said, "let's give "it" to Cash, and while we are at it, let's give "it" to that numbnut's that Buckles doesen't like, Dylan. No offense gents, but when they looked at the circus of modern times, there was only one that had earned and deserved "it."
Wade Burck
i certainly didn't mean to imply that GGW was not a superstar. However, i think the Circus Hall Of Fame, of all people, should know that GGW was not the ONLY superstar and the inference that he was is clearly misleading to the memories of Beatty, Lietzel, Kelly, annie oakley, mabel stark, the cristianis and the wallendas. there have already been too many efforts to rewrite circus history to make it appear that ggw was more than he was -- just as too many fans write reviews that say this edition or that edition of a particular show is "the best ever" complely forgetting the shows that the same circus presented 20 years ago. we can't control the economics of today or forecast the future, but i think we all owe it to everyone to present the past as honestly, without ballyhoo, as possible. no matter which superstar each of us perceives as the best, we have to acknowledge there were others as well.
Ben and Henry,
Undertaker!! tap me in, tap me in!!! I've already adressed Curly Cainine, and it should be up shortly if The Great Wizard doesn't deem it as "unseemly", so now I'll have a go at Moe and Larry. That's UK speak for sorting it out, which is UK speak also. Now that you have half a clue, let's start.
Larry Edgar, we are right in the middle of a perfectly good debate, when you fly out in left field with the Ring of Fame deal, agitating and stirring up Moe Trumble. I was waiting for the requested response from Mrs. Lacey and Miguel Vasquez, on how their MC appearance compared with the MC appearance this year of their disipline peers before I called it quits. It would have been a "once in a life time, never to occur again" opportunity to clarify the MC judging system for the world. Then you throw a rock, and turn everybody head. I can just hear it now, "well, I wanted to respond, but then you guy's started talking about something else". Henry, when it's breakfast time, eat your eggs. Well call you when it's time for a sandwich.
Moe Trumble, you seem to be the brains of this outfit(Curly Cainin, how's that for charm?) so let me go this angle with you. Read the poste to Curly, if Buckles quits messing around and postes it. In their day they were Formost Subjugator's. In his day, when the term Superstar was coined there was only one, and he sure wasn't a Formost Subjugator. You seem reasonable, so here's the deal Ben. Get these clowns back on track, and I'll give you Robert "Smokey" Jones and William "Buckles" Woodcock for "Superstar" statis. Deal?(Dirty shame the thing's you have to do now day's just to get publised. Damn)
Wade Burck
The superstars of the steel arena did not remove fangs, claws and testicles from their big cats before they were man/woman enough, professional enough, or circus enough to work them.
Roger Smith
Whatever will it take to teach the world that Alfredo's and Lalo's family name was Codona, spelled, while talking very slowly here, C-O-D-O-N-A.
If we were paying attention, Tony Curtis as Tino Orsini, got it right in the bar scene in TRAPEZE--"Codona!"
Roger Smith
I would suggest Beatty over the rest as "Superstar". 42 years as a Circus Star and brought into the Garden and it meant holding the opening of Hagenbeck-Wallace until his return and the motion pictures he "starrede" in plus "serials". And of cdurse being a household word for "Bravery", even to the modern day and a circus operated for many years with his name as title, even when he was long gone.
Now I understand that Poodles Hanneford frequently stopped the show and did oncores and in the Garden he stopped it nine times and finally had to bring his mothger back in the ring with him, take off his wig and graciously bow out.
I also understand that Karl Wallenda also stopped the show in his Garden Debut.
Those two being the only ones to do it. That I am aware of.
I don't believe its necessary that a "Super Star" has to be an animal trainer, but again I believe Beatty was the best of all as a circus performer.
Roger my friend,
As we are discussing one Superstar here,(after Henry got us off track) and I may be wrong, but I can only assume that comment was pointed in his direction. If that was the case, he got rid of all that stuff before I got there. The 14 he gave me were indeed "fully loaded", with the exception of 2 sets of testicles, removed for incestual reasons. While neither condoning or advocating the practice, I have been required because of "contractual obligations", to deal with the occasional "altered" animal over the past 33 years.(surely you haven't forgotten Clyde Bros. boxing tiger, Baby?) Recently I saw one of the nicest tiger act's I have seen in the past 15 years consisting of 20 animals, and they were "all" declawed. While the practice has never made sense to me, as I sat there squeezing a rubber ball to aleviate the stiffness of ligament and tendon damage, I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that it became a little more clear and made a little some sense.
A few years ago a he/she, from your list of Top Tens, walked into the training barn as I was doing a shoulder stand with a 600 lb. declawed, castarated male tiger that I had "inherited". He had bitten the last person who worked him, and had refused the behavior for 4 years. He/she's only comment was, "does he have his ball's and claws?" Ignoring the obviously ignorant question, I thought to myself, "and your point is?". Fast forward 6 months to he/she "imitating" a should stand, with an 8 month old, declawed female tiger hanging on he/she's arm. When he/she asked me what I thought, never being one to miss a golden opportunity, I responded " that depends. Does she have her balls and claws?".
In closing Roger, and your point is?
Your friend,
Wade Burck
Addendem to my friend Roger,
While we are on the subject of nut's, until we get back to the subject Henry was goofy enough to distract us from, that of MC judging protocol, let me tell you another cute gonade tale.
One day a he/she, on some other peoples list of Top Tens, returned to quarters, and walked into the barn to look at the new group of tigers I had trained. He/she pointed to one beautiful male and said, "is he casterated?"
To which I replied, "yes". To which he/she replied, "none of my males are castrated. I don't believe in it." Because I was busy, and it just didn't seem worth it, I didn't point out to he/she that they had 2 old males in their act, and I had 9 young one's in the new act.
Fast forward 6 months, and he/she is given a new young trained tiger to put in their act, to replace one of their old tigers
who wasn't castrated, but had to be retired due to extreme age none the less. Things progress well for about three day's, then the new young male, decides he want's to be the Lord of The Jungle. He/she must have had an ephifany, because in less time then it takes to call a vet, he/she became a believer, and the "devious rascal" loses his motivation to "thump his chest". Short story long Rog, after a 3 year tour of the country, during which the youngster experienced the thrill of performing before a live audience all of 9 times, I "inherited" him back. It's a good thing I "believed" in castration, because some of us are just not afforded the luxury of a choice. No matter how much charm you may posess.
Wade Burck
P.S. Shoot, I almost forgot. Did you see the interview with Buckles in the Nov./Dec. White Tops. He is truely an amazing man, the likes of which we'll probably never see again.
Wade Burck
i think johnny made the same point much more clearly than i. if only one person is to be listed as a circus superstar, by anyone's definition, it would have to be clyde beatty. he was known to everyone in this country by name at a time when no one had tv in their homes every night, he made the cover of time magazine, when he appeared in the Garden with ringling, his name was over the title -- the only time this happened under the ringling/ringling north years, and he was the only act working center ring alone-- all others were part of 3 ring displays, usually with stages and track acts at the same time. people knew his name, they didn't just call him "the blond guy." and as roger pointed out, his animals worked as they were born.
i'm not trying to take anything away from GGW. jack ryan and later jerry digney did a great job of promoting a great performer. he deserves superstar status. my only point is that he was not the first superstar, he was not the only superstar, and i think the way ggw is listed is extremely unfair to other performers, particularly clyde beatty.
it's much the same as the stories implying that mr feld, whom i admire tremendously, rescued ringling from the big top and restored a shoddy performance to greatness. mr feld's accomplishments while he was running ringling did create terriffic shows and he won his place in circus history on his own merits without needing the extra hype.
wade, i'm sorry you feel i have taken the blog off track. i agree with you at least 90 per cent of the time and everything you've said about mone carlo makes sense. i don't have access to any of the stories i wrote when you joined ringling. but i believe i referred to you at that time at the new superstar of the circus. when i first saw you with the white tigers in miami i said we have a new superstar.
Henry,
Jesus, I'm sorry. None of this needed to happen. You should have said something sooner. Sorry to hear about the lose of my press material. If you contact Circus World Museum first, they should have most of it. My mother can probably copy anything they don't have, for you. I didn't realize that it was me that you were refering too in the articles.
It just goes to show. While you may only agree with me 90% of the time Henry dear friend, 100% of the time, you can sure spot talent. (CRASH!!!!BANG!!!!! Oh for christ's sake. Will somebody stand that chair back up. Then please help pick Ms. White up off the floor. That includes everybody, Sandy and Larry) Well, why don't you go ahead and get yourself a sandwich, Henry. MC can wait for another day. I think we just got a new topic.
Wade Burck
P.S. Thank you, Henry. Could you do me a favor, and just say it one more time.
On altering animals: If anyone returns to this date's post, this is my response. Time does not permit my looking back to older posts every day.
It's incredible to make my post that the great old-time trainers didn't alter their cats and find myself asked "what's the point?" The point should speak for itself. That it doesn't proves the sad shift we've seen in circus integrity.
Contractual obligations, injuries, inherited animals, and concerns of incest (which can be handily managed with selective housing), are cited to smoothly segue to excuses for practices of altering, I will say butchering, animals for performance.
Without recalling every available example, we can look to 1925, when my godmother witnessed Clyde Beatty being clawed in Texarkana, on Hagenbeck-Wallace, on to 1928, when Mabel Stark was literally torn to pieces in Bangor, on John Robinson, to 1932, when Nero bit Mr. Beatty, delivering him months of "jungle fever", and to 1935, when Nellie tigress ripped Mabel badly in Phoenix, on the Barnes show. Of these scant few incidents, recoveries of just these two trainers were long, agonizing and expensive. But no animals were altered in consequence. Nor were those of their injured colleagues. Not in that era. Their point being, since a point is sought here, that they had assumed the risk with the animal as born. During recovery, they examined the only options professional integrity provided men and women such as they were, to wit: you resume work with the animal, or retire him to breeding or exhibition, and there your options end.
The Babe tigress Wade mentions was a de-clawed animal belonging to Howard Suesz when I took over at the behest of Andre Skarbecki, in 1975. I wonder who remembers what I did about it--? Babe was used for the inane "Say please" routine. For those who haven't seen this attempt at low comedy, the animal is "boxed" with and refuses to depart. The announcer advises the trainer to say "please". The trainer complies and a laugh is expected when the cat goes home. For this tired gag, Babe was frontally de-clawed. I informed Ringmaster Ernie McLean the gag was out, since I wasn't featuring a butchered animal. I raised a stick over Babe's head for a redundant sit-up, and sent her out. I have had no other cut animals.
Louis Roth, seen again in today's blog of January 28, died in 1949, and of course I never knew him. But in my time at Jungleland, his legacy commanded a sense of presence. The subject of cutting animals arose constantly as a point of contention between those of us around the arenas, and our movie animal people, whose use of knives and narcotics was, for them, "the thing to do". Film and TV work with butchered stock bought these trainers land, homes and cars. Their conscience vaporized with the flow of Hollywood money, and the suffering of newly cut and/or drug-addicted animals was conveniently ignored. But the harsh words of the true animal men were reflected in the terse observation from Louis Roth: "When that first fang or claw hits the deck, you are no longer a wild animal trainer."
Should there be a conscience left to latter-day animal workers, let it focus on this. The cutting needed to remove claws, and the wrenching loose of the fangs--the top ones of which are imbedded an inch-and-a-half in the maxillary sinus, cause intense post-up pain that lasts two weeks, as described to me by Dr. J.Y. Henderson, Dr. Humphries of Thousand Oaks, and Dr. Roy Saito of Canada, to name just three. What trainer, what show-owner, in truth, will attend to programmed pain management during the two weeks? Is there one among them can you count on to provide medication? The animals suffer in silence, while those comfortable with excuses voiding them of conscience, suffer not at all.
Well-taken, heeded, or no, my point is made once again, even though it needed further definition. Clever, calculated disdain may follow, but whoever you are, you will find indelible the admonition of Mabel Stark.
"The Mills of the Gods grind slowly," Mabel warned us often. "But he who does dirt with animals...is grist for the Mills."
Roger Smith
Geeze,
After reading that, I have never been happier for my cats to have "original equipment". It has been my belief, taking the hooks would only save on superficial nicks and gashes, you aren't really "hurt" till there is a tooth in ya.
well said, roger.
i distinctly heard a thud ... wade, what size do you take?
if this discussion is going to pick up, can we move it to a fresher page?
Jewell News motorcycle riding Lion Kenneth, was declawed on the fronts because when he rode the bike with Jewell he had his left front paw on Jewells shoulder and his head on the right shoulder. Jewell used to say that Kenneth held on real tight with that left paw.
Roger,
I sure am sorry if my comments offended you. That was indeed not the intention. The cited examples were not "excuses" but merely example's of "doing the best you can with what you had", or having no choice but to "play the hand that is dealt to you".
I would have mentioned that the tiger act I saw was in Mexico, not that it was relivent. But had I known you would have used it as an antiquated soapbox to slough todays trainers, owners, and circus's I surely would have. You mention things about Mabel, and Clyde and other that are not backed up by historical proof, only "authorized" autobiographys. Remember the scene from Mad Max, where everybody is sitting around the campfire listening to the telling of "the tell", after they have destroyed their world? "jungle fever?" Rog, I enjoyed those books in my youth also. They transported me to a magical place of big game hunter's and subjugators. Replaced a few years later by Star Wars and a new age. Baby was purchased declawed as a last minute replacement to round out the act to 7. The "stick o'er the head sit up o death" that was substututed for the boxing that Lou Regan did, seems to have been a feature trick of old. I'm glad they still liked it.
Brilliant oration about show owner's and trainer's lack of concern for the comfort and well being of there animals. Which one's have you dealt with lately? We should be seeing that "quote" from a "learned" college on activists placards in a short time. The standing "O" Sandy and her peanut gallery responded with should go along way towards it's "validity" No Sandy, that noise you heard was the door slamming shut on a profession, locked, and the key thrown away. One hell of an advance team, Sandy and Roger in a effort to be heard.
Wade Burck
Casey,
While you didn't mention how many cats you have worked with, I will wager that as you work with more and more over the years, you may be confronted with one of those "carictures of their former self" one day. And you know how I feel about the subject, my friend.
Wade Burck
Buckles,
Thanks to your blog, I think we have answered for future historians, the age old question, of "what happened here". In 6 postes we went from a joke about the "hat toss o death, to a question about a judging system, to a solution to how another organization adressed that question, to another agreement that the system was flawed, to pro's and con's from Mr. De Ritis to the eventual 33 leading to the demise of animal training and ethics in the circus by its modern day associates. Everything, plus the kitchen sink, in a effort to be heard, while dancing around the original issue, and question. While recognizing our right to free speach, I don't think our politicians, say "thank you, your suggestion will be taken under advisement", as a usefull tool to the running of a sane legal society. They are just recogizing your right.
I have seen the WOW in this thread, brilliantly illustrated
Wade Burck
For those following these comments, I agree with Sandy we might move this to a more current date. Meet me here tomorrow (1/30) on the photo No. 1 of Louis Roth. What better place?
And fasten your seat belts.
Roger Smith
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