Tuesday, February 14, 2006

"Hugo"


This is "Hugo" being delivered to the Ringling Park July 1, 1974. I always wondered why Gary sent me in the truck first.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where did he come from before he arrived at the Park? Did he have a favorite trick for making life miserable for silly humans, or had he learned a multitude of nasty habits?

Buckles said...

I don't recall the exact details, Gary Hill could fill us in, but when the Park was first designed there was to be an African Veldt type drive-thru section and a lot of animals were purchased from a Safari Park in Texas where Gary worked. That part was supposed to be run by Jack Hannah.
By the time I arrived on the scene to replace Hugo Schmitt at the Ringling Quarters I heard about these three elephants and that had been placed at various zoos around the country for some reason.
After moving my herd up to the Park it became evident that after Gulf Oil kicked out of the deal there would not be a Safari Park or much else for that matter.
For lack of an alternative, I inherited tham. Not much of a demand for half grown male elephants.I eventually would up taking all three on the Blue Show in 1978.

Anonymous said...

A trick Hugo played on me was to act as if he was at the end of his chain and as soon as I glanced away he’d be silently inches away. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a common behavior for board elephant and I think the crew and most of the other elephants were in on it.

Anonymous said...

Off subject. I saw the elephant phone on the other blog. Neat. My alarm clock is an elephant doing the set up with a belly like a Budda. The belly of the clock has the macanics. The alarm sounds like the famous "Tarzan Yell." I only paid $50 for it 15 years ago and it still works like the day I got it.

GaryHill said...

Hugo went to the Jacksonville Zoo,I have some pictures of him there. George was in Georgia at a park Jim Fowler from "Wild Kingdom" had . I was offered him if I came and got him but the guy I worked for at Great Adventure in NJ didn't want an asian elephant with the 29 african's I had so I- if I remember right either called Buckles or told someone to give him to Buckles? I don't know where Bonnie aka Konti was until I met back up with her with Buckles.

GaryHill said...

I just got home from visiting with Jimmy Hall at his new place outside of Kaufman, Tx. He's building a nice new Bear enclosure. I think he solved the mystery of where Sobic, the male from The Sanford Zoo ended up-- He is now Hank at Scott's place in Ark according to Jimmy.

GaryHill said...

Rebecca couldn't you tell that was Buckles Cell phone?

GaryHill said...

After talking to Jimmy and then checking Scott's site I'm not so sure Hank is Sobic. Scott says Hank was born in 88 so can't be him! I had him in 78 I went there from the Blue Show.

Anonymous said...

Gary, Cell is not a very good word to use around me right now. I am either going to become a NUN or go to the pokie.

GaryHill said...

Rebecca, if you get poked you won't be a NUN! I hope that makes you laugh????

Anonymous said...

Gary, I smiled. Nuns live in cells. That is what I was refering to. I am a born again virgin. After 30 years I think I qualify. If I was in a nunary the lawyers would leave me alone. It would be a sanctuary. Like Riddles I hope. Not the fruit cake one in Tenn.

Anonymous said...

Sobik became Tusko he is now at Portland Zoo

Buckles said...

They brought "Sobik" into the Ringling Park for a few days from the Sanford Zoo. We laid him down and sat him up.
He had been purchased for the Zoo by the Sobik Restaurant or fast food place.
Jacobson called him "Sawbuck".

GaryHill said...

It was a "sub sandwich shop" pretty good food.