Tuesday, December 26, 2006

From Raffaele de Ritis




The sit up of Circo Americano elephants in 1983 at the Stadt Halle in Vienna, Austria (photo by F.Bollmann). Posted by Picasa

Posted by Buckles at 12/26/2006 10:08:00 AM

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Before coming to America Circus Williams had been in combination with that same Sp-ainish circus, working I believe in Italy and the photo is certainly similar to Gunther's presentation. Maybe Castillo had urged him to do that routine. The photo shows a certainly spectacular presentation. Cant knock that.'

26 December, 2006 10:22
Anonymous said...

absolutely the most outstanding picture of elephants working in complete control of what the trainer presented. My hat is off to this amazing accomplisment by the fabulas trainer who ever it was. Job well done. Thank you.

26 December, 2006 10:29
Anonymous said...

Mr. de Ritis. Did Costillo of Cirque Americano actually own all of those elephants or were they there similar to the Circus Williams combination that I suggested. Thats alot of elephants for any show to have and would it have been possible when Gunther was there later that he used them, or some of them to augment the 11 or 12 Williams elephants. Henry Schoerr told me that in Europe Gunther had worked well over 20 some elephants some place.

26 December, 2006 10:43
Raffaele De Ritis said...

The trainer was Flavio Togni, that at the time was aged 24.
This act was put togheter by his uncle Willy Togni in the late 60.
Willy and Gunther (about the same age), developed together their elephant knowledge, working very often in the same productions.
In the 60s, Willy's and Gunther's elephants was combined for winter seasons in Italy or Spain. Arturo Castilla, Carola Williams and Enis Togni (Flavio's father)used to co-produce circo Americano from 1963. By 1975, Togni was (and still is) the only owner of Americano and of the animals. These are the same elephants that came to RBBB in 1991 with Flavio.
If there is some interest, I can post some Willy Togni pictures from the 70s.

26 December, 2006 12:31
Anonymous said...

Now thats a stupid thing to say. {IF THERE IS ANY INTEREST} I await with baited breath!!!! I am truly fascinated by your pictures.

26 December, 2006 13:15
Anonymous said...

Is this going out side the ring the same as going out side the box? Only circus.

26 December, 2006 15:49

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)