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Sunday, August 05, 2007
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20 comments:
This is one of several pictures we've seen on the blog of a "cover". Good Lord. Why a trainer would do such a thing is beyond me. For myself: never, ever. Scary. (Of course at this point in my life, even if I was able to complete the trick successfully, I think I'd need a pulley to help me get up off the floor. A little creaky these days...!)
The winter of '77-'78 Horst was working for Hawthorn, in winter quarters at a warehouse in Woodstock Illinois as the Richmond facility was being completed. Roy and I were there, along with Jean Michon when Horst stepped up behind the white tiger, was grabbed by the knee and flung like a rag doll during a practice. Terrifying.
Though I'd done this trick with other cats, 23 years later I found myself back at Hawthorn, with an act which required me to sit on a white tiger for a hoop jump, different tiger but same trick with which Horst's accident had occurred. The first few practices I had creepy flashbacks, remembering Horst's horrifying mishap. Fortunately this white tiger, Rook, was a very good boy.
Well Pat, now it looks like there are 2 thing's we agree about. No way on God's earth would I do a cover, where you lay on the floor, and have animals lay over you. Possibly, a cover where you lay on the animals and one lay's over you horizontally. Worse case scenario, you yell, the one's underneith bolt, tipping the one on top off balance, giving you a chance to get to your feet. How's that for wishful thinking. Wade Burck
Right, Wade. We'll watch for the Super Sandwich Cover in Evansville.
Interesting to read that the cover scares at least two very competent trainers. It always looked like an exceptionally risky trick. Laying down with a few hundred pounds of cats on top of you -- and hope everyone in the cage know's it's a show.
I was a groom for Gunther Gebel when he was training the cover in his leopard act. Saw many scrambles as leopard spats broke out in the middle of that trick.never had any desire to be on the botton of that.
Never saw Gunther get tore up on the cover,but rember him getting bit by a new neck carry black leopard
Ok,,,, I had Grand hopes of emailing a photo of new cover in my cat act after all the talk. Sorry, isn't happening. I have two of four cats that this maybe would work with, but when I tried it today, the two that were not part of the trick, tried auditioning for the trick. WILL NOT BE TRYING THAT AGAIN! Thanks alot, can't we just show some pictures of cutesy plank walks and things like that.
PS.. thought I would throw in, if anyone else is trying this trick. When laying under a cat, I personally don't recommend trying to get out from under it really fast even if another hits the floor. The one on top seems to get the best odds.
That's the kind of cover I was refering to, Larry. I've seen it done a number of times with leopard's. Tetzlaff, Chipperfield, Clubb, I believe, Strickler, I think. Marcan with big cats, for a while. Laying down on them always seemed a little more comforting to me, then laying under them, and watching them step over you. Different then the candy plank walkover, they are not moving away, they are moving ON. Wade Burck
It may have been Emil Smith, and not Rene Strickler I was thinking about. Although Rene had quite a nice act. Wade Burck
Casey, I read your post up to, "I have two of four cat's that this maybe would", and didn't need to read more. The longer you do something, and the older you get, when you hit "maybe" with an animal, you are better off cutting your losses, and devoting the the time to something that will. By all means innovate, create new and better behav(whoops, sorry Col.) tricks. All animals are different, always remember somebody else may have had animals better suited for a particular behav(dammit) trick. The longer you do what you are doing, trust me, you will eventually run into those that will. Keep up the great work. Wade Burck
Keeping in mind that things can go really wrong, really fast in any cat act- it seems prudent to commit one's self to remaining upright at all times in the arena.
Calculated risk is part of the game, but for those who have gotten away with this trick, I guess they've done the equations differently than I have. Mine have come up: cats, 100. trainer, 0.
No thanks.
I have absulately zero credentials as a wild animal trainer, presenter and, or expert in the field, but I would suggest to Mr. Burke that this cover that is being discussed is definitely a "behavior" and not to be confused with "tricks". If all goes well it could be classified as a "free trick", but anyone who enters that cage with any of the "great cats" has my greatest respect. I am still a pony trainer that has messed around with elephants. Whatever you guys get paid, its not enough. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, i AM, sINCERELY, John Herriott
Col. Herriott, With all due respect back at you, you are a pony trainer, that has messed around with elephants, like John Glenn is one of those pilot guy's, who fooled around in the United States Senate. Wade Burck
P.S. Although, Mr. Cuneo doesn't agree with you on the pay deal, for what it's worth, I do. Wade Burck
Hmm. Maybe it could be classified as:
"tricky behavior" ?
Watching Pablo Noel do his leap onto the pile of Lions always made my blood run cold!
You're right Gary, Pablo Noel's 'leap of faith' was spectacular- and at least he positioned himself so he had a way OUT!
I always considered the "cover trick" the most dangerous trick to train and perform. I did it with three lionesses and believe me when the last one laid across you (chest) it knocked every ounce of wind out of you! I handed the act over to Gordon Howes who was later tragically killed by a different lioness. I also saw the bad accident that Dicki Chipperfield Jnr. sustained with his leopards and black panthers at Shepherd's Bush Common in London. As the animals lay across him the last one, Bandera, took him from behind in the head. They then all immediately turned on him. It took 3 of us to get him free. It is interesting to note that only the black panthers attacked him.
The best I ever saw do this trick was David Tetzlaaf. He was far superior to anyone else. I started to train it during the early days of my mixed small cat act, but decided it was too dangerous, so Emile Smith never did it. The tigers in the picture with Horst Merkl were originally trained by Dicki Chipperfield and me, which we sold to Altoff.
The last time I saw Horst was in 1987 in South Korea when he presented Chipperfield's tigers.
Thanks for the insight, Jim. I stand corrected on Emile Smith doing the cover. I just assumed(wrongly) he did it, taking over your mixed leopard act. I agree with you about David Tetzlaff, though, he did a beautiful cover. Wade Burck
Thanks for the input, Jim. It confirms what I've thought all along- the cover's a NO-GO!
Thank You Mr. Burck for the insight. I am certain I do not have the rite cat for this trick in my arena. Also after an hour on the phone with Mr. Dean yesterday, I have decided I will wait 20 years or 50 cats before trying it again. Though incurred injuries were minor, I am convinced this is a very "tricky behavior", and will not bring any extra CASH from producers, also the high cost of ambulance diesel and stitches, makes it not only foolish for me but not cost effective.
Having never seen the trick performed, I am really curious how the cats go about getting up and going back to their seats. Do they stand up, then back off the person, or stand and walk the rest of the way over. Just curious, mine stood up and backed off of me, which didn't work so good.
Hello my Name Horst Merkl to
anywon wont to contakt my the
E mail horstmerkl@yahoo.com
I Lif in Rochester New York.
sins 1990.
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