Chris Zeitz 1905

SAVE0210, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles There is a pantheon of trainers we hear about (Cheerful Gardner, et. al.) but you’ve used the appellation of great for Chris Zeitz, a trainer that I have heard little about. I know he was with Ringling in 1903-04, Robinson from 1915-21, and with Floto from 1905-09 and again in his last season on the road that I have record--1923. Between his first tenure on Floto and his start on John Robinson, I can only account for a year each on Norris & Rowe (1910), Danny Robinson (1911), and Howes (1913). Can you add to this? What sort of acts did he assemble and what were the herds like that he oversaw (difficult)? Did your father get to see him work? It would be nice to know more about some of these “other” trainers from this time period that, at least to me, are lesser known. Dick Flint Baltimore "Mr. Zeitz best remembered work was with these Great Floto elephants in 1905. "Mom", "Trilby", "Floto", "Frieda" and "Snyder". I'm sure you have seen pictures of Snyder doing a hind-leg walk the length of the front track with a lady standing on one tusk. He later duplicated this trick with "Major" while with Mugivan and Bowers." My dad's first year in the business was 1920 at age 16 and Zeitz retired just a few years later so their paths never crossed but when his named was mentioned everyone removed their hats." Buckles Christian Zeitz 1901-04 Ringling Bros. Circus 1905 Great Floto Show 1906-09 Sells-Floto Circus 1910 Norris & Rowe Shows 1911 Dan Robinson Circus 1912-15 Howes Great London Shows 1916-22 John Robinson Circus 1923 Sells-Floto Circus Retired to a ranch in Kissimmee, Florida where he died 1/5/53 at age 77.