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Sunday, November 18, 2007
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23 comments:
If memory serves me correctly it was Daniel Suskow that trained the original set of Sylvia Zerbini's horses. I emphasis if my memory...
Also, today the Blue Show closes in Auburn Hills, Michigan never to be seen nor heard from again.
Yes, there is a God.
Cliff Vargas bought 8 young Arabs and they were brought here in Fla. and started in training by Dutch Crawford. Then they went to Circus Vargas but I understand they were not ready and did not work in the show. Tarzan acquired them and had Suskow with him as an all around trainer and when putting the liberty act together he had his daughter and Sylvia as his helpers and naturally they were able to witness the methode of training and when Tarzan no longer needed the services of Suskow or he wanted to go back to Europe [I am not sure] Sylvia took over the horses. As I said there were 8 but for some reason he only finished 6.It was a different style routine than we generally do here but is quite effective. However they never were trained to all rear together for a finale and Arabs are especally talented in rearing having a quickness and lightness about them. Mr. Suskow is an excellent trainer of circus animals and on Ringling his talents backfired on him and he was knifed in the back, so to speak.It was Ringlings loss and Europes gain.
Thank you Mr. Herriott; I was unaware of the Arabs before Daniel was involved.
Overheard in the MDR...when you put together the Garden Welsh ponies you included (pardon my error/ignorance when describing) a reverse and then hold and then another reverse and hold. I thought it was terrific.
Now, I heard that this trick has its difficulties being with the ponies on ONE SIDE and then the ponies on THE OTHER SIDE of the pony in front of them.
I hope I didn't massacre the description.
Please comment. Many thanks.
Col. Herriott, I am confussed. Is MDR describing the split reverse to a ring curb stand in the back, or just a line up reverse? I remember well you describing why the split reverse is stopped in the back and put on the ringcurb on either side of the opening, making for a nice style with the trainer in the middle, and equal horse's on each side of him/her. Plus the horse's going in two different direction's are tighter at the moment of passing the back. It is crystal clear of what you spoke, when you see the 6 NSH's now having to split and line up in the front (no back ringcurb). First group arrives about 3 second's before the second group. Presenter is framed by two crooked set's of 3. Man oh man!!!!
Talking fine horse's and liberty. This is better then sex any day!!!!
Col. Herriott, I see where you have placed Arabian's high in the "hind leg skill's" catagory. I also concur. Let me ask you this, on a scale of 1 to 10 where would you place the Welsh breed?
Have a good day, Col.
Wade Burck
I think the correct term would be line up reverse.
I also enjoyed the split on the ring curb. When accompanied by a nice chord it always got a very solid applause by the audience.
Gee. I wish there were a glossary with photos of these fine tricks.
How can we tell Wade's getting older?
Speaking of Dutch Crawford, has anyone heard of his whereabouts?
I'm curious as to Sylvia's horses ages, because, I seem to recall they were still dappled and hadn't all turned white when I first saw them with Tommy's show at the BigE. Best trick in the act, I think was the horses backing up around the ring before exiting.
I believe, but might be wrong, that there has been replacement horses brought into the act.
It's got to be 15 years plus since the original act was put together.
I'm guestimating...but would appreciate the viewers who can attest to these facts.
I seem to recall that Sylvia horse that she rode into the ring was blind in one eye.
Mr. Herriott and Mr. Burck, is it true that the GRAPEVINE is actually trained in Europe by having riders on the horses?
J.G:
I just now (early Sunday evening) talked with Dutch Crawford (he's on the road driving a truck somewhere in Arizona). He said you probably have his number--the same one he's been using for years, but he invites his friends (he says he's not hiding out) to call him at 708-26-7117. Dutch still lives in Wilmington, Illinois.
I first interviewed Dutch for a White Tops story in 2000 when he was managing Sterling & Reid for Dick Garden.
During that initial interview, we were outdoors on a hillside overlooking the Show-Me Arena in Cape Girardeau, Missiouri, in mid March--just before the show converted from indoors to tent for the rest of the season As he was answering one of my questions, he overheard two female grooms having a coniption fight in the backyard. He stopped only momentarily and shouted, "G-D it, ladies, I told you to watch your F-G language on the lot." Then he resumed the interview.
Dutch was sharing some of his jackpots of the days when he was on Vargas (and Johnny, he remembers those horses very well-they were green three-year-olds who lacked only the ability to do rearing and waltzing when he initially trained them. Dutch was on Circus Vargas twice-1981-82, and 88-89. He recalls one of Cliff Vargas' famous meeting where he called together the entire employee body for a meeting after one of the shows. The circus folk were sitting in the bleachers, and he was standing in one of the rings. Cliff was dishing out a whole vocabulary of obscenities when two Sisters--one of them may have been Priscilla--walked up behind him. Suddenly aware of their presence, Cliff turned around and said, "Excuse me, Sisters." Then, according to Dutch, Vargas continued with his expletive-filled diatribe.
This was the first time I've talked with Dutch in at least seven years. Thanks, John Goodall, for asking about his whereabouts. Dutch Crawford is alive and well--and, yes, he did pull his truck over to the side of the interstate while we talked for a half hour or so.
Lane T.
Sylvia has added at least 2 young Andalusian horses to the liberty act, which I think was up to eight horses back in 2004 (Ringling Blue). The youngest horse was nearly a steel grey at that time. Thanks for the info on the history of this act.
-Chris
Anonymous, I personally like the "shimmy" in Sylvia's act the best. That deal she does where she shakes, as the horses waltz is incredable (I'm not that old, Voice of experience.)
MDR, Sure they use rider's, nothing wrong with that at all, if you've got them. Nothing wrong with a person for each horse, if you've got them. The European liberty act's tend to be a little more intricate because of it. Mr. Ian Garden came damn close to a "European" act. Here in the states a "prop crew", normally consist's of a prop boss, and somebody helping him.
Wade Burck
Dutch Crawford's cell # is 708-267-7117 (I typed it wrong in the previous blog)
Lane T.
Mr. Burck,
Oh no, I wasn't being critical of the riders; I just found that fascinating. Yes, Europe does have a lot of things going for it.
I have never seen trainers in Europe and would only know what I hear from those who have been there and observed. In Cole Bros. liberty training my dad and John Smith used riders, not very often, but to maybe get some routine with extra assistance. I and the younger grooms were the "volunteers" and its no ride in the park as you brush against the other horses and if it is part of a going in both direction routine and you meet another rider you can lock knees and get thrown off. No saddle and the harness can dig in your keester.
I trained the "weave" when putting together Nelli's horses and used one or two riders depending how they were turning. Never got it finished whereby Nellie could get the rythm of the suttle cue.
It has hardly been done here and both Sylvia and Cathy have done it nicely. Actually I guess few American trainers never occured to them to do it and Mr. Suskow brought our attention to it. We will no doubt see more of it in the future.
MDR,
The show's that I had the pleasure of seeing in Europe were beautiful. The pride and honor in their craft is most evident. Granted the smaller venue's can make a beautiful show magnificent, but even here in the United States, the attempt's at the smaller format have fallen short of those in Europe, in particular Germany.
Wade Burck
There's a great video out called "Free Dressage in the Circus Ring" about Knie with lots of training segments. Although there were none with riders, they did have an assistant for each horse on a lunge.
Also an interesting view of them exersizing 20 or more horses by running them around a big, elongated arena in winterquarters. It was quite impressive with all the horses being stallions.
Its an excellent video, and sometimes pops up on Ebay
Who trained Kathy Hanneford's horses? I recall she had a weave in her act
The Kathy Hanneford horses, I believe, are Polish Arabians. These horses were presented by Mary Ruth Herriott at Circus World, a fact lost in the memory of many. When Circus World closed George and Vicky Hanneford bought them
I am not 100 per cent sure of all the happenings, but it is pieced together from many sources over the years.
The trainer I am not sure of...was it Mr. Herriott?
I had the pleasure of being in the audience watching Mrs. Herriott present the "Kathy Hanneford Horses" as they later were known, and I would like to say that Mrs. Herriott did an outstanding job of presenting these horses with elegance and grace. It will always be one oh my favorite Mrs. Herriott presentations.
Iagree too--Maryruth was wonderful with those horses.
I think the reason she never received the credit she deserved was that this act never toured with her so only the people who went to Circus World saw it.
Maryruth did it before Kathy and I think both are wonderful.
Thanks, Lane for the information on Dutch Crawford.
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