Friday, December 09, 2011

From Buckles #1

3040039889_233daf8180 by bucklesw1
3040039889_233daf8180, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

This is "Kenya" not long after we picked her up from Louie Goebel, seen showing her off to Bert Pettus in El Paso while jumping back East from California.
At that time there were no African elephants with an American circus (this was two years pre-Gunther) I simply mentioned to Louie Stern that a shipment was coming in and he said, "Get one if you want one Kid but don't bother me with the details!"
I don't recall ever hearing how much she cost.

Posted by Buckles at 12/09/2011 06:36:00 AM

9 comments:

johnny said...

Yes I recall when we would talk about Africans and the possibility of training one. Actually er really hadn't seen any young africans. the shows like Cole with "Safari" all had big ones, so when you got Kenya it was a big opening and it seemed you ndid a fine job. A little later I would get my opportunity with Hoxie and female Betty and would find them to be different. I realized at that time that they had little lonjivety and saw that over the years. Gunthers African [safari. I just lost my chain of thought] was exceoptional in so many ways, but she didn't tail up and was chained long ways at the end of the picket line. On the animal walk she would dance along st the end of the herd lagging behind and the catching up with ears flapping a trunk flying. In the act if she didn't feel like sitting up on the tub she would just sit and on the stretch she again would only half waf croutch. Gunther did a fine job of handling her and she had longjivity to be sure. Guntherb knew to handle her idiosycrases. [sorry but i AM FORGETTING HOW TO SPELL. johnny. Rex would also get a young African. I am not a fan of that specie.

09 December, 2011 08:59
GaryHill said...

Congo, Colonel...:)

09 December, 2011 15:16
Dick Flint said...

Johnny, I remember you training some Hanneford babies during the winter of 1973-74 (not Africans, however) at their quarters. I recall several elephant guys there at various times, all assisting or watching. Refresh my memory, please! I guess I spent more of my time watching Struppi train her tiger riding elephant trick (the tiger caught some disease early in the season and so ended the trick/behavior/act).
Dick Flint
Baltimore

09 December, 2011 15:34
Roger Smith said...

Every time I see a picture of Bert, it brings back memories of what good showfolks he and Marie were. They went out of their way to make me feel at home on the Castle show.

09 December, 2011 16:23
Chic Silber said...

I believe it was spelled with a K

Kongo was the elephant Gunther

rode with the tiger as the payoff

of Spec in the late 70s with the

red webs & the pullup clown heads

09 December, 2011 17:51
FRANK CURRY said...

Jorge Barreda and Lou Ann Jacobs have 4 African Elephants.

The elephants range in age from their late twenties to late thirties.

Lou Ann and Jorge have very successfully performed in Circuses for many years.

For the last few years they have been on Universoul Circus.

Sadly, the animal rights phonies have started to bug them recently.

We wish them well !

09 December, 2011 19:58
Ole Whitey said...

Dick- I think you're a year off. Struppi's elephant-riding tiger died in 1973, so you must have watched her the winter of 72-73.

09 December, 2011 22:33
Bob Cline said...

I was told that Jorge and LouAnn lost one of their elephants this year. I haven't seen them to confirm this. Does anyone know for sure?
Bob

10 December, 2011 06:30
GaryHill said...

Chic, you are correct! My bad...:)

10 December, 2011 12:20

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