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Thursday, April 30, 2015
Ten Gallon Hats #4
"I remember this act from when I visited the show, believe it was 1953 pretty bad, got panned in the Billboard.
I think they were from England, only the uniquely clad cowgirl was memorable."
Buckles |
From Buckles
My father and Lee Powell big buddies, seen here on the Barnett Show at the site of "Jumbo's" demise.
The only time I ever saw my father drunk was 1953 when I was a candy butcher on the Kelly-Miller show.
Early in the morning he and D. R. left the the lot to visit the nearby Diano Bros. Circus and returned staggering up the midway trying to hold each other up.
I heard Donnie MacIntosh say, "Good God! The Lone Ranger Rides again!".
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
To Chic Silber
The answer to your question is quite complicated.
Having been with Sid Kellner the past few seasons in 1972 I finally talked him into letting us winter his elephants in Florida but we never made it home.
On the way we stopped on the Carson & Barnes lot and D.R. explained that he had just sold three elephants Penny, Mary and Blondie to the Padilla Family who at the close of the season planned on reopening their show in Mexico.
He had also leased them a cat act plus the two former Bartok elephants Bunni and Betty.
The upshot was we finished out the season and were somehow included in the deal partially to look out for his interests and off to Mexico we went with nine elephants.
From My Journal
Jan. 27- Feb. 7 Puebla, Puebla 150 mile jump
"At the close of this date Ben returns to James Bros. with the Kellner elephants as well as Kuhneman to C&B with the cat act plus Betty and Bunni.
Reduces our herd to four."
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1972-73 #2
From 1972 Journal
Nov. 23 Sabinas, Nuevo Leon 75 mile jump
"Americans on the show are myself, wife Barbara, sons Ben and Shannon, Eddie Kuhnaman, Gary Jacobson, Don Martinez and wife Alicia."
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1972-73 #5
From 1973 Journal
Jan. 19-21 Jojutla, Morelas 130 mile jump
"Show's Lawyer Reynato Cevallos arrived Sunday 21st with our new baby girl whom we named Dalilah Hope.
Great excitement among the show people big fiesta ensued.
Business so-so, lots of sugar cane in this area and located some good oat hay for Anna May"
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1972-73 #6
 From 1973 Journal Aug. 11-15 Celya, Guanajuata 8 mile jump Fairgrounds lot & Fair is in progress. Victor Gaona, Trolle Rhodin and Kenneth Feld with lady friend arrive to the wonderment of all during terrific wind and heavy downpour. Afterward Mr. Feld said he would return next month with Feld Sr. to talk business. Business light. "Over the years I have been reminded by Kenneth of the ordeal in finding the the show, the wind, rain, muddy lot and that Ben had loaned Bonnie his rain coat. Said after returning home he felt obligated to propose." |
1972-73 #7
 From 1973 Journal Me and Shannon leave Mexico city on Mon. Oct. 22 with camper and trailer bound for Venice, Fla. & Ringling Show leaving Barbara, Ben, Dalilah and Anna May behind to finish out the contract. Cross the border on the 23rd and spend the night with the MacDonalds in San Antonio. Arrived in Ruskin Fri. night Oct. 26 dropped off Shannon with Aunt Hope then continued on down to Venice Mon. Oct. 29 to go to work. 18 elephants Peggy, Rosie, Joan, Christine, Manja, Rebecca, Seina, Gilda, Carmen and Mudu from Billy Smart in England. A Blue Show reject Tagu and seven youngsters being trained by Hugo Schmitt, Minyak, Mala, Sandry, Sheva, Assam Patna and Matsho |
1972-73 #8
Barbara, Ben and "Anna May" finally arrived from Mexico.
We had scrounged around and found some bull tubs and enough stuff to make a ring curb. This is when we first met Sue and Rudy Lenz, they were just parked across the from here and would come out and watch us practice. |
1972-73 #10
 They would come in line side by side, lie down on their left side then swing up one by one into this sitting position. I was taught to call it the "lay down-sit up" MacDonald called it the "sitting long mount". |
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
From Buckles #1
Cool Hand Buckles!
During this phase on the Kelly-Miller show they brought two guys around looking for for a job on elephants and Logan said, I'll take the one without the cowboy hat.
Later I asked him why and he said, "Bulls flap their ears, off comes the hat and the guy spends the day walking around picking it up."
Made sense, what a pity I gave it away.
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Monday, April 27, 2015
To Brandon Morris
In short "Lydia" could be a pain in the ass.
Fight with other elephants when possible.
Good mount elephant tho, she used to toss my wife up to her back without breaking stride then scramble up on this merry go round.
Last time I checked out in the barn all those headpieces had rotted away.
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Is there no end to it?
Computer swallered it's tongue and died again this morning. |
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