Not at all. The jodphurs add style to a ring appearance, but came about for a far more practical need. During the action in the ring, trainers had tripped and fallen, hanging the heels of their shoes in their pants cuffs. The animals, even before a trainer hits the floor, recognize his disadvantage, and are off their seats in attack. The jodphurs, covered by the high boots, reduced at least this one hazard.
Pith cork was shaped into a wide variety of hat styles for both shikar and safari wear. It offered limited protection against the elements, especially the sun. In more formal settings, usually covered in white, pith helmets were adapted by military and police units, most predictably in tropical regions. Some trainers wore these helmets throughout the act. For an extra touch of dash, Clyde Beatty saluted his audience with his, then tossed it onto a nearby bull tub before entering his cage.
I had sometimes thought the jodhpurs would give the cats some extra cloth to snag and drag the trainer to them, or hold them in place. I had not thought of the boots as having more than an ornamental function. Thanks, my ignorance is slowly being lifted.
6 comments:
Terrel Jacobs
Two "L's" Terrell.
The Lion King baled Mabel Stark out of two of her most critical attacks--1928, in Bangor, Maine, and 1935, in Phoenix.
Was King the first to use the Jodphurs and pith helmet costume?
Not at all. The jodphurs add style to a ring appearance, but came about for a far more practical need. During the action in the ring, trainers had tripped and fallen, hanging the heels of their shoes in their pants cuffs. The animals, even before a trainer hits the floor, recognize his disadvantage, and are off their seats in attack. The jodphurs, covered by the high boots, reduced at least this one hazard.
Pith cork was shaped into a wide variety of hat styles for both shikar and safari wear. It offered limited protection against the elements, especially the sun. In more formal settings, usually covered in white, pith helmets were adapted by military and police units, most predictably in tropical regions. Some trainers wore these helmets throughout the act. For an extra touch of dash, Clyde Beatty saluted his audience with his, then tossed it onto a nearby bull tub before entering his cage.
I had sometimes thought the jodhpurs would give the cats some extra cloth to snag and drag the trainer to them, or hold them in place. I had not thought of the boots as having more than an ornamental function. Thanks, my ignorance is slowly being lifted.
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