Thursday, January 1, 2009

Riding a jumping lion??



Watch the jumping lion portion of the tape closely. Is he riding the lion, or is he leaning on his left leg and pushing off, at the moment the lion jumps and he is only jumping too, not actually riding the lion across the jump.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

What ever is really going on, the effect looks great.
I am leaning to the presenter doing 95 % of the work. What say you? Dion

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

He is jumping,,,but it is still a great trick,,,or at least something different. Have to at least give him credit for thinking to try it. I wish we could see a video of this act in it's entirety. I couldn't really understand the cat sitting up and the two hind leg tigers.

I will add...
If they were going for original,,,,they dropped the ball with the white lioness',,,,shit,,,I think half of Europe is already sporting those

Anonymous said...

I would like to see again, the presenter (anyone) using a group of cats that run around the arena and bounce off the walls. Haven't seen that in 30 years.
If someone started this again and used chase lights around the arena top and bottom, at the same time as the bouncers ran, I should think it would be a nice effect.
Dion
PS The lion and man jump does look nice.

B.E.Trumble said...

Jumping. Drop the clip into an editing program and you could probably remove the lion and see the jump clearly. Casey is certainly right in that it's a cool trick never the less. Gotta give the lion some credit. He didn't eat the guy in practice, and I assume there were a few misses when they put the trick together with the lion scrambling for a foothold and the presenter landing on the ground.

Anonymous said...

He was at Guinnes worl Records for his 5 meter jump I think this are the Zapaschny Bros. performing at their own circus they are very famous in Russia.

Wade G. Burck said...

Dion,
Who was the last one you saw with a group of cats that ran around the arena and bounced of the walls.
Wade

Wade G. Burck said...

Thomas,
How much in inches is 5 meters, and how did the measure? From where he started, to where he landed? Or from one prop to the other?
Wade

Anonymous said...

Wade,

I made a mistake it was 2,30 meter that is 90,551181 inches. I don't know were the measure started I think from prop to prop. This is their official site:
http://www.zapashny.ru/
They also have a fan site.
fanclubzapashny.ucoz.ru

Thomas

B.E.Trumble said...

That's the beauty of holding a "record" that nobody else has ever competed for. Five meters could be measured from the outside edge of each wheel leaving a "space" of only one meter to actually clear...or from the inside edge where it's a true 5 meters (about 195 inches.) Mostlt likely the measurement would be from the center of one prop to the center of the other, so the clearing would be something like 2 meters. Longest broad jump for men is something like 9 meters, so a well conditioned athletic guy could probably jump the true five, though it might be a stretch.

Wade G. Burck said...

To put the "spectacular" in perspective, if for no other reason then it is referenced as a natural behavior as justification:

Mike Powell, broke the world broad jump record in 1991 with a jump of 29' 4".

Let's give the lion 3 meters instead of 2.30 and call it an even 9' 10"

Maybe that is why the gentleman doesn't sit and jump the lion, but rather gives the "illusion" of. As our friend from France might assume, the fans know different so we assume the public does also. I would expect the public to be taken in by this, as I assume there is an announcement proclaiming it as the greatest feat ever attempted and holding records of importance like Guinness.
Not being the public, and not hearing the "hype" I would have expected animal folks to have noticed a grossly obese lion, and the bet you even money, given their movement de clawed tigers. (Casey look close at the second hind leg tigers front feet as she strikes.) But as Thomas pointed out, they are famous so none of that is relevant to animal health. Obviously performing is good because it keeps an animals fit and in shape.(Anybody heard that before.)

Thomas has provided additionally a couple of links where we might get information, but I wonder at facts.
Wade

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Yeah I notice the way the cat "strikes" up and its paw is contorted. I am not judging the act, I just think the idea of jumping with the lion is something different.If I could find about a 1,500 lbs Lion, I might try it (I would probably try and put at least a halter on the beast though, if not a bit,,LOL). The act is what it is,,,two dudes (which is odd even by foreign standards,,even Clubb puts a boy girl duo in the arena, looks better for the push and block system) with a bunch of declawed tigers and a lion. Have Russian cage acts not historically been declawed? I know their big show at the Monte Carlo Best-O-The-Best thingy was.

Anonymous said...

This trick was already performed by Valter Zapashny in the mid 80's.

Anonymous said...

Hey Mr. Burck I think every thing was done before. I have a video of you on the Blue that I took in 1985 when you did 3 hind leg tigers, 1 forward 1 back ward and 1 that ran side ways across the front of the cage. WE used to think you were racing her. You said is wasn't as good as Gunther Gebels because he did 2 together. Nobody did 2 for a long time then you did 3 together and a couple of years later everybody is doing 2 or 3 together Some people are leaders which makes it great for others. Great trainers are always copied .
Do you remember me Bobby Johnson I worked with you and Mike on the Blue for 2 years. Later I worked with Sue Lacy on Cole Bros. I live in N. Carolina now. If you want a copy of the tape send me your email address.
Bobby

Wade G. Burck said...

Bobby,
Yes I remember you, I believe your nickname was Butterball. I didn't know you worked with one of our other acts. I would love to have the video. A tv station in Chicago did a great video, when I was training Snow. Is it that one? I would sure like to locate a copy of that also. My email is wburck3@aol.com
I hope all is well. Remember when you got off the train when you were told not too, and it started moving and you almost got left in the desert in Arizona. LOL
Wade