Artania circus makes deal to move show to Southfork Ranch

The Artania equestrian circus finished its Rockwall run last Saturday night. Though there has been a language barrier between the performers and their local hosts, there was no mistaking the meaning when a clown laid a large stuffed heart at the edge of the circus ring and motioned to the Rockwall crowd.

Lisa Blackmon, who has hosted the Russian troupe for the better part of a month at the Rockwall stables, noted that her arena was not a prime location. The crowd was smaller than expected on the final night, but it didn't seem to matter. The spirits of the performers were notably higher than in the original performance. The reason was fairly simple: The Artania circus learned earlier in the week that they had found a new performance home, and a new opportunity to make their American journey successful. They also learned that the day after their final Rockwall performance they would be moving into much more comfortable accomodations — the Southfork Hotel in Plano. Southfork Ranch, that legendary estate of television fame, had decided to take on the Russian circus and continue the performances on their grounds, with an appropriate promotional budget.

Blackmon held a birthday party at the stable offices following the final performance. Plov was served alongside fajitas. Vodka was chilled in ice chests right next to Corona. Smiles were plentiful as the previous week's happenings seemed to turn a big corner for the visiting performers.

On July 29, the Blackmons were visited for a barbecue by the equestrian performers of the Ringling Bros. circus that was performing in Dallas at the time. Apparently some of the members of both circus groups had gone to school together back in Russia. Jackie Blackmon said that one of the Ringling Bros. performers had told him, "When this is all done, everybody in Russia will know who Lisa Blackmon is." The following day 45 tickets were delivered for the Artania group to attend the Ringling Bros. show free of charge.

Then there was the airing of Artania's story on the CBS Evening News. The next day Lisa Blackmon answered 545 e-mails that came in offering support. Offers of help ranged from offers of financial contributions (which were politely refused) to attorneys offering to handle the legal aspect of the situation pro bono.

Janna Timm of Southfork Ranch was in attendance at the final Rockwall performance and noted that she felt privileged to have gotten the opportunity to see the show in its raw form that was performed in Rockwall (without dramatic lighting effects). During the party after the show she wandered among the performers, handing out her card to the performers and welcoming them to their new performance home.

Artania is tentatively scheduled to resume performances at Southfork Ranch on Aug. 20.
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"I wish them success, although the stuffed heart and pointing to the crowd is a real piece of cheese. I have seen performers clutch their heart, and "throw" it out to the audience. About as classy as scratching your stones in center ring. Can I get a rhythmic hand clap and a standing O?"