Sunday, May 29, 2011

Rudy Rudynoff

1940's Unknown circus

4 comments:

tanglefoot said...

A wild west-rodeo producer named Joe Greer got Rudy to come to his ranch in Casseville Wisc. to assemble and train a 12 horse liberty act. Rudy just finishing years with AMC and RBBB. He took four blacks, four whites and four browns and trained the act to its completion. His groom-helper was an inhouse cowboy Bill Bushbom. Rudy did make a few spots with the act, but soon Greer cut him out in favor of cheaper and etc.[horses were now trained and could continue on with cowboy presenter. Haven't we experienced that scene over the years?] This photo would have to be a fair date or wild west spot of Greers. We know that Buschbom would continue on with other liberty acts palomino and later black and white spots and the rUDENOFF FAMILY would continue on with excellent High School horse presentation. Rudy was a great trainer and learned from elderly Ernst Schumann in 1924 era on John Robinson Circus. Buschbom did present the act on Shrine dates,etc. in cowboy wardrobe for a few years. Act fell apart and believe what was left,8 or so ended up on Bud Anderson circuses. Tanglfoot

Wade G. Burck said...

John Milton,
Whoa!!! Great, great stuff once again. Bushbom learning from Rudynoff is as lucky as I was learning from you. I suggest the "cheaper deal" after it is trained is what lead to the demise of many great acts. Thank you for sharing. I hope all is well with you and Mary Ruth.

Wade

Wade G. Burck said...

Addendum to John Milton,
Not for nothing, but they were probably 4 blacks, 4 greys, and 4 bays. I'm just saying..... LOL

Regards,
Wade

J W Browning said...

I knew Rudy Rudenoff (real name Rudy Gebhardt) in the early 1960s when he was still performing with a dressage act. He told me a story about how someone many years before had hired him to train and perform with a 12 horse liberty act. After he had perfected the act the employer told him that someone else was going to perform with the horses, probably someone who could be hired cheaper. Being angry about being treated this way Rudy devised a plan to sour the horses and ruin the act. Part of the act was a was the "merry mix up". The way he described it six horses traveling in pairs went around the ring in on direction and 6 in the other direction. When they met they would weave in and out and continue around until they met again and repeat. Rudy said that he fastened horses together in pairs and sent them around the ring all in the same direction. When he cued half the horses to reverse and do the "merry mix up" there was a huge wreck because the horses couldn't weave in and out being fastened in pairs. He said no else ever showed the act.