johnny said...

Wow, what a great picture and it is before my time of seeing him. I note the mix of lions and tigers on their seats. I never saw him that way. as he always had tigers in center area and lions on the leaning on the cage seats. I believe I see one or two female lions, whuch would also be unusual and also a male lion as part of the sit up. Really nice photos.Thanks

23 April, 2008 08:50

Johnny,
Is it the 3 cats sitting up on "pedestals" that is wow. I note that this is in Ft. Lauderdale towards the end of his brilliant career. I stand corrected, he was evolving into a "trainer". Originally he had the tigers in the center area as they were the only ones that would do something, like a roll over, similar to the great Pat Anthonys set up. They went out, the seat warming lions came down, bounced and went out. The females you are referencing, are they the two on the left, sitting there with their heads down, eyes closed, obviously getting comfortable sitting for a long time before they finally go out? I don't think they look ready to do the next behavior, do you? I'll see if I, or some of the readers from "across the water", can post a picture of Alex Lacey, just one example, sitting lions and tigers, males and females up on the floor, so we can see what the profession has advanced to. I am still waiting for an example of what high school has advanced to in the circus.
Wade Burck April 23, 2008 11:20 AM


I realize this picture below isn't a sit up John, but I thought I would slip it into the lion and tiger deal. Thank you Johnny. You validated the advances of the wild animal training profession tremendously. If you want to validate high school and liberty as admirably, and are having trouble, I have room in my cigar box for one more bag of bull durum, if you want to pack up and go "across the water with me". Wade Burck