This is Col. Washington, whom Konyot is quoted as saying was the best High-School horse he ever owned. Col. Washington suddenly dropped dead in the ring in the middle of a performance, and an autopsy showed that he had a malformed heart. I of course wasn't there, but my heart goes out to this great Trainer because I've been there and done that.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
For Laszlo
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
Beautiful passage. I was lucky enough to work under him when I was in my twenty's. He though himself a ladies man and he was in fact a great jokster. One time we were on a TV interview, I was just suppose to stand there and be pretty and when the interviewer asked Arthur the first question he said "I don't speak the english very well, Miss Olds can answer any questions" at which point I about dropped over. He had been speaking english longer than I had been alive and he was just enjoying every minute of my complete failure to talk intelligently laughing and scrztching off camera. He was fun to be with and a gentle soul with his horses.
Dianne,
Great memory. Thanks. In regards to this picture, I don't think I have ever seen a hip wound that tight. Beyond incredible.
Wade
What a nice tribute to a great Circus equestrian family. The Konyots came here with either Ringling or Barnum and Bailey in about 1909 with a sensational bareback riding act family of brothers and sisters including Arturo [Arthur], Lilly [Doritas aunt] and Oscar [later featured with Ringling with his comedy lion act and then with his Chimpanzee act with bareback riding chimp on a pony]. They stayed for a couple seasons and the Arthur and his family came back to Rinfling with High School horses including Alex and Dorita. They are not noticed in the Ringling programs very well as for some reasons the were called the "Ascevedoes' or some thing close to that.
Incidentally it is documented that in Madison Square Garden a very serious fight took place backstage between Arthur Konyot and Count Vas Concellos with one of them being hospitalized and having to leave the show. I think it was the Count. [Professional Jealousy in its worst form to be sure].
But certainly the Konyots have been "great" and I understand that Alex son and daughter have made names for themselves in the Palm Beach horse interests. Dorita was a very gooid friend and was pleased to know both Arthur and Alex.
Post a Comment