If you enlarge this picture you will note the license plate on the cage. All the cages had to be licensed because of going on the roads/streets between the train and the buildings.
Axel Gautier was one of the greatest elephant men I have had the pleasure to work with. Being of European decent Axel used a whip in the elephant act, back before it became "politically incorrect," and he was a master with it. Note the length of the lash. It takes great skill to control a lash of that length. The lack of skill with a whip today, is often patched with the excuse the public doesn't like it. Another example of wrong public perception that the whip is bad. As it quit being used, more dependency was given to the hook. For every 5 good things that have come out of animal rights issues, there is 1 bad. But the AR doesn't know that, anymore then they know anything about which they protest. That is the sham of the AR movement.
Courtesy of Jeff Darnell
Sunday, December 7, 2008
100th Anniversary of Ringling Bros.--1984-1985
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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12 comments:
Wade, this is a picture that we haven't seen before. This is from the same season as the poster?
Mary Ann
Mary Ann,
Yes this is the same year as the poster. This was 1984 because I have black boots. Irvin Feld liked the boot's and costumes to match. Kenneth like the boot's a different color. By 1985 they were silver for the black costume.
Wade
Addendum to Mary Ann,
Axel Gautier who was killed in 1993 by an elephant was the son of LuLu Gautier who was a great horse trainer. We have looked at LuLu Gautier in the past.
Wade
Wade, really awesome picture. Thank you for posting it. Who is the white tiger?
Mary Ann
Mary Ann,
That's Ari jumping. The tiger I am sitting on is Shere Khan who replaced Ika, who was the sit on tiger. Shere Kahn was a hetero litter mate/brother to Frosty.
Wade
Wow Wade, that makes it even more special. Thank you.
Mary Ann
Great post. The strut on Axel expresses how he loved his animals and bringing out the best in all who worked with him. I consider it a great honor to have worked with all of the Gautier s.
Thanks, Wade.
Adaline
Adaline,
Just this evening I was talking with a friend, and I told him to look at the picture of Axel. I said it perfectly illustrates the strut and pride the moment he stepped into the ring. He came alive when he was performing.
Wade
AXEL: Memories, the year that the four circus stamps were issued and the ceremony was held in the building next to the Washington, D.C. train station....KING TUSK was special guest Ringling elephants under the guidance of AXEL paraded from the D.C. Armony..I took a detour that day from PA on my way to open some southern Hanneford towns... AXEL spotted me as he lead the parading elephants and walked over to shake my hand...That was the last time that I saw AXEL........Stealing one of the late Tommy Hanneford lines, " Axel was one of the GOOD GUYS."
Ringling poster featuring Wade and this tiger act was on display last night at the Forepaugh-Lubin Christmas Party..Altoona, PA. this was the poster that Wade had autographed at the Adler Glen Rock, NJ Circus Party...One of the lucky Lubin Raffle Winners thought he would take the Ringling Poster that was for display purposes only because he enjoyed Wade and the tigers during those great days of the Ringling Building Shows..He had noticed that Wade had signed the poster...I told the lucky Lubin Raffle Winner that it would be for sale "April 2009 Circus Week Altoona Bull Room" with profits going to the Lubin Tent.......Circus Party was held at the JAFFA SHRINE CIRCUS building that will celebrate its 70th Anniversary Year - April 13- 19, 2009.....
Dave,
Axel was so much more special then just a good guy. He was the Mayor of his own city on Ringling. Most amazing was the transformation from a barn man to a world class performer. The minute his costume was on and he stepped into the ring he literally glowed. The first few months of the 1984 tour, before the death of Irvin, were the greatest, most thrilling of my life. Irvin, Bloom, Axel, Charley, Gunther, Vazques, Lentz, Antelek, Suskow, Ragona, Peggy Williams, Tracy Mayo, the tv special, etc. etc. A world that can't be described and can't be imagined unless you were there. In 1992 when I went back to the show, and Axel returned, the Felix Adler Tent had a wonderful Welcome back Wade and Axel party at the Meadowlands. I moved into Charleys train car, and shared a veranda with Axel and Donna. Shook his hand that fateful day, and said, be safe, Partner. We'll see you tomorrow. But I never did.
Tears have welled up in my eyes, so I will finish by reminding you to mention the "rider to poster", so you can remind the buyer. A donation to OABA Animal Fund in addition to the high bid.
Regards,
Wade
Mary Ann,
That would work. We are giving a free copy to the first fortune teller who responds. LOL
Wade
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