For Laszlo

Arthur Konyot, The White Rider and his Lipizzan Stallion, Conversano

For Laszlo

This is a portrait Hungarian artist Elizabeth Mihalyi did to immortalize forever, The White Rider, Arthur Konyot and Arabian Stallion Kamlah

For Laszlo

This is Catoctin Gold, or Goldie who Konyot trained for American TV personality Arthur Godfrey to ride in exhibitions.

For Laszlo

I love these to pictures because they clearly illustrate, it doesn't matter how much money you have, you don't know what you are doing and thats why masters like Konyot used to be in high demand. In the photo above with Arthur Godfrey doing a Spanish walk with Goldie, note the drive of the hocks, the extension of the leg, and the curb rein. Now compare all of that with the picture below, after Konyot said, "give me the crop, and get the hell off the horse. Now watch closely because I am tired of showing you." LOL Note below with the Col. in the cockpit the hocks, and the leg extension and the curb rein, as Goldie says, "oh yeah, now I remember." LOL

For Laszlo

This is the time when I am familiar with Konyot. In the early 50's he moved to the Chicago area, and started training Arabian horses, which were a relatively new breed to the United States, and some of the greatest early breeders were from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Konyot trained a number of Champions in he art of High School, and his great work did much to promote and make the Arabian horse known to the American public. His name is still mentioned with reverence today by old breeders of the Arabian horse. Note the checker board on Kamlahs hip. That's pure class. The stable where Kamlah was stalled at the Indiana State Fair Grounds is still used today. Last year when I was there with my son Adam, who was doing a show, I went inside and imagined the year 1953, a year before I was born, when Konyot and Kamlah rocked the Arabian horse world with their performance. Nobody could tell me what stall he was in or where Konyot kept the tack, so that sucked.

For Laszlo

Arthur Konyots fairwell to the Circus world

For Laszlo

One of my all time favorite "horsey" pictures, with Dorita Konyot showing where the leg should be, and Dianne Olds Rossi absorbing every word. A past Madame Col. and a present Madame Col. Surly one of those ballet duo deals we discussed a few days ago.

For Laszlo

Dorita Konyot and Nobre, canter on three legs, which you all saw Madame Col. Olds Rossi perform a few days ago in long lines with Cal Dorado.

For Laszlo

Dorita Konyot and Bomba

For Laszlo

Alexander Konyot and Kalarama, Jr. Anybody know more about him?

For Laszlo

Note the grey on the horse on the lefts face Mary Ann. Dark horse grey out in their face when they reach the "golden years". 32 years that's a heck of an age for a performance horse.

For Laszlo

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.

For Laszlo--This gentleman is in my Top Ten

This is the liberty act Col. Herriott mentions below with the 8 Percerons. Konyot must not have done much liberty work as there are not may pictures of him with liberty. This may a have been a tough year when everybody was required to "do two or more", and Konyot may have said, I'll give you one liberty act free, but you are going to have to pay dearly for any more. That is not a circus producers idea of a very good deal, which may explain no more liberty acts from Konyot. This is so unusual of an act with the Percherons and no harness, I just have to believe, as I stated to Col Herriott, they just grabbed baggage stock horses, and had them pull float after the act. Which reminds me, Col. I don't see Dorita? Were you goofing on me?
Of interest Laszlo is Konyot only had a TOP NINE LIST of liberty horse trainers. Because Col. Herriott was young and hadn't proven himself yet, he is on my TOP TEN LIST. In no particular order they are, The Renz Family, The Schumanns, Petoletti, Sr., Henrico and Lulu Gautier(father of my dear friend, Ringling elephant trainer, Axel Gautier), Albert Carre, Edward Wolf, Sr., Czeslaw Mraczkowsky, and William Truzzi

I contemplated not running this, so as not to upset somebody

This is probably the worst liberty act I have ever seen. At least it has an even number of horses. A rider on each horse is probably the only way they could keep the wheel from running out of control. How do I know that? Because I was told.

johnny said...

Dorita Konyot told me that when her father on Ringling trained an eight horse liberty act of grey percherons that she, in training rode the lead horse, not unusual, and that on the road she rode the lead horse for awhile, as well, unusual, but it kept them from running a race in the wheels. That is what I believe that rider on the lead horse is doing.

John, remember that eight horse liberty act of grey perchersons? They worked "nekked" remember. With out all the iron and leather that we both love and cherish. I never knew why. Maybe there was no liberty harness to fit Percheron's? Maybe they just grabbed some baggage horse's and whipped something up quick, and needed Dorita for guidance, no disrespect to the to the Great Arthur.

A post from Circus Vern

To all,

Last week I predicted nationwide publicity in the wake of the unfavorable Geraldo Rivera coverage last weekend which matched tid bits in the press in other areas of the country. This indicated some degree of conspiracy. Friday night, the popular 20/20 TV show aired additional unfavorable coverage.

The extremists are relying on their ability to influence the media and get their footage aired again and again. In fact, on 20/20 they had only a few minutes of vintage video and showed it repeatedly, the footage of the "Tyke-Hawaii" disaster literally reshown about 8 times. Mixed with video from overseas, and many other incidents, also repeatedly shown over the 20 minute segment. It paints zoos and circuses as the villains, and the "Sanctuary" as the heros. Much as you and I learned our multiplication tables in third grade...the extremists are teaching (via repitition) that circus elephants are mis-treated.....regardless of the truth.

Among other erroneous information:

The 20/20 piece mis-leads the public into believing that circus elephants today come from the "wild" taken from their mothers. This piece of poor news coverage doesn't even begin to qualify as "in depth" coverage of this topic. Don't we all wish that we could see equal time given to the science that takes place at the Ringling CEC for example? Or the relationships between human and elephants at the Commerford or Johnson family's facilities.....???

As circus fans we must be patient while the industry's leaders consider what is going on. If they ask us to contact the media and ask for equal time...we will do so. We must know what we can and cannot ask for and to whom the media should be directed.

Once again I call for more coordination of carefully orchestrated efforts.

Warm wishs.........

Gary C. Payne

Circus Fans Association

Animal Welfare Chairman

This statement is Animal Radical at the other end of the spectrum!!!!! I would like to ask Mr. Payne to address a couple of things. The Tyke--Hawaii disaster that offends you, does the fact that the elephant had stampeded 4 times in the past, and killed a person and injured others on that day, and initiated the passing of a law banning performing animals in Hawaii have any bearing on your statement? And speaking of "in depth" coverage, of all the elephants in entertainment/show business does the referencing of 3 organizations pretty much "cover" it? I am going to be "patient" also. Who are these industry leaders that are considering what is going on? Is there a ballot, I was not aware of? How do we get a list of these "industry leaders". Yes, my industry also, so that we may ask if they are "considering" anything self serving.
One more thing, why is OABA clicking cocktail glasses in Monaco, while we are getting hammered here?
Why don't you get the 300.00 non voting, interested party membership back, and use it as seed money for the new fund drive?
Wade Burck
Animal Trainer
Circus Lover

Moscow Circus

I won't mention the name, but many of you will know who this is. He was with the Moscow Circus when it came to the United States in, I believe 1988. He caused quite a "sensation" as he only worked with a short stick, and no mean, nasty whips, and wore tails like a "maestro" conducting a symphony . I bet a thousand uniformed people asked me, and sadly some "great" animal trainers, "did you see, did you hear, only a stick, only a stick. Greatest piece of business we have ever seen!!!!" I didn't need to see, I am an Animal Trainer, and I had seen a video of the cats being trained in Russia. The "only a stick, only a stick" was a 6ft hand made hot shot, which plugged into an outlet with a 75 ft. extension cord, which 3 men hustled to keep from tangling. It was not an undercover video, but one taken by a circus performer to document the greatest thing since creamed cheese, and was shown to me in an effort to "hang some paper" for her friend. This act won one of the few Gold Clowns for cage acts ever awarded at Monte Carlo in 1989 amid a flurry of controversy that the animals were declawed and the rolling cages were not to the present standard of that country. It has been suggest that the low rating for this years cage act, was because of poor husbandry/care practices in the past. I suggest none of that has any more bearing on a "competition" in the ring, then the act that puts tree branches in the cages, in an effort at "the jungle" habit. If outside the ring and actions in the past are relevant, then I suggest the offering of tiger claw necklaces should also be considered and awarded thusly. Just keeping it real, and balanced. To the uniformed, if the effort in the ring, looks so sweet and gentle, oftentimes you haven't seen behind to know where the sweet and gentle performance came from.

How much the animal scene/climate "hasn't" changed.

I am going to go out on a limb and assume this is China or Asia given it's "inspiring" efforts in regards to animal welfare in the past. The scrawny "Steppe/Mongolian" horse is also an indicator. Big giant lion, obviously with his claws, and an impressive set of canines. The "impressiveness" of this training marvel is even more "awesome" given the wet surface the horse is running on. This travesty is the exception, and is not in the United States of America.

How much the animal scene/climate has changed.

This is Mable Stark with her "world famous, first time ever, never before seen" black Jaguar. From accounts he made a limited appearance at Madison Square Garden, and wasn't used much after that. His name was the terrible, demeaning, racist, "N" word!!!! And it is printed in it entirety in any material on the subject of Mable Stark. Those are two of her "jungle killer Sumatran tigers. The group exhibiting an "incredible" behavior, which I am "assuming" took many, many, many months of careful "training" to accomplish.

How much the animal scene/climate has changed.

This was a, from all reports beautiful act that the Altoff family had on Ringling Bros. in the 60's-70's. Spotted Knapstrupper horse form Europe, striped tigers, and striped Zebra skin!!!!! Nothing wrong with that, unless like in the case of tiger claws, last year it was one of your "children" and doing an act for you. That is counterfeit to the highest degree. You couldn't use it today. When the first Cossack act came to America, they had wolf skin costumes. Might be acceptable in Kazakstan, but a no go in America. They couldn't get them or their Golden Eagle into the United States. Ringling made them fake fur costumes and hats before the opening and they looked great, although some of the riders couldn't understand what the difference was.