Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
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6 comments:
Emile,
Is this your mother, Edith?
Wade
u know i was thinkin the same .
will post a nother pic of edith
emile
Yes, this is a picture of Emile's mum, billed as "Edith Fryar". Sometimes she was billed as "Jessie Smith". The picture was taken at the Hippodrome Gt. Yarmouth 1961 or '62. The elephants belonged to Billy Smart's Circus and were trained by Billy Smart Jnr. They were sold eventually to Klant Hagenbeck from Holland and eventually ended up in South America. They were never part of the big herd, which were sold to Ringling's. They were real runners and that's why Smart's sold them. When they were at Belle Vue, Manchester they ran out of the ring through the front foyer of the building and smashed the glass doors. However, they did an excellent act. Edith also presented the 12 black shetlands, which had been trained by Vinicki.
Jim Clubb
Jamie or Jim,
I am not sure if you are the father or the son, LOL but regardless thank you for the great information. Are the black Shetlands you reference the one's in the photo that Emile sent? Is Vinicki Tony Smaha, Sr?
Wade
Hi Wade,
It was Jim. I just use Jamie's link to remind readers of his blog. The Shetland's I mentioned are the same ones in the picture Emile sent, which was taken at Smart's winter quarters near Windsor. They were trained by Josie Vinicki who I think was the brother of Tony Smaha Vinicki Snr. He trained the original Smart's elephants (the first 10), the high school horses and the liberty acts of ponies and horses at that time. He also trained a group of four highland bulls. He was a good all round trainer and was with Smart's until about 1956. He was replaced by Rudi Jurkschat (sp?) who came from Hagenbeck's. He took over the horses and exotics, which he specialized in and Billy Jnr. took over the elephants. When I was a boy I remember Rudi presenting a group of 12 dromedaries, which he presented on horseback. All the camels had girl riders - a truly awesome site.
PS I am sorry I don't contribute much, but this is down to time. Many times I see a cage act picture and want to comment, but time doesn't allow me. I just got five male white lions to occupy my time with.
Jim,
I had always heard Tony Sr. called "Vinicky" by his close friends, which is why the name was familiar to me. Why the two names, Vinicky and Smaha?
I have seen a number of pictures of large liberty acts from Hagenbeck presented on horseback, and also a large zebra act. I am wondering if Rudi Jurkschat (sp?) was the trainer. He often wore a pith helmet in the photos. My first act was a group of elephants that Tony Sr. trained years before. A testament to his training ability was that those cow's tolerated an ignorant kid from North Dakota.
I have more questions, so don't alibi with, "I have 5 new lions, and am busy." That's about as valid as a kid saying he doesn't have time because he has 5 new video games to try out. That's not busy Jim, that's more pleasure then anybody deserves. Busy is painting your house, not goofing with 5 new cats.
Are the lions for a new act, or are you rehabbing them for an existing act. I understand Stefano Nones has two being prepped for a magic act. I recall you purchasing some ligers from Alex Lacey that you trained for an act that was taken to Japan, yet I saw some photos of your act in Japan taken last year, and there weren't any ligers. Did they not work out? Why have you never made a liger/tiglon act like George Barrada had a couple of years ago? I would think it would be quite the sensation today, now that they are tired of white tigers, tabbies, etc. and "white lions" don't really seem to be catching on like the White Tigers did.
Regards,
Wade
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