Sunday, January 18, 2009

Monte Carlo Awards-- 30 minutes ago

2 GOLDEN CLOWNS
Korea flying girls
Flight of passion (aerial duo)
4 SILVER CLOWNS
Chijiv hig wire (russia)
Giona (horses)
Russian swing (Korea)
Lazos act (China)
5 BRONZE CLOWNS
Errani elephants
Falk tigers
Sorellas aerial duo
Ush ma Ush clown
Swinging poles (China)

Courtesy of Raffaele de Ritis

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Appears the cat and elephant acts failed to appreciate the social function and responsibility of circus celebrated this year at MC. Bronze clownette and gas money.

Wade G. Burck said...

Anonymous,
I told you not to put too much store in this sham. One gold for a cat act in 11 years, and 3 silvers to the same family, one with an act that one it's best day was one of the worst available. A number of silvers for elephants but that's it. If it was any thing but MC it would be alarming. Can you imagine a couple of golds, a half dozen silvers, and a half dozen bronzes, instead of first, second, third. They really have to stretch to give everybody a little something, don't they. What a crock!!!!
Wade
Wade

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
BOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Gold by what standard?
The fact that no animal act or mostly nekid girl in a champagne glass won a gold tells me this thing is rigged!!!


BOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Anonymous said...

Wade, I have to agree it really is a sham and a crock! But we all knew that going in, didn't we?
Mary Ann

B.E.Trumble said...

I didn't mean to be anonymous. Sorry. I'm thinking a cat act presented by naked girls tattooed with the names of influential circus organizations might stand a shot at a Golden Joey. I'll find the girl, spend a hundred bux joining groups so that I can use their logo, and arrange the tattooing. Mr. McCoy can train the train the cats and teach the presenter to do a pole dance while animals respond to cues from outside the arena. Mr Burck could travel to MC as "Manager." All we lack is a rich guy to pony up the cash.

Anonymous said...

Ben, that idea of yours just might work! Anyway, it's no more of a joke than the deal the way it is.
Mary Ann

Anonymous said...

Wade, not only did the white tigers and the elephants get ripped off, I can't believe that terrible liberty act took home silver.
Mary Ann

Anonymous said...

Wow, really bad prizes this year. Falck deserved a silver, and 5 bronzes isn't serious.

Thomas

Wade G. Burck said...

Thomas,
Unless you see the whole act, and have any idea of how they vote it is hard to say. I do know if you have a race you only have one first place, one second, and a third. Unless there is a tie. And if different acts are that close, there is really something stupid at MC.
Wade

henry edgar said...

was this the horse act i said looked like it was from cirque du soleil? if it is, this makes the award a travesty.

Wade G. Burck said...

Henry,
They have been a travesty for years. Mary Ann you like cats, the rare times there has been an apple to apple situation, two cage acts for example at MC, what would it take to beat 15 White tigers?
Wade

Anonymous said...

Wade, in my mind, nothing would beat 15 white tigers, especially if the act was well-trained and well-presented. If it were fewer tigers and poorly presented, that would be another story.
Mary Ann

Wade G. Burck said...

Mary Ann,
That is exactly what happened. It was beat by a lion act. The same act trick wise, same props, only less animals went silver years later with no other cage act as competition. In other rare instances of apple to apple cage acts competing they got bronzes each.
Wade

Anonymous said...

Well, I have the official program in my hands tonight in printed form as sold at the MC Festival for approximately US$15. It is full color, very glossy, and filled with photos. Unfortunately, it is entirely in French and it is going to take me days to translate as I haven't been to France since 1998 and my French is far from perfect at best.
There is a listing of all award winners (1974 -2008) and the shows they represented in the first few pages that I will try to sort out The French language uses some odd, to me being an English speaking person, terminology to describe some acts, especially those a little out of the norm.
The running order for the programs for the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th are spelled out completely. The 19th is consumed by a charity concert and a "football Match" between the "Barbagiuans" (?) of Prince Albert II and the international artists if the festival.
There are several entires that reference a statement "incollaberation with Stardust Circus International and the Circus Krone", who turn out to be award winners in the report published. Hum????
Only the Errani elephants and the Falck tigers are listed in any of the opening programs. Karl Ferdinand Trunk, avec petits amimaux, Giona Bros liberty horses, Ferdinand Trunk with ponies, Woldgang Laudenburger wiht dogs, and again the Freres Giona with "la poste Hongroise" which I have to look up to find out what that is seem to be the only animal acts listed.
For Anonymous who wants to equate the ECA Symposium with the "competition", please realize that these are two completely different events with different purposes happening at the same time because the Festival is a major event for circus in Europe and people will gather there. The ECA Symposium is a one day event having nothing to do with the festival per se and occupies basically one day. There is also a small trade show. Europe is going through the same mess the Us is with animal regulations with rediculous legislation flying everywhere so there were a couple of meetings to try to get everyone interested caught up on what is happening where.
Just as Wade is doing the industry a great service with his "NO Spin" blog and helping all of us learn, and protect the treasure in our animals, there are others in Europe attempting to do the same thing. To try to compare or "judge" a three elephant act against a flying trapeze act is foolish. Sorry if your favorite didn't win what you wanted but don't hide behind anonymous and then try to place blame on a one day meeting that has nothing to do directly with the Festival only is held with the cooperation of the Festival organizers.
Warren

Wade G. Burck said...

Warren,
"For Anonymous who wants to equate the ECA Symposium with the "competition", please realize that these are two completely different events" Thank you for the kind words about the blog. But, I hate to tell you but board members of ECA are Festival International du Cirque de Monte Carlo as well as Circus Krone as well as Stardust Circus International BV A fine gentleman, who I personally like, but have to question his motives named Urs Pils is the director of Monte Carlo Circus, until recently was listed as a board member of ECA, is in management with circus Krone, and right now controls 6 votes in the ECA without twisting an arm. Do some research and find out about Stardust Circus. All of this is tied in with Federation du Mondial Cirque which was formed last year as Monaco was donating leopards from a circus to a game sanctuary because they didn't deserve a life in captivity. Benefactors of the Federation are Feld Entertainment who are fronting a European tour and Eastern States Exhibition run by Wayne McCary who is President of OABA which is also a member of ECA, the Maine Date being Mr. McCary's dates where the elephant Ned was photographed performing leading to his confiscation. No Warren this thing, as well as the Circus Festival is as dirty as the elephant Flora, and has got everybody drugged on a dose of circus euphoria, and I want validation as well as anyone. But I am not a dummy to be used.
For further insight type ECA in the search box at the top of the blog.
Wade