Volume III, Issue #55

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OFTHE CAT KIND: INTERVIEWS

WITH DAVE HOOVER!!!(From the Valentine Archives: 1979-1984)As a boy, Dave Hoover always wanted to be a vet. Aftertraining with a vet at the Cincinnati Zoo, however, hedecided he was "too squeamish" for the job. "I couldn'tstand the sight of blood-the animals or my own," herecalled. His stint at the Zoo turned him away fromveterinary medicine, but it turned his love of animals ina different direction-a fascination with the "big cats," thelions & tigers who instill terror in the hearts of man &beast alike.As wild animal trainer for the Clyde Beatty Circus, theonce-squeamish Hoover thrills audiences each night byentering a cage filled with lions & tigers, none of whomare restrained & all of whom would like nothing betterthan to tear him apart.With whip, chair & blank pistol, he puts the cats thru thepaces in a "fighting style" performance that has all butdisappeared from the modern circus scene. The amiable,outgoing Hoover was a protege of the late Clyde Beatty,considered by some to be the greatest wild animal trainerwho ever lived. Upon Beatty's death, he agreed to fulfillthe last 3 years of the trainer's contract. That was 15years ago. He considers his act the last of the vanishingstyle of circus performances."I am the last American trainer-all the wild animaltrainers but me are European-style trainers, using anentirely different method," he explained. In theEuropean style, he said, training starts at a very early ageso the animal's natural ferocious spirit is broken-by forceor by fear.In contrast, Hoover doesn't start working with a lion ortiger until it is almost 18 months old, which is equivalentto a teenager in human terms. And he trains byrepetition, not force. "When I give a lion a command, he

November 15,1998

:nows what he has to do, but because he is naturallyindependent & lazy, he doesn't want to do it, so we haveto fight about it.In European-style training, the animal obeys right away.He's not a wild animal anymore-he's a robot," Hooversaid. Because no man can physically subdue a lion,Hoover concentrates on out-smarting them."Mental bluff is the key," he emphasized. "They don'tknow why I'm not afraid of them. Of course, I really amafraid of them, but they don't know that. The animaldoesn't realize how strong he is & he doesn't know howweak the trainer is."

(Continued on Page 5)

Mills Bros. 1964

*ELEPHANT WALK By Mike Cecere*Well, I heard some good news today. That RBBB hasstopped highlighting their walking of the animals fromthe train to the building and back.That is a step in the right direction if you're aprofessional animal trainer or just plain like big beastslike elephants. I realize the more senior circus fans whoare still waiting for Sells-Floto to return to the road decryit. I say hooray! (Yes, the rumor is true about my notbeing a parade-lover.)To a true animal person a parade is a throwback to theworst of times, back when the Roman legions used toparade captured armies & creatures in chains through thestreets of Rome to be slaughtered in the earliest circuses.And while I'm sure in the days pre-TV, the sight ofcolorful parade wagons was the "in-thing" for thepopulace, it was no treat for the animals.It's hard enough in my experience to load, unload, clean,feed, train & otherwise properly look after animals likeelephants on a tour without having to walk them downstrange roads in unfamiliar surroundings with all kinds ofpeople yelling at you, dogs barking & even smallchildren (and dog's) running right up to elephants & otheranimals you are trying to lead.Then what about a hot day when the pavement it hot?Blacktop is an unnatural surface anyway for elephants,horses & leadstock, not to mention their handlers &trainers! And these days, with all the people in the largercities with contrary views-why not let the animal peopledo their job in peace?While I know the fine folks at FELDENTERTAINMENT have no control over the dwindlingplaces to park the show train in various cities, I think it'sa step in the right direction by not publicizing the"Animal Walks."Hopefully, their new tent circus venture will provesuccessful enough so they can steer away from all thearenas built for basketball & return to the way circus ismeant to be, under a big top.And the elephants will only have to walk to the ring togreet the throngs of happy patrons & shuffle aroundeating grass the rest of the time. So thanks to whoever atFeld Ent. came up with the start of a really good idea!*********************************************

THE PRIDE of the NEW MILLENNIUMFrom the Cincinnati Zoo: To become prosperous is to

gain wealth. It may come in the form of fortune, but it ismore significant when it comes in the form of wisdom &

growth. On August 13, the Zoo grew a little richer withthe addition of "Prosperity." She is the 10-month-oldwhite lioness cub on loan from master illusionists,Siegfried & Roy. She joins Sunshine & Future, the12-month-old male white lion cubs that were presentedby the magicians in February. At the present time, thereare no known white lions remaining in the wild. Thereare 3 in Cincinnati, 12 are at Siegfried & Roy's LasVegas compound, 4 remain in South Africa, 2 are inGermany & 4 others are found in zoos around the world.The first caracal birth in the western hemisphere, the firstsand cat & pampas cat birth in captivity & the first birthof the rusty spotted cat in North America all haveoccurred at the Cincinnati Zoo. The Zoo has 24 of the 37known cat species in its collection. 15 of those 24 are onthe endangered species list.With the addition of Prosperity, the Zoo has become theonly zoo in the U.S. to have a pride of Timbavati lions.The hope is that they form a new bloodline ensuring theirexistence well into the next century. It is for this reasonthat the lions have been termed "The Pride of the NewMillennium." Prosperity has captured the heart ofeveryone she has met, including U.S. Senator Harry Reidof Nevada, who saw fit to name her (on Valentine's Day)the official mascot of the U.S. Senate! (You can see the 3beautiful young lions on the Cincinnati Zoo's Internetsite at www.cincyzoo.org-Editor)*********************************************

FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO: On Sept.23, the Zoo welcomed a new addition to its westernlowland gorilla troop: a healthy baby born to 18-year-oldBawang & her mate, 23-year-old Mkubwa (nicknamedKubi). She gave birth during the night among the othermembers of the group. The Zoo decided on a differentapproach with this birth, which was to keep the groupintact, said Eve Lyon, Assoc. Curator. It has beendocumented by the gorilla Species Survival Plan thatmaternal care increases when females stay with groupmembers during the birthing process. The Zoo's grouplives together 24 hours a day.Bawang apparently had a smooth delivery. When keeperMary Kerr entered the gorilla night quarters thefollowing morning, she noted that all of the groupmembers were very quiet & calm. There are now 7members of the group, which includes Kubie, thesilverback, & Bawang; their offspring 10-year-oldShango & 5-year-old Barney; and 2 other females, 40-year-old Pogo & 17-year-old Zura. This birth marksBawang's third live offspring at the Zoo.

***********REUNIONS 1998***********OLD TIME CIRCUS REUNION AND

CHRISTMAS PARTYTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 10THBARTOK - HOXIE - ALLAN HILL SHOWFRIDAY, DECEMBER 11THRTNGLING CIRCUSMONDAY, DECEMBER 14THTOM PACKS - HAMID MORTON -ORTN DAVENPORT - POLACK BROS. -EVENTS INTERNATIONAL - CLYDE BROS.(HOWARD SUIZE) - BILL & DICK GARDENCIRCUSTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 17THCLYDE BEATTY - MILLS BROS. - DAILY BROS -PLOYED KING BROS. - SELLS & GRAY -CHRISTIANI BROS. - HAGAN & WALLACE -VON BROS. - SPARTEN - CIRCUS KIRK -CIRCUS GENOA - ADAM & SELLS - COLE BROS.

ENTER AT 6:00 PM. SIT DOWN DINNER AT 7:00PRICE $15. PER PERSON.MUST HAVE RESERVATION & MONEY IN BYLATEST DEC. 1ST.PRESENT CAN NOT COST MORE THEN $1.00Please contact Jenny Wallenda at:2708 DeSoto Road, Sarasota, FL 34234*********************************************

***BACK YARD GOSSIP****Rumor has it that John Frazier is leaving Beatty-Coleat the end of the season, to be front-end man for aMexican Circus, which is coming to the U.S.*Rumor has it that the Commerfords are cutting downfrom 3 units to 2 and are planning to stop elephant rides.*Helen Billetti-Warburton has resigned as the CFADistrict Director in her area. Colleen Stewart has beenassigned to this position. Thank you Helen for all thatyou have done. Maybe now, you will have more time towrite an article or two for Back Yard!!*Betty Bartholomew reported that an animal activistwas on a local radio show. Betty said she will correspondwith the D.J., requesting equal time with a different pointof view. Betty, please let us know how things are going!*Beatty-Cole closes Nov. 22 in Naples, Florida*Brian Liddicoat, former mgr. of the Big Apple Circus, isthe mgr. for the new Ringling Tenter. Sylvia Zerbini isreported to be one of the stars of the new show.

Famous German Circus Director DiesAdolf Althoff, a member of the legendary circus family,once honored for saving a Jewish couple from the Nazis,died Oct. 14th. He was 85. He had been admitted to ahospital for treatment of a fracture 2 weeks before inStolberg, near the city of Aachen, where he lived & diedof heart failure. Born into a traditional circus family,Adolf formed his own circus along with a sister at the ageof 21. A performer himself, he led the circus tointernational fame after WW II, traveling throughoutEurope & even to the U.S. During the Nazi era, heconcealed the identity of 2 performers who were Jewish,Irene & Peter Bento, to save them from persecution.Irene worked as a trick rider & Peter, as a clown. In 1995,Adolf & his wife, Maria, were honored by the YadVashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel, for saving thecouple. (Thanks to Frank Thompson's daughter Anne forthis article.)*********************************************

CHIMP FARM HOPES TO RAISE BAR ONCARE-ST. PETERSBURG TIMES 10/25/98

The Chimp Farm is home to more than 60 animals: 26chimps, 3 orangutans, 2 gorillas, 2 turtles, 1 alligator, aretired dancing bear, a hedgehog & a plethora ofmonkeys, goats & snakes. The employees say they areproviding quality care for animals no one else wants.They say they are trying to raise money to replaceoutdated cages with more natural habitats.Some Chimp Farm facilities date back to 1954, whenMae & Bob Noell bought the property as a winter homefor their traveling ape show. The couple retired there in1971 & developed a reputation for taking in abandoned,old or sick animals, mostly apes & monkeys. They arenow cared for by Noell's granddaughter, Debbie Fletcher& her husband, Bert & about 20 volunteers. Bob Noelldied 7 years ago & Mae, 85, is in poor health. RobertNoell recently bought 10 acres east of Chimp Farm for$300,000. Supporters hope to raise another $7 million toturn that land into a natural habitat. Bert Fletcher saysrather than blame the Chimp Farm for bad conditions,animal rights people should try to help them. "If they areconcerned about the animals, why don't they take theirmultiple millions of dollars, come here & build a big,beautiful facility for the animals?" Ike, the monkey,kicked a Valium habit he developed in a research lab &Gori, a 400 pound gorilla, now kisses his caretakers. Hisprevious owner castrated him, pulled his upper teeth &hit him so hard, Gori's skull was partially crushed.

HOOVER'S CAT ENCOUNTERSA basic understanding of the rules of the jungle helpsHoover keep control of the cats. "In the wild, one malelion is the boss over a group of females, & his territorialinstincts are very strong. The trainer, in effect, has toreplace the head animal, he has to replace the headanimal, he has to become the leader of the pack," heexplained. Jealousies on the part of the male lionsincrease the tension. To further complicate matters,Hoover mixes tigers & lions in the same cage, the onlytrainer still doing so. Even the animals' mating habits &sexual tensions come into play."The tigers are monogamous-they choose one mate forlife. But the male lions mate with different female lions6 will even mate with female tigers, so they are veryjealous of each other. And since there's always at leastone female in season ('in heat'), it gets extremely tensein that cage," Hoover observed.A cardinal rule of training, he said, is to never let theanimal know that he has hurt you. He pointed to a longscar on his left forearm that looked a little fresher thanthe numerous scars lining his hands and arms. "I wasclawed by a lion 2 1/2 weeks ago during a performance.He hit a major vein & I was bleeding all over the place,but I hurried the act along, finished it & left the cage.Then I collapsed, but that animal never knew that it hurtme." In his 15 years with the circus, Hoover has beenattacked many times by his cats. He has beenhospitalized 13 times, for periods ranging from 4 days to3 months. His grin fades as he recalls his most seriousinjury, when a lion attacked him during a training sessionat Lubbock, TX several years back. The lion got a clawcaught in Hoover's watchband & pulled the trainer in,mauling him. Dave escaped, but his cuts were soextensive he required 152 stitches & 3 months of hospitalcare. "I did 3 stupid things there-I was wearing thewatch, I had on a wool jacket which attracted the lion &I was in there by myself-and I almost got myself killed,"he said. Like many circus acts, Hoover's performancesare a family affair. Lois, his wife of 20 years, is theperson who opens the "cat cages" at the start of theperformance & 13-year-old son, George, mans the"escape door" of the steel arena. During the off season,the family make their home in DeLand, FL, whereHoover trains new cats for the act. He is with the animals7 days a week, 365 days a year. "This is not the kind ofjob you can take a vacation from. If you're training ananimal, he has to be trained everyday, including

Christmas. If you're on the road, you can't ask for the 4thof July off for a family picnic. I have very good cageattendants, but if one of these animals gets sick or getsloose, I'm the only one that can do anything about it.""They're mean, they're stubborn like mules & they'realways looking for trouble.""I chose animal training simply because I love animals. Istarted college to be a vet & the Korean War got prettythick & I joined the Air Force. When I came out Ibecame circulation mgr. for a Cincinnati newspaper. Ihad picked up 3 young yearling lions when I was in theAir Force & I was keeping them as a hobby. With all thehassles at the newspaper, I just went into this as thecourse of least resistance. You have to love animals to bein this business & I'm probably a success at this simplybecause I'm doing what I like to do."When he formed an act 23 years ago, he wore a steelcollar; cats, it seems, instinctively go for the throat. "Butit was too hot & uncomfortable. I learned to stay light onmy feet instead. One tiger got 3 men in one day. Lionsare the worst. They're lazy & nasty. They spend all daylooking for trouble, waiting for somebody to get nearenough to grab." He walks by a lioness' cage & shesnarls, swatting the bars with claws that appear likestilettos.He buys & trades young cats for training until they reachthe age of 4. "Then they stop responding. They start toget mean. What they've learned at that point, they'velearned." The cats aren't asked to perform tricks likewalking on their hind legs because Hoover says theyweren't built for that. "My animals have free will. Theydon't respond in a split-second; they think about it,growl a while, they do it—usually."Once in Philadelphia JFK Stadium, Hoover stumbled inthe middle of his cat act. He landed on his back, his pistolbeneath him. A lion caught him squarely in the chest."Luckily, my stick caught him in the mouth & deflectedhis jaws. But all my people could see was my legssticking out from beneath this cat. They thought I was agoner. Another lion seized the opportunity. He figuredhe'd get the other male & me at the same time. That wasas close to dead as I care to come. The guys got themapart & off me." To Hoover's amusement, the city'spapers wrote up the incident as a case of feline heroics."It looked to the audience like the second lion was tryingto save me." He tries never to forget that the big cats arenot circus props. "When they snarl, they mean it. And sodo I when I'm trying to get out of their way!"

s

THE WORLD'S FRIENDLIEST HORSE**As Told By: John Fugate**

The smartly-painted horse trailer arrived as the earlysummer sun neared the horizon. It backed into position& had pulled to a stop. The tall driver immediatelyattended to the precious cargo within. The unloadingramp was let down & the back doors were openedexposing the back of the horse. Standing there, I watchedas he was coaxed to step forward & away from the tailbar so that it could be unhooked to allow the horse tounload. At first the animal seemed apprehensive, but ashe began to back out & his steel clad feet met theabrasive-coated ramp, a raw crunching sound providedan accurate introduction to the presence of this horse.When he had backed out sufficiently to swing around &look, I could see his eyes flashing magnificently. Hisears were back & after only a moment, the nostrils flared& he let out a distinctive equine yell. The piercingdecibel level & the undulating rhythm accented hispresence & only retreated when he ran out of breath.Now the message was clear; I stepped back to give himplenty of room. This could be the message, "I don't wantto be here." I stood there thinking, I had a 10-weekengagement in front of me in which this horse had toparticipate. Was this terrifying display a sample of thingsto come? I stood there with mixed emotions as I admiredthis animal's magnificent stature & questioned myjudgement for hiring this act.The director of entertainment at the Circus Hall of Famein Peru, Indiana, is a grueling job of completing aseemingly endless trail of tasks. Among them, acompletely different lineup of acts is prepared for eachsummer season. A myriad of details comes witharranging for the needs of acts. Lions & tigers,unicyclists, elephants, aerialist, clowns, jugglers &horses all have unique & special needs. It is my job to seethat not only are they all met, but they are all enmeshedinto a seamless clockwork, an organized program thatentertains our guests twice daily. Even though I stoodthere experiencing doubt, I recalled only 6 years agowitnessing the performance that secured the gold medalat the annual International Circus Festival & TalentCompetition in Sarasota, Florida. The horse filled thetent with his presence & his movements were as elegantas poetry. This was classic "High School", and it had notbeen seen in the circus venue for many years. This wasan American Saddlebred horse named, "Souveran." Hewas 16.2 hands & a chestnut with just a flash on his face.

I had never before met a horse with such brilliant eyes &remarkable conformation. Schooled in dressage with thefocus being Haute Ecole or High School, the routineincluded developed gaits & a display of the intricateriding skills needed to perform in a 42-foot circle."Souveran" came in at a canter & broke into a trot as heproceeded around the ring. Delicate circles suggested thedegree of skill achieved by horse & rider. A full passsideways across the ring established this level of ability.A canter depart from a halt & tight changes of lead in thisround area was no minor accomplishment for a horse ofthis size. It was the 3-step & march that made me sit up& take notice. There was no discouragement of forwardmotion & the legs were well animated & coming up veryhigh. The music selected was as classic as the rest of thescene & the horse found the rhythm and dwelled in it.I witnessed a double backwards three step that is only theresult of a finessful rider. It preceded the horse stopping,finding a comfortable stance & with almost invisiblecoaxing, the entire body of the horse moves backwards &down over the feet, firmly planted in the sawdust.The horse stretches continually down until his chest ismere inches from the ground & as he holds it, the ridercoordinates his first stylized bow & captures the applausefrom the onlookers dazed at this accomplishment.Next, a light & peppy, brassy song interrupts theresponse from the audience & the horse moves forward& up into the most beautiful and elegant trot ever seen.Known as the Passage, the degree of hesitation is onlythe result of hours of attention. Next, the horse & ridercome to the center of the ring & come to a stop. With abeaming sense of joy coming from within, you areinvited by the rider to acknowledge his love for thishorse, as he, too, pauses for a moment to pat the neck ofthis wonderful animal. An announcement is next, "Youare witnessing the lost art of High School Horsemanship,please clap along with both the music & the movementof the dancing horse." The song is immediatelyrecognized; "The Mexican Hat Dance." The horse movessideways & at precisely the right moment & in time withthe music, he strikes twice with a front leg & everyoneclaps along with him. The movement is repeated & itproves to be popular with the audience that gets toparticipate. And the result is additional applause.From this, the horse again trots forward & at one point,at the back of the ring, the rider sits back & the horsecontinues with the trot movement, yet he remains in oneplace. (Continued on Page 9)

**ELEPHANT ATTACKS INDIANAZOOKEEPER 11/9/98**

Indianapolis Zoo: A zookeeper suffered broken ribswhen an elephant battered her several times with itstrunk. Leslie Mackie, 28, was in fair condition Monday.She was bathing 4 elephants Sunday afternoon when shenoticed Cita, a 29-year-old female with a history ofaggression towards other elephants, raising her head in athreatening manner toward another in the herd as theygathered around a pond. "Leslie told her 'no.' Sheobeyed the command-that wasn't the problem. Leslie toldher 'no' again & Cita just sort of turned around & cametoward her," zoo spokeswoman, Judith Gagen said.Leslie lost consciousness briefly, and when she came to,she called for help to other keepers inside a holdingbuilding. Cita, who has been at the zoo for 10 years, wasback with the rest of its elephant population Monday."She's the grumpiest of them. But she's done nothinglike this. She's never gone toward any human that weknow of. This was a shock," said Gagen. Zoo officialsbelieve that Cita might have felt emboldened because theherd's leader was in another area, being bathed. At age30, Sophi is the matriarch, despite the fact that Cita, 1year younger, is brash & has 2 years' seniority in theherd. "Sophi's the one who keeps things level. And whenshe's not there, Cita will occasionally go, 'Here's mychance,' " said Gagen. It was the first animal attack on akeeper at the zoo since a rutting deer gored a keeper in1971 or 1972, Gagen said. The keeper recovered.(Thanks to Frank Thompson for sending this.)*********************************************

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"DOC, MY TIGER'SGOT AN ITCH"

The True Storyof a KentuckyHill CountryVeterinarianWho OccasionallyRuns AwayWith The Circus

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**THE FRIENDLIEST HORSE **During the "Piaffe", the rider makes eye contact with hisappreciators & beams with satisfaction. Then it isforward once again. Into a canter, around once to getready & then he is prompted to go almost sidewaysacross the front of the ring. A tight turn to the inside & heis headed straight for the center seats. A quick halt & anequally quick prompt for a bow & the thrill is complete."Ladies and Gentlemen, Souveran, the AmericanSaddlebred horse, is trained and presented by DaveKnoderer."1 reminisced. Not only was it refreshing to see an elegantanimal coordinate dance steps to the music but the factthat this being the result of years of dedication & love,yanked at my heart. I turned & walked away—thedecision had been made, and it all started in the next fewdays. Off in the distance, the strained harmony of thecalliope provided a strange staccato accompaniment as Ipondered these thoughts.I had met Dave Knoderer at the Sarasota Circus Festival6 years ago. Curiosity aroused, I learned that this manhad come up through the ranks as a horse trainer &performer from his days traveling with tented circusesover 2 decades ago with his first act, a group of 6Palomino ponies that worked at Liberty to do a routine ofwhat we all referred to as military maneuvers. Eventhough he no longer earns his livelihood as a travelingentertainer, his passion for training the horse to do theextraordinary movements seen at one time in circusperformances remains.Now, as a highly accomplished artist, based in Sarasota,he has the means to pursue his passion & he has a prettyimpressive list of horse training mentors from in & out ofshow business. Among them, Violet Hopkins, originatorof the USDF Dressage instructor's clinic; Chuck Grant,the father of America Dressage, & John Herriott, the mostwell known of all the circus horse trainers, were all veryinfluential to all of the previous mentors.Dorita Konyot was born into a traveling horse exhibitingfamily in Europe. As a young girl, she had decided shewould find a manner in which to teach both the horse &rider with gentleness rather than use the gruff manner ofher famous father. Under the tutelage of Dorita, Davidbecame lighter & lighter as a rider, something men arenot usually noted for. I came to learn from David that hewas, perhaps, the most impressed with her grace. Thehighly developed set of values, combined with her poise& determination was perhaps the most influential of all

the examples set before. Dorita passed away a year agoand Dave since expressed to me, an unending gratitudefor knowing such a wonderful & gentle woman.David had contacted me at the Circus Hall of Fameduring the previous winter. He wanted to take a breakfrom creating hand-painted works of art & return for justa brief time, to the world of living with his animals &performing daily with the circus. The Circus Hall ofFame had what he wanted; 2 performances a day in alarge, sawdust ring in a permanent location. These itemsare not readily available in this world with situations forperforming animals dwindling fast.He also has a very pretty jet black mule that does an act.Dressed up like an old prospector, he does a themedroutine that showcases his skills as a liberty trainer & hecombines a little comedy with the help of the announcer."Gold Dust and the Old Cuss" proved to be the favoriteof the children. And the manner of this precious animal inher stall with her admirers reaching to find a place to pether established her as sweet too. "Betty" is her name & ifshe sees a child coming down the aisle, she stretches herhead over the stall door to meet the children sheobviously loves. Now, it is dark outside. My heart hadquit pounding, but I was still uneasy about that animateddisplay I had witnessed during the unloading process. Iwas curious as to how the horse had settled in. As I mademy way into the large structure that had housed a myriadof performing animals over the past century, I discoveredthat in a relatively short time, the situation in the barn hadbecome quite serene. The horse was eating his eveningmeal while ignoring 2 camels & 2 large African elephantsacross the walkway from him.He hardly raised his head when 2 six-month-old bearcubs came bouncing into the barn to be put into theirdisplay cages. This 14-year-old horse had taken to theworld of circus in a casual way.The season is now over, as I pause to reflect on myoriginal misgiving. As ringmaster, I had had the privilegeof watching this kind, dedicated man put hisextraordinary animals through their series of intricatepaces each day. As I stood there, the audience showed,each day, their pleasure of seeing such outstandinganimals. Between shows, the children would be allowedto come to the barn to view the animals. Even thoughwarnings existed to create distance between the otheranimals, David welcomed the opportunity to improverelations between his animals & their fans. Heencouraged & invited the children to pet his horse &mule. (Continued on Page 12)

** PHOENIX ZOO MOURNS LOSS OFRUBY* FRIDAY, NOV. 6,1998**

I have relinquished my Billboard column for thefollowing news which I think is very important.Your editor has been following Ruby's life recently,from her paintings to her pregnancy. It is with muchregret that I have to report the following. Those of youwith Internet access can read the articles in the Arizonapaper about Ruby at: www.azcentral.com/news.The following is a statement, dated 11/6, by the PhoenixZoo. The medical team began surgery on Ruby atapproximately 11:45 am. At 12:50 pm, Ruby waseuthanized, due to excessive infection & uterine damage,discovered by the medical team during the Caesareansection. The medical experts concluded there was nopotential for Ruby to survive.Upon gaining access to her internal cavity, theyimmediately discovered that a near full-term fetus hadpunctured the uterine wall & was in the abdominalcavity.The 320-pound fetus was removed from Ruby. The vetsspent an hour evaluating Ruby's condition; theydetermined that the uterus was severely damaged &couldn't be recovered. Infection & peritonitis weresignificant & after evaluating all alternatives, it wasunanimously concluded that it would not be possible forRuby to recover from her internal trauma.The decision was made at approximately 12:50 pm toremove Ruby from the life support that was sustainingher during the operative procedure. The Zoo staff regretsthe loss of this animal that has meant so much to the Zoo& the community, & is extremely appreciative of thequality of medical attention that was available to assistthem in trying to assure Ruby's well-being.The Phoenix Zoo staff is terribly saddened by this loss,& asks that their privacy be respected this weekend. TheZoo doesn't expect to have the results of the autopsiesfor at least 1 week. "We will share all appropriateinformation when it's available," said Jeff Williamson,executive director.Mark Shaffer reports: The Phoenix Zoo will never seeanother one like her. In fact, say zoo experts around thecountry, there may not be an elephant like Ruby in NorthAmerican zoos in 50 years. Ruby's death sent shockwaves thru workers at the Seattle Zoo. That's becauseone of its 4 elephants, Chai, was sent to Springfield, MOzoo in Sept. for breeding after 6 years of unsuccessfulattempts at artificial insemination.

"Ruby's death really hit home because we have 2elephants who paint up here also," said Gigi Ogilvie,Seattle Zoo's spokeswoman. "But Ruby was the pioneerin that regard. What happened to her was a tragedy & it'ssomething we fear with our elephants."(Your editor would like to share a story that JonathanSidener, of the Arizona Republic, published on 11/7/98.)"I met Ruby, the elephant, once 9 years ago. DickGeorge, of the Phoenix Zoo, called the newspaper. Hesaid he had a story- He said he had an elephant who likedto paint.Ruby spotted me before I saw her. I was inside theelephant keeper's office & she was outside. She pressedher big, inquisitive eye against a high window & stared& blinked & trumpeted. She wanted to play. She had theflirtatious look of a puppy doing the "I'm cute, don't youwant to come play?" routine.Ruby painted for about an hour. It was a fascinatingstory. Her keepers suspected that she could discerncolors. One thing was certain, Ruby enjoyed painting. AsI interviewed her keepers, Ruby took great interest in myvoice. She was done painting when I realized that shehad been trying to make eye contact. To protect againstthe midday sun, I was wearing mirrored sunglasses. Itook them off & looked her in the eye. Her face lit up.She raised her trunk in the air & trumpeted.The next thing I knew, I was staring down the doublebarrel of an elephant trunk. She exhaled a blast of warmelephant breath in my face. Dick George gave me quick,urgent directions. "Do what I say & ask me about it later.Blow in her trunk." I did as told. And Ruby wasdelighted.That was an elephant greeting, George explained. Shewas sharing the scent of her breath & expected me toreturn the favor. Had I ignored her, she would havebecome more insistent, she would have blown harder, hesaid. And the 2nd effort would not have been as dry!To cement this newfound friendship, George suggested Igive Ruby a peppermint candy. She watched as Iunwrapped the offering. When I held it out, a tongue thesize of a bedroom pillow engulfed my hand & wrist &extracted the candy. I patted her trunk. I wondered if shewould remember me if we were introduced again, if shewould remember the scent of my breath. With Ruby'sdeath Friday, I'll never know that answer. But, I do knowthat an elephant that breaths in your face and licks yourhand is one you'll never forget.(My thoughts and prayers go out to the folks in Phoenixand especially, to the children that loved Ruby. Cherie)

\0

****ELEPHANT LAWS****Elephant fans are aware of several states that have passedlaws or regulations concerning the use of elephants forrides in those particular states. In each state, there are 2broad reasons why this has happened:A. Two states, Mississippi & Georgia, have passed lawswhich restrict elephants by saying that elephants shallnot be in direct contact with human visitors/viewers. Thiswas done at the urging of "rights" people.B. The State of Florida has re-written its regulationsregarding the handling of ride elephants & control ofsuch rides. This is an instance both of reasonable changeas well as, to a limited degree, a response to the "animalrights" people who wanted elephant rides eliminated.The 2 states which have said that there can be no directcontact between human visitors & elephant, did so at theinstigation of, apparently, one rabid "rights" person whohas some legislative clout. This law was obviouslywritten this way so as to prevent rides, without actuallysaying that is it's reason. In a discussion with oneelephant owner in recent months, he told of beingprohibited from giving rides on the basis of this new lawin Mississippi. He also said that Georgia has the exactsame law. I couldn't help raising the question, "What ifyou just increase the size of the blanket on the elephantso that riders could not touch the animal's skin?" Thatwould certainly prevent direct skin to skin contact! Idon't know the answer to this question, but if I stillowned a ride elephant, I'd ask.Florida's revised regulations appear to be a reasonablere-write of existing ride regulations. The new provisionsare:1. Elephant rides now require a new, special, statelicense to give those rides in Florida. The special licensemust be in the hands of the owner/operator. Theapplication for this license must include photos ordiagrams of the actual ride setup, including fencingand/or other methods of protecting the public.2. The elephant ride application must list every elephantwhich will be used in Florida for rides, complete witheach animal's history of accidents. It cannot be used forrides if it has been involved in an injury to any humanwithin the past five years.3. Persons actually leading the elephant must have atleast 6 months verifiable experience working rideelephants, and this experience must be on theapplication.4. A "tranquilizer gun" must be on hand, including the

\\

necessary drugs, darts & other equipment, & at least oneperson shall be familiar with the techniques of using thisgun.To me - and I emphasize that this is only my opinion - inview of the current society we live in, with it's tendencyto sue at the slightest thing, these are not necessarily badrules. I do think that the "tranquilizer gun" isunnecessary. Several years ago, when these changeswere first proposed, I told one official, in writing, thatthe thought of anyone using a notoriously inaccurategun, to shoot an elephant-sized dose of drugs at ananimal possibly carrying persons on it's back, was aterrifying thought, particularly in view of the fact that thedrugs used work well only on an animal that is calm, andthen only after a 20-30 minute time span! The reply ledme to believe that this one change was to mollify the"rights" people and, since a ride operator would only beout the cost of such equipment & would not be requiredto use it, it didn't seem worth fighting about.One thing is certain: Florida will insist on theseregulations being followed. Those who do not, risk aserious violation charge.Frank Thompson.*********************************************Harry Gordon, Bangor, ME reports "TheAdministration Council of French Assn. "Pour le Cirquede Demain" has decided to put back the dates for theXXIInd World Circus Festival of Tomorrow, whichshould have taken place Jan. 21-25, 1999, at the WinterCircus Bouglione in Paris. The Council has fixed a newdate for the Festival." Harry has found activities to keephis tour group busy between the Monte Carlo & LausaneFestivals. Following a 6 day stand in Monaco & 5 showsof the Monte Carlo Festival, Circus Express will moveon to Paris. There they will see Circus Joseph Bouglione,Circus Alexis Grass & Circus Maximum. They then willgo to Munich for a night at Circus Krone & a few day toexplore this wonderful city. From Munich, they willboard a train for a twisting ride through the mountains asthey head for Lausanne & the Premier of theInternational Festival du Cirque de Lausanne. Anotherfan writes that the Paris Festival will be held inNovember at Paris' Palais des Sports. The larger venuewill allow the participation of large animal acts, whichwas not possible at the Cirque d'Hiver. It is reported thatthe Moscow Circus will coincide with this, on their visitto Paris. (This should be a great trip, visiting all thesegreat circuses. Please see Harry's trip informationelsewhere in Back Yard.)

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service gas stations. The bars are wide enough apart for aman to walk thru without turning sideways.Each male elephant has his own pen, which, dependingon his temperament, he shares with up to 4 females at atime. The males can see each other thru the bars of theirpens, but they can't reach other to fight. "They look thruthe pipes at each other & pace back & forth. They puffout their chests. They psychologically defeat each other,"Williams said, & he believes each walks away convincedof his own superiority.The handlers test the females weekly to find out whenthey are ovulating. Decisions are made then as to whatmale they should be placed with. It could be Casey, a27-year-old male, who generally lives alone because he iscantankerous & can be rough with some of the females.Or it could be Charlie, 25, who is better behaved & isallowed to live with various females. It probablywouldn't be 35-year-old Vance, despite his legendaryfertility-he has his own permanent harem of 4 femaleswhich have borne him 26 children.Mothers & children live together in the same paddockuntil the calves are weaned. The calves play with othercalves as well as the other female elephants, who serve as"aunts" in the highly matriarchal society. The elephantsapproach the fences to sniff at the visitors with theirtrunks. They spray themselves with dirt & hay. Then youwalk inside the main barn & you see them tethered bychains, swaying back & forth as if they were in a state ofrestless agitation. Williams can see the expression changeon the visitors' faces. Before the first question can beasked, he tells them, "You didn't even notice themswaying outside in the pens. Nobody even notices untilthey see the chains." Williams rejects the notion thatelephants that rampage are rebelling against people. "Bythat logic, you'd have to believe that a dog bites becauseit doesn't want to be friends with man."Keele said, "Within 40 years, we'll have fewer than 23Asian elephants & all of them will be past reproductiveage." Artificial insemination, which was performedsuccessfully for the first time this year, may reverse thattrend by expanding the gene pool quickly. "Movingfluids is easier to do than moving a large elephants," saidJane Ballentine, of the American Zoo & Aquarium Assn.Feld Entertainment was instrumental in getting Congressto pass the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997.The law allows for up to $5-million of funding a year forconservation programs in Asia; the center in Polk Countywill never see a dime of that. "It's the right thing to do.You're not getting any economic benefit, but you're on

the right side of the angels," said Roy Jones, aWashington lawyer who lobbied for Feld.*********************************************

***ROYAL VISIT By Mike Cecere***Every day is a busy day around the Double M Ranch, butwe always find time for visitors.We recently had Paul & Lois Horsman, who always arevery welcome anywhere I work. They are 2 of my oldestfriends, a friendship that dates back to before I was aprofessional part of the circus/animal industry.And they, over the years, helped me build my extensivecollection of wild animal/elephant books, photos & othermemorabilia.I am even one of the privileged ones to have made thepilgrimage to their Circus Memories Museum in WestFryeburg, Maine, while on a family vacation in 1971.At that time, Paul was postmaster up there; part of a longcareer where he held several important managerialpositions for the U.S. Postal Service before retiring toscenic Auburn, NY, with his lovely wife Lois.They now are able to devote full time to theirmemorabilia business (which is the top one in the UnitedStates) & a number of charitable causes.At present, Paul is the President of the Circus ModelBuilders, working hard for that group & they both areactive members of both the Circus Historical Society &Circus Fans of America. Regarding the latter, they are theleaders of the well-known Billy Martin Tent, CFA,named after the famous ringmaster/circus owner, BillyMartin. But Paul & Lois are just people with an interest,in circus. They are among the favored few who are a partof our industry, not just visitors.As for myself, their visit brought back many fondmemories of years gone by; on dozens of circus lots withlions, tigers, elephants & more. You know, no matterhow successful you are, or how much money you make,it's good to be with people who knew you back at thebeginning of it all. And as usual, I added to my collectionby buying a copy of the excellent book about Benson'sWild Animal Farm & well done Shrine Circus book,which is a must-read for show people, as well as fans.So, thanks for the friendship over the years; lookingforward to many more!*********************************************

Patrick Kine, Olympia, \VA reports Ray & MaryRichards, Lonnie Sewell & Mike Morgan, of the BobbyKaye Ring had great displays at the Lakewood Mallshow. The public really enjoyed them!

'3

RUMBLINGS FROM THE CRUMMY

*I was taught to make a habit of checking the hind legchains as I walked down the front of the picket line, andchecking the front leg chains while mucking out in back.I'd tell the guys this, & most of them would pay noattention. They'd all seen these elephants move fast, &were told safety first. I was tempted a lot, to stay quietand let them get wacked so they would learn to becareful. But the boss would get hot, and if they couldn'thandle it, they'd leave, and I'd have to do their work. Thenew guys didn't understand that the department had topay for new handles & wheelbarrows. I'd charge a six-pack or so to put new handles in the hammers. Theseguys would miss the stake so bad, the handle wouldshred; it was like a hinge on the hammer head.We had two 20s and four 16s. It seemed like that theguys that got good at driving stakes were the ones thatgot around the elephants the fastest.I'd rang up about baleing wire & twine, "Don't leave it

laying on the ground, cus word, cus word." As usual,they didn't listen, except one time one of them wasrunning away from a kicking horse or something, and hegot tangled up in some twine & landed on his face andbusted his nose. He picked up twine after that.*I'm reading Bucky's book; I just started it. He shootsfrom the hip and spins a good yarn. He puts it straight upabout what happened to elephants turned loose in thewild. They didn't make it for various reasons. And aboutsome animals paying their rent by doing some lightwork. It doesn't hurt them unless they're sick. That'swhere real professional animal people come in. They cansee this happening."The transition from Asian elephants to Africanelephants is (in my opinion) like going from anOldsmobile to one of those fast, little motorcycles. Youcan go from the bike to the car, but it is sort of hard to gofrom the car to the bike.I came up around Rex & he taught me to figure out a wayto go with hot stock. "It was to keep them cool, at thesame time, be ready yourself for something unexpected."*One time, when I wanted to make a show in Seattle, Ihopped a freight in Sacramento. My timing was a littleoff. I caught a local train & it side-tracked. I had jumpedon a flat car and it being kind of cold, I made my way ontop of a box car, full of gravel, with like-portholes on top.I'd gotten into one of these doors & was out of theweather when it happened. We were side-tracked. I went

outside and was sitting on top. When the oilman walkeddown the line and saw me, he said, "Come on down &come up to the engine for some coffee. This was the bestoffer I'd had all day, so I walked with him for the rest ofhis tour. We then went to the engine. The train went toReno; then I caught a ride to Seattle. That's somebeautiful country.Going up and down the grade they use four engines infront; four in the middle and four in the back. I'veforgotten how many cars there were, but there was a lot.*********************************************

HAROLD BARNES/LUCKY LARABEE TENTGuest speaker at the Tent's meeting on Oct. 24th wasSonja (Kohler) Reed, formerly of Germany. She & herfamily of 8 made up The Alfredos Troupe, who appearedon many German circuses prior to & during WW II,including Krone, Hagenbeck, Sarasanti, Busch & Knie(Swiss)-all railroad shows. The act included an aerial bar& a teeterboard. Sonja was the topmounter since she wasthe smallest person in the act. She also worked withelephants. Her show business career ended in 1948 whenshe met her husband, a GI stationed in Germany. Shebrought along her personal photo album, showing her &her family's act. The Tent made her an HonoraryMember, and hopefully, we'll be hearing more about herexperiences in the future. (Thanks to Al Conovef for thisreport.)*********************************************

Alan Hollander reports that he purchased an attractiveposter with "Lewis Bros. Circus" on it. There is a "No.70-FP" printed on the lower left side of the poster. Handwritten on the back is "circa 1940s." If anyone has anyinformation on this Lewis Bros. Circus, please contactyour editor and I will pass the information on to Alan.*********************************************

Richard Tuck, El Cerrito, CA reports that D.R. Miller,is up and around, using a walker. That is great news. D.R.fell while visiting Carson & Barnes Oct. 24. But the badnews is Geary Byrd fell & broke his arm!*********************************************

Ken Holehouse, Fond du Lac, WI reports he saw TimTegge's Circus of the Kids in Appleton & it was great!The kids styled, performed & acted like seasoned prosafter only 4 weeks of rehearsal & work. This was astar-studded show of 6th, 7th & 8th graders.*********************************************

Eddie Motta, New Bedford, MA reports Mark OliverGebel will have the cat act on Ringling & KathyHanneford will have her own liberty act.

Lois & Dave Hoover

Karl & Gunther Wallenda

Hagen Bros. Circus 1960

SPARKS CIRCUS 1927

Back Yard1522 Clinton Blvd.Bloomington, IL 61701

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