Page 23 - The Outdoor Showman April - June 2025

RODEO NEWS
Stardust Circus
ballet - all related!
Hudson’s Circus 2025 Canberra
‘Infamous’
Cabaret Circus
2025 Canberra
winter at Craigieburn, Melbourne,
then moved to Dingley Dell. Things
were better after Election Day.
Sway pole crash
The sway pole snapped, while the
performer was on top, six metres up.
Leonie Ceraolo fell head-first onto
the road at The Wickham Hotel, in
Brisbane’s entertainment centre,
The Valley, on Sunday, May 4.
She shattered her jaw, broke an arm and had
other injuries. Emergency Services attended.
Leonie said afterwards, “I’m not done yet!”
Biggest Line-up
Stardust Circus, now huge, expects to play
around Sydney for the rest of this year.
Record
whipmaker
Glenn
Denholm
They’ll be at Rosehill for the July holidays,
and Miranda for September-October.
There’s a ring-full 12-girl ballet,
appearing four times, each with
complete changes of costume.
Most are West family-related.
The fast-paced program features its
signature 14-person teeterboard act,
again stepped-up lighting, now the only
knockabout act in Australia, animals (2
goats, 2 pigs, 6 dogs and one horse),
the Wheel, big flying trapeze act.
Ricky Ashton-Harrison, now 18,
does the triple, and the Wheel.
Outside, there are an unbelievable 28
caravans, 19 small trucks, six prime movers
and six semis, with stunning sign writing.
But they’re not taking a month off to
go cruising this year. Can’t fit it in.
Annie
Annie Lim Kew, 40-year Circus Royale
all-rounder, has died after a long
illness, aged 85, on the Gold Coast.
Eden Bros Circus, 2010
Malaysia-born long-time cook and
accepted Gasser Family confidante,
Annie came to Australia in the late
1970s with husband Bento Duarte
Lima (deceased), acrobat-balancer
uncle of Douglas Ferroni.
Robbie Arnold
One of the most-respected rural
circus fans has died on January 30
in Alpha, Queensland, aged 77.
Whenever Wirths, Perrys, Bullens,
Ashtons, Soles, Gills, Robinsons,
Albertos, Eden Bros, Tex Morton or
any other circus came (rail or road), the
Arnold Family offered hospitality, help
and good company, over half a century.
Widow Rene said, “he loved
everything circus, so we put a
clown and a Circus Fans of Australia
cap on top of his casket.”
Lady Mayoress
Pioneering Brisbane Lady Mayoress
Pearl Ruby Harvey has died aged 104.
In March, 1984, Lord Mayor Roy Harvey,
his Lady and family officially presided
at the premiere of Australia’s first
three-ring circus, and excitedly stayed
for an official reception afterwards.
Frank Gasser staged Royal American
3-Ring Circus, a three-hour, 41-act grand
opening at Murarrie Sports Complex.
Three rings of ponies and horses,
mixed lions-tigers-leopards-panthers
act, a separate lion act, three rings
each of trapezes (including Carlos
Gasser’s head trapeze), jugglers and
dogs, plus magic and clowning in all
rings, comedy car, Spiderman, and a big
production finale. I was Ringmaster.
The show ran for three years, covering
all mainland states plus a
ten-month 35-sites tour of
New Zealand, the only
three-ringer ever there.
Kevin Keldar Hunt,
Leonardo’s Circus
By John MacDonnell
THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN 21