Page 26 - The Outdoor Showman July-September 2022

Australian-born El Massoudi Brothers, with grandson of parents and Heidi (Gluck), winers of a Gold Medal at the French Circus Championships.
RODEO NEWS
Poster showing Australian equestrian May Wirth, centre- ring star of Ringling Bros-Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth, 1920s, in America.
Wizard of the Wire, Australian centre-ring star of RBB&B in America, first man to perform the front somersault on the bounding tightwire, 1920-30s.
Old-style tight rope performer “feinting” (pretending a fall) in full formal wear.
They’d been hunkered down there
for the best part of two years, again because of Covid. With nowhere else to go, they went back, and put-up banner signs saying, “We’re back!” It worked. Big houses, and they were happy to extend.
Tony and Cathy Maynard’s Eroni’s Circus made a big jump in late August.
Robert Perry and his late wife, Bernice, had sponsored a life-size elephant statue to go to Blackall-Tambo Council.
Council built a shrine around it, as a tourist attraction, to honour the story of Perry Bros’ Circus starting there.
This year, Council organised a full Circus Week of celebrations around it.
Eroni’s made the 2,000-km trip from Victoria to hold shows and circus workshops in both towns. Chantel (Ashton-Rodriguez) and Jefferson lent other professional entertainment. Big success.
The polished Chantel and Jefferson played agricultural shows after they reopened in NSW and Queensland, and still-towned Dungog and some Hunter Valley towns.
A tough quarter for Australian circuses. But as Scomo said, “if you’ll have a
go, you’ll get a go.” What doesn’t kill you makes you strong, and Australian circuses are certainly not dead yet!
Circus Rio
There was a bang, and Tim Matousik and his aerial act partner plunged three metres to the ring mat.
It was Wednesday, July 6, at Helensvale,
Gold Coast. Circus Rio had a good school holidays house, and production stopped as management called in Critical Care paramedics. Both performers were taken to Gold Coast University Hospital. The show continued, and both were released to return to the show.
Rio has a fast-paced program: six-girl ballet, Ringmaster-clown Joel doing continuity, several good aerial acts, excellent lighting and sound by former Russian operator Anton, and over-the-top motorcycle reaching to the top of the tent.
Proprietor Uri is able to put together excellent shows each holiday season, nowadays around south Queensland.
By John MacDonnell
Hudson’s Circus at Dubbo, NSW, in July.
NZ and Australian circus proprietor- performer, Charlie Ridgway Jr, now retired, living at Oakey, Queensland.
This is the Gold Award won by Al J.Miller, at the Canadian Buskers’ Championships. He started clowning with Stardust Circus in 1994.
THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN 25