Page 25 - The Outdoor Showman October - December 2025

Infamous
RODEO NEWS
Thai lion
Trump, a 10-year-old male lion,
mauled to death a longtime zookeeper
at Safari World, one of Asia’s largest
open-air zoos, 10th September.
Inspection found damaged
fences, inadequate warning signs
and too few CCTV cameras.
Hudson’s
Probably the first of the new
generation of proprietors is one
circus that’s done pretty well,
despite set-backs from Covid19,
Federal and State elections and
weather that included two droughts,
two floods and even snow!
No flying trapeze this year (after
four years of triple somersaults!)
but the animal content still brings
home what families expect of a
traditional Australian family circus.
Beau Pearson and Sim present
probably the fastest dog act
Around. (Mohamad and Trace Jratlu
and daughters at Silver’s Circus
challenge it, but that’s a much
bigger act). Sim also presents
the camels and liberty ponies,
including the Long Mount.
Hudson Lennon, now 14, rides
in the Globe, and Giselle,6, helps
with presentation. Matt de Goldi
(Goldie the clown) links it all up.
Silvers
Younger generation Gassers, Rosita
and Rodney (Gomez) and Gasser now
make the running at Silvers Circus,
operating this year into South Australia
mid-year, before going back to Victoria.
Anna and Anton Gasser, who started
the show back in 1982, spend much
of their time on properties they own
in Victoria, while elder son Tony and
Debbie manage the tent-hire business.
Always a slick, professional
presentation, Silvers includes a
Globe, wheel and big aerial acts.
Gypsy Gomez has just retired
her international-standard hula-
hoop act, after 23 years.
Webers
THE Circus, run by Harry and
Marie Weber, has New Zealand
almost to itself, after returning
from Australia earlier this year.
Probably the best-engineered show,
it has two unique acts: a loop-the-
loop daredevil cycle act using a steep
ramp from trapeze height, and a
stunning roof-height motor-cycle act
that’s also an aerial acrobatic act.
Another large family show, with
the next generation competently
taking the reins. They’re in the
ballet, aerial ballet, cycle, clowning-
comedy and skill acts, and play a.
big part in running the show.
Moscow
Bert and Josephine Weber look
to their sons David and Marcus in
the next generation to take over
the Great Moscow Circus, one of
he country’s largest operations.
They’ve spent much of 2025
in Western Australia, before
crossing the Nullabor.
Rudi and Natalie Weber (she was a
West), who ran Weber Bros Circus
for the best part of two decades,
have finished building their acreage
property at Woongoolba, Queensland,
and closed doen their popular and
well-run show. Their three daughters
are still performing in other shows
- and some grand-children.
Dash, aged 13, was a clear favourite of
younger audience members. He high-
energy juggles five pins, four hoops,
does hand-springs while they’re in
the air, and plays the audience like a
true professional. Watch out for him! Silvers van
Inside Aurelia
Circus Aurelia
Early picture
of Gary
Brophy and
dog Killer
US Tiger act
By John MacDonnell
THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN 23