Friday, March 31, 2006

From Gary Hill


These are pictures I have received in the past few days. Here we see Carson & Barnes on the lot opening day with a nice spread of matching vinyl.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gary. I sent this picture to the C & B California office and they showed it to somebody doing a CFA newsletter in Ohio. Would it be okay if the newsletter folks used the photo?

Thanks!

Ben Trumble

GaryHill said...

Of course, I have more I will send to Buckles in the future.

Anonymous said...

Always great to see a big top!! Looks to me like they've taken out a couple of middle pieces from last season. If so, would be 3 rings instead of 5 as in the past.
In any event, it is still the largest traditional big top out there.

GaryHill said...

Paul, you are correct it's down to three now,but at least it has three!

Anonymous said...

Excellent point, Gary! If my circus-math skills are correct, that would be 3 more rings than RBBB has.

Anonymous said...

Alfrieda Wilkins explained the "slim down" pretty well in Circus Report this week. Three rings, but its a real three ring show using all of them. No change in seating capacity -- and the performance is strong. Periodically through the season, including this early stretch, 3 rings of bulls. Since the new configuration no longer parks a wheel of destiny at each end throughout the performance, you can actually see more circus than the old configuration allowed.

Ben Trumble

Anonymous said...

Hi Ben:
Yes, I read the CR piece and look forward to seeing this year's edition. I agree that the view should be better with this new configuration.
While I always thought the 5 ring arrangement was neat, the folks in sitting in the blues missed out on some of the action. And, the deletion of the cage act is no great loss IMHO.
Hope that trimming the nut helps C&B this season.
With diesel fuel well north of $2, they had to do something!

Paul

Anonymous said...

Dion. You finally raise from the dead! I have been trying to find you for years. You ask for pictures of OKIE on CHS several times. I pointed out this blog to you hoping you would check it out for a picture last week. I had not heard that there was no cage act this year either.

Anonymous said...

RE: cage act on the 70th Edition of Carson & Barnes. Gone, but not forgotten. The truth is that several of the cats were ready for retirement to their cat condos in Hugo. With the reconfiguration cutting the cage act this season was logical. Plans are already in the works to put Liberty, the white tiger back on the show next season, and I would think it's probably a pretty good wager that a new cat act will come along at some later point. Historically cage acts come and go and come back again.

Anonymous said...

I think the Lion Acts are a thing of the past. Tigers are more expensive to buy, but cheaper to keep. The price of chickens is lower then beef or horse meat. and more available. To this day I still do what I learned from JC. Sunday is a day of rest [in the old days there were Blue Laws were nothing commerical was open on Sundays]. I either do not feed on this day, or if I do its boiled eggs for the pets. Old or ill pets get their regular meal. The wild animals got a dozen raw eggs mixed with a quart of milk. Cats and dogs alike. You never saw a more beautiful group of animals. Shiny and in top shape. Of course this all went down hill when JC sold the act. I had no say so in the matter.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update on the C&B cage act, Ben. As I mentioned earlier, I look forward to seeing the 70th edition.
Glad to hear it's a strong, 3-ring show. Am sure all of us have seen 3-ring productions presented 1 ring at a time! LOL.

GaryHill said...

Rebecca, we did the same with Jewell's lions. Monday morning scours will kill a hangover in a heartbeat! By the way, me and the wife went to Cavalia today and I must say what a show! They even have a ring for alittle while, their cossacks ran across the tent and turned around and ran across again and again. Not a Circus but a dang good equestian show!!!

Anonymous said...

Gary I used to like to go to the National Horse Shows. The Kansas City Royal was my favorite. the only thing I wish the Tenn Walkers, the Trotters etc. had more excitibg wardrobe. The costume Arabians where one of my favorites to watch. Its been a long time. The carriage teams were great. Not much of that around any more. Like everything else. Too expensive, too little interest.