Shiloh Me Some Elephants

An imported entry from Circus Diaries regarding an event during the 2010 Kelly Miller Circus season with commentary written by Dick Flint for Buckles Blog. Photos by Ryan Easley.

"Probably the largest herd of performing elephants under an American big top this year was seen on June 2 in Shiloh, Pennsylvania, on the Kelly-Miller circus. “From the Kelly-Miller ranch in Oklahoma” were two herds under the combined direction of Armando Loyal and Jason King. The event occurred when Cindy Migley’s Circus Spectacular date for Philadelphia’s Lulu Shrine Temple in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., closed and the show with Jason King and three more of Barbara Byrd's large herd was headed to the Chicago area but laid over for a day to visit John Ringling North II’s Kelly-Miller show." //Dick Flint, Baltimore


It was very interesting to watch the interactions between all the elephants as they were put together in the yard. Lots of rumbles and trumpeting could be heard. All of the elephants except for Viola are kept on the same side of the barn at night during winter quarters. They all get along rather well.


When photos of this event were submitted to Buckles Web Log by Dick Flint, an anonymous comment questioned respected circus historian Buckles Woodcock, "How many elephants does it take to do a "long" mount?" He replied, "More than one."


Because both Lisa and Viola do not mount, they were not going to be able to use one of them for the t-mount and long mount. Armando took my suggestion of using them both as a base and having the others mount off their backs.




Buckles Blog: Commentary and Photos from Dick Flint
>> http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-richard-flint-1.html
>> http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-richard-flint-2.html
>> http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-richard-flint-3.html

Cebu City Zoo

A December 2000 article published in International Zoo News Vol. 47/8 (No. 305) brings to light mention of a baby Asian elephant at the Cebu Zoological and Botanical Gardens in the Philippines.

"Cebu City – A Pictorial Souvenir"
Courtesy of MyCebuPhotoBlog.wordpress.com

Six Flags Great Adventure

In 1974, Gary Hill picked out 25 baby African elephants for the opening of Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. We are looking to compile the complete list of names brought back from the Chipperfield station.

Franklin Park Zoo - Beba / Mary, Part II

The story of Beba was unfolded with the purchase of numerous local news articles from the Boston area between 1948 to 1960.
>> www.showmeelephants.com/2011/06/franklin-park-zoo-beba.html

Courtesy of Daily Boston Globe 07/1948

Mystery Photograph

From Buckles Woodcock's "Buckles Blog:"

Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Unidentified
No idea where I got this. The trucks look more interesting than the elephants. I'm guessing that this is either the Circus Festival at the Sarasota Fairgrounds or the marshaling area for the Milwaukee Parade. Note the calliope in the background.
Posted by Buckles

Anonymous said...
This is a tough one--the nicely painted truck reminds me of Toby Tyler, but the three babies remind me of Great American (Lisa, Heather, and Donna) from 86 or 87. Great American was the host circus at the Milwaukee Parade in 87.
Maria Vonderheid

J Goodall said...
The photo was not taken in Milwaukee. Never have seen the calliope in the background.

Paul Ingrassia said...
Most certainly not Milwaukee. the two years Alan was with us I recall a little too well so that not it either...

Anonymous said...
Appears to be Sarasota Festival and either Toby Tyler Africans Or Allen Hills. I would lean toward Toby Tyler because of the adjoining trailer.

Anonymous said...
Appears to be the "Two Jesters" in the background.

johnny said...
Either of the acts of Africabs at that time were quite impressive and the three that Joe Frisco Jr. trained for Great American from scratch were very nice and certainly gave Joe his credentials as an Elephant Trainer and one of the few select African elephant trainers. The Toby Tyler three remain somewhat controversial on just who did what, but when I saw Paul Duke work them with an unidentified young lady assisting him, they were quite impressive as well.

Richard said...
The wagon is the Harp & Jesters from the Ringling Museum.
Dick Flint

Without a date or location, it is more difficult to identify these elephants. The elephant truck is not the one featured on Allen C. Hill's Great American Circus in 1994, pictured recently in photographs contributed from the collection of Bill Prickett. Help is sought to identify the elephants, their owner and the vehicles pictured to the right. Can it be confirmed this is the Great American herd with Lisa, Donna and Heather?

The Elephant Walk I

"A parade of elephants announces the circus has come to town as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's annual animal walk travels down 9th Avenue North towards the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011. The elephants traveled from the Train Yard down Vanderbilt Road to Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard with a team of handlers. Although the weather was cold and rainy, a crowd gathered along the route welcoming the entourage." (The Birmingham News / Michelle Campbell)









>> "Animal Walk," AL.com, 01/25/2011