Narrating the correlation of elephants as related to their import, groupings, breeding and transfers,
along with other elephant related topics.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Bill Prickett Collection - King Royal Circus

William Prickett has been kind enough to share his collection of circus photographs with ShowMe Elephants. The first series to be posted feature the King Royal Circus in Emory, Texas, taken on April 12, 1995.

"Walt Stimax, Bobby Gibbs, Dorey, Ted Bowman, Gopher Davenport, Emory, TX, 4-12-95"
Courtesy of B Prickett


Ryan E. said...
Do you have any more information about this elephant 'Dorey?' I have never heard of this elephant. Perhaps it is a reused headpiece?

William P. said...
You are probably right. I was just thinking, I should ask someone if they knew anything about this elephant. Could Bobby Gibbs have been transporting this elephant with him. He was only there for a visit. I do not remember seeing it on KR on later dates.


Further research discovers this elephant was three year old Mickey, born to Roman Schmitt's Busch Gardens breeding program.

"Bill Prickett, Bobby Gibbs, Dorey, Ted Bowman, Gopher Davenport, Emory, TX, 4-12-95"
Courtesy of B Prickett

"Bobby Gibbs, Dorey, Gopher Davenport, Emory,TX, 4-12-95"
Courtesy of B Prickett

"Newly painted Van - props, sound, music, ring curbs, Emory, TX, 4-12-95"
Courtesy of B Prickett

4 comments:

  1. My brother and I worked the elephants that year, and trained Mickey. Roman named him after Mickey Mantle known as Dorey in this pic. who is now called Tommy. Lots of name changes for such a little boy kind. We had a total of seven elephants Krissy,Donna,Heather and Lisa. These were african. Boo,Irene and Mickey. The Asians.

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  2. Very interesting, Mike. Thank you for sharing. Do you know which year was the first that Gopher replaced the 'Great American' name with 'King Royal?'

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  3. The show was called Starr Brothers circus,and before that Ford Brothers. He purchased some of the elephants from Allen C. Hill's Great American circus, but don't know that he ever used the name Great American.

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  4. Heres a storyteller telling a story, focused on Bobby Gibbs.

    http://www.youtube.com/embed/RHmJ-jy7zFI

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I eagerly anticipate associating with new individuals with an interest or history in elephants, elephant history and elephant record keeping. If you have further information regarding the animals or locations questioned in the article, please leave a comment or message me in an effort to complete their records for elephant historians.