ST. MARY’S TODAY

LEONARDTOWN (April 25, 2005)  --- The circus came to town today, complete with acts of trained house cats and pony rides, a far cry from the days when the circus parade included tigers and elephants.

But the nagging attacks of animal rights extremists have finally taken their toll and little children are now regaled with a fellow dressed up in a costume rental store Spiderman suit and another in a Hulk costume.

Gone are the wild animals jumping across the big top at the snap of a trainer’s whip.

While the acrobats, clowns and trapeze artists give worthwhile performances, the biggest act is the woman shot from the big cannon, sure to thrill any child.

But without the trained acts of elephants marching in order, putting their front legs on the backs of the massive animal in front of them and holding their trunks up in the air in a trumpeting blast of accomplishment, the three ring circus is pretty square.

The "circus ponies" walk around in zombie fashion just don’t cut the mustard.

The Cole Brothers Circus still focus on entertainment and if this is all the circus that backwater towns like Leonardtown will hope to get in the future, it will be okay as the kids won’t ever be able to have anything to compare it to, but their parents do.

Seeing the giant elephants, in past years, sidestep up to the platform outside the circus tent so groups of 5 or 6 people at a time could board the big saddle for an elephant ride was just the precursor to what would take place inside the Big Top.

Now the assembly of small ponies’ walk around tied to a metal frame and the 15 minute intermission is drawn out to at least a half hour while hawkers push pricey food and toys on parents for demanding kids. When elephants were employed for these half-time rides, at least they were entertaining to those who simply watched.

Not even the beautiful woman riding bareback, performing tricks and stunts on the back of a galloping stallion is still with the Cole Brothers Circus that came to town today, and will stay over one more day.

The Brazilian trapeze artists were great, the Chinese tumblers were terrific, the crew directing the cars in the parking lot did a remarkable job.

But when parents found out there were no lions, no tigers, no elephants and the prices were the same as past years, they were dismayed that they had already bought tickets.

The advance man for the circus told ST. MARY’S TODAY that the constant carping, complaining and lobbying by animal rights extremists were not responsible for the elimination of the trained animal acts. He said that surveys of kids revealed that they preferred Spiderman to lions and tigers.

The truth of the matter is that while one guy dressed up in a Spiderman suit may be a real kick to 4-year-olds, but in reality, it is the cost of feeding a herd of elephants that has cowered the current management of one of the nation’s last big circus companies.

Yuppie bean counters have figured out that hay ain’t cheap and apparently they are unwilling to give proper or humane care to their animals.

According to various news reports and complaints filed by and with federal regulators, Cole Brothers may have deserved some of the complaints by animal activists. (A listing of these incidents are included in this report.)

Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey still have the animals and are careful to treat their animals well. Save up your money and skip Cole Brothers downsized circus and go see the real McCoy.