THE BALLOON MAN

Elephants enthrall circus audience

 

Elephants were available for viewing during an open house prior to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the DCU Center today. (T&G Staff/STEVE LANAVA)
from:  telegram.com
by:  Sara Schweiger, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
WORCESTER —  How many clowns would it take to hang a piece of artwork?

Perhaps the better question is, “Did an elephant really paint it?”

The pre-show festivities at tonight’s opener of the “Fully Charged” edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the DCU Center afforded ticket-holders the opportunity to register to win a pachyderm Picasso, courtesy of the circus’s very own Asia the artistic elephant. The brushstrokes? They’re all in the trunk. (And did you know an elephant can have up to 150,000 muscles in there?)

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, in its 143rd year, has three traveling shows: Blue, Gold and Red. The Red, or Fully Charged, tour is billed as the most electrifying edition of the circus ever. With daredevilry more dazzling and acrobatics more amazing, this edition of The Greatest Show on Earth is guaranteed to transfix audiences of all ages.

Ticketholders were treated to two pre-show events. First, the animal open house. Available in select markets, the DCU Center is the only venue in New England to offer this informative, interactive half-hour session.

“We want people to see we’re passionate about the animals,” said circus Assistant General Manager Jason Gibson.

Ticker-holders were able to hobnob with the horses (including the unique “paint” breed with cow-like coloring), take in the tigers or watch the elephants eat. Trainers were available to answer questions — Tino, who works with horses, offered an interesting perspective, saying that despite what people may think, horses can be more aggressive than elephants (hence the steel-toed shoes worn by horse trainers).

read the rest of the story at:
http://www.telegram.com/article/20121003/NEWS/121009737/1116