With Fred Logan in charge they acquired a 10th elephant from Ford Bros. over the winter named Debbie. That gave them Freida, Ola, Bessie, Helen, Jewel, Conti, Pete, Tina, Sue and Debbie on the road in 1988.Debbie had actually been on the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros from 1873 until 1981 when she went to Carson & Barnes.
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On the subject of DEBBIE GOING FROM Ford Bros to CBCB, She was returning to her original home. She was one of three asian baby females imported at the tail end of wild importation to circuses in 73-74 (zoos still could and can import). Cap Logan, his son Walter, chief aide Allan and other key family members took great pride in their upbringing. Named OMI, Missey and Debbie they did a great 3act in the mid to late 70's before the changeover in CBCB ownership. With money very tight in the early 80's the new owners leased out the three act to do Shrine dates, and think OMI hd an undiagnosed medical issue and was lost. The other two were sold to DR Miller, but they didnt fit in the herd there at that time, so they and big female African RUBY WERE sold to Ford Bros. in 83. Under Elephant SUPT. Harry Locker, veteran Elephant man/show supt. Jack Gobble(he helped Louie Reed Smokey Jones and Rex Williams winter school huge herd of babies in the late 40's on Daily Bros rail show.)
Along with Capt Ken Turtle Benson and myself, only experienced ,calm people worked with them. We used to take Missey and Debbie to town daily on the so called "elephant races", which gave them beneficial confidence in human command as they were still fairly young. They were part of a mixed 17 elephant herd big, little, African and Asians, young and old. They were in a three act with steady old "BOO", IN THE CENTER RING with Locker, part of a 5 ring display. The two did a 2 ring single routine Cap Logan had put on them back in the 70's on CBCB. LOTS OF GOOD MEMORIES from those days. Soon after I left Ford in 85', the bottom dropped out of the whole circus biz for a few months, combined with the liability insurance rate squeeze left re trenching the show size esssential. Theysent Missey to one of their other units, and sold Debbie back home to take the place of a couple retird Elephants. She now resides in one of those Elephant Sanctuary places I believe. MIKE CECERE.
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