The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-18
BAREBACK RIDING.
AN OLD INTERVIEW WITH FISH
WHICH is INTERESTING.

Charles W. Fish, the bareback rider, was
probably the best known rider in the world
and held the championship for years, do
ing many remarkable feats which the
younger men in the profession never ex
selled. He was born in Philadelphia IL
1889. He came OF good old stock. The
following interview with him, published
IN Philadelphia in 1880, will be interest
ing, especially To circus men and lovers OF
the tent show:
what is necessary, Mr.. Fish, to become
o first class performers"
well, there are good many things nee
essary. 70 climb TO the top of the tree
or on the back of the horse, properly-s
chiid's training, boy or girl, should begin
at the age of or 8, not later than or
years anyhow. The first steps are TO give
the body that elasticity so essential, and
this is done by practicing all kinds of tum-
bling on the ground. Somersaults, back.
ward and forward handsprings or flipfiaps
in fact, all that tumblers do in circus.
When boy becomes thoroughly proficient
in this sors of thing, the next step is 10 put
him on the back of q horse and teach him
how TO keep his balance. There are tive
ways Of doing this TO keep a Juvenile from
mastering it at the risk of a broken neck.
One is by the mechanic. modern inven.
ton, by which the rider is held suspended
in the air if he leaves the horses back
while going around the ring. The other is
TO have a rope attached 10 the boys waist,
which passes through a ring on the side OF
the pad. the end being held by the teacher.
As soop as the boy begins to topple and is
seen going a strong pull on the rope bring,
him up against the side of the horse and
keeps him there until be can Chamber back
again.
Il began riding when 1 was years OLD
at Spaulding q Rogers old circus in Gin
cinnati, in lSfS, but I've been all over the
world since that. Nc, my family were no,
professional people. 1 yearned 10 become
rider the first time l ever saw circus,
like ninety nine out of every hundred boy.
il America.
American male riders are the best in
the world, but we look for the best lady
riders in Europe. In Europe, l have
known Frenchmen. Englishmen and Span
iards TO be billed as the Great American
Horseman.' Some Of these men never saw
this side of the Atlantic There is no rea-
son why the riders there should not be bet
ter than American riders from the fact
that they are six months in place at
time. and learn TO know their ring thor
oughly. That is more important matter
than il seems ut first sight \ foot 5 differ
enoe makes a very serious matter. The
ring Is usually ~ feet in diameter and a
rider counts on that A single foot larger
or smaller makes il necessary for the per
formers 10 strike a different angle, inclin-
ing more inward a. the ring gets smaller
and more pcrpendicuisrly il its dimensions
are incrsased- Yes, bareback riding Is the
most difficult, OF course y pad rider gen
orally requires four or FIVE years har6
practice bareback before he can be trusted
for clean, finished performance. YOU
See on pad riding man doesn't have &c
take into account the horses backbone OF
the curve OF the back II Is perfectly leve
on n pad. and just 50 much easier \ xres..
deal depends on the horse.
Value? Well. g first class horse is nos
for sale at any price. You've got To us
horse three or four years before you cen Dc
pend upon him with absolute ccrtairev
Reputation living life itself Ccu.-.s
upon a bareback rider having under him
horse on which lac can positively depend 1,
be Just at the right place at the right time
The sweryins of an inch, the eglckenine
or slowing OF the pace 10 the hall length oi
a hoof, may mean broken arm, perhaps =
broken neck Realize the dangors Why.
Of course we do. I've had horse stumble