Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-09
BAREBACK RIDING.
AN OLD INTERVIEW WITH FISH
WHICH is INTERESTING.


| Good Horse-Dangers of the ''rwister."
| Charles W. Fish, tho bareback rider, was
| probably the best known rider in the world
and held tho championship for years, do
| ing many remarkable fcnts which the
| younger men in the profession never OK
celled He was born in Philadelphia in
| 1889. He came OF good old stock. Tho
following interview with him, published
In Philadelphia In 1880, will DO interest
ing, especially to circus men and lovers OF
the tent show:
"what is necessary, Mr.. Fish, to become
n first class performer"
"Well, there arc good many things noc-
essary. To climb to the top of the trce--
| or on tho bnck of tho horse, properly-a
chlld's training, boy or girl, should begin
at tho ago OF o or 6, not later than or
years anyhow. Tho first steps are to give
the body that elasticity so essential, and
this Is done by practicing all kinds OF tum-
bling on tho ground. Somcrsaults, back
ward and forward, hnndsprings or niphaps
in fact all that tumblers do in u circus.
When boy becomes thoroughly proficient
In this sort of thing, the next step is to put
him on tho back of horse and teach him
how to keep his balance. There are two
ways OF doing this to keep q Juvenile from
mastering 1t at the risk Of broken neck.
One Is by tho mechanic, n modern inven-
tion, by which tho rider is held suspended
In tho air II no leaves tho horses back
while going around the ring The other Is
TO have u ropo attached to the boys waist,
which passes through n ring on the side Of
tho pad, the end being held by tho teacher.
As soon us the boy begins to topplo and is
seen going % strong pull on the ropo brings
him up against the side Of the horse and
keeps him there until no can chamber back
again.
81 began riding when was years old
at Spauldng & Rogers old circus In Gin
clnnati, in 1913, but Two been all over tho
world since TINT. No, my family wcrc not
professional people yearned to become
II rider tho first time l ever saw circus,
like ninety.ninc out Of every hundred boys
in America.
american mnle riders are the best In
the world, but we look for the best lady
riders In Europe. In Europe, l have
| known krcnchmcn, Englishnen and Span
inrds to be billed as the Great American
| Horscmnn' Some Of these men mover saw
! this side of tho Atlantic. There Is no rca-
son why the riders there should not be bet.
| ter than American riders from tho fact
| that they arc six months in place at
time, and learn TO know their ring thor
oughly. That is more important matter
than IL seems at first sight. A foot's differ
cnCo makes n very serious matter The
ring is usually AZ feet in diameter, and
rider counts on that. a single foot lnrgcr
/ or smaller makes IL necessary for tho per-
formers to strike different angle, inclin-
ing more inward us the ring gets smaller
and more perpcndiculnrly II its Dimensions
nro increased, Yes, bareback riding is the
most difficult, of course. A pad rider gen
| orally requires four or five years hard
| practice bareback before he can he trusted
for clean, finished performance. You
see on pad riding man doesn't have to
| take Into account tho horse's backbone or
/ tho curve of the back, 1t Is perfectly level
on u pad, and Just so much easier. A great
deal depends ON the horse.
"Value? Well, first class horse Ia not
for sale ut any price. You've got to use n
horse three or four years before you can de-
pend upon him with absolute certainty.
Reputation, living - life itself - depend
upon bareback rider having under him
horse ON which he can positively depend to
be just at the right place at the right time,
This sworying of an inch, tho quicioning
or slowing OF the pace to the half length Of
| n huof, mny mean u broken arm, perhaps
br0kon neck. Realize tho d0ngcrY Why,
of course we do, I've had horse stumble
on mo WHOM 1 was half way up In somcr-
snult, and before got down | could real
izo that was in danger OF neyor getting
| up alive, II only cost mo fractured arm
however, which is all right now.
1.-The most critical moment IN my life
was whilo was doing u 'twister' in 1875.
James Robinson and myself were with
Montgomery Queens circus ON our way
overland from san Francisco We We're
billed as the riyal champions, and ut Mus
kcgon, Mich, on tho 10th OF August,
first did the 'twlstor' Now, III tell YOU
what 1t is, There arc three banners held
very close together. As L ride, with my face
to tho first, | jump, pirouotto and como
down again face forward instantly up
ngnin--for 1t must be done In an instant
and half pirouctto over the second, thus
bringing my back TO the horse Is head, when
/ again aliglit, then, quick as u flash, up
and turning n somerSault, twist my body
around when In the air, so MS to ruyorso
my position, and when nlight on my foot
having my head In front AS the horse goes
had practicod 1t on the ground for ton
years, but on u bareback horse It ) a very
different affair We were in Detroit, and
among tho audience were j, NJ. French
and n number OF other prominent circus
men. All were anxious to SEQ the twist
err. The ring was wet and In bad condi.
tion, and l had only nbout ono.third OF the
circle to work In. Throc, four, 1--WE times
tried 1t and failed. The sixth time, with
evory norys strung TO its utmost tension,
with my teeth firmly sct and my hands
olinchcd, / was determined to succeed.
Tho audience rose almost ON masse with
excitement, and cries OF Well done, any.
howl Don't try It ugaln' maddencd mo.
Tho first step was all right, so was tho
next, but as left for the final spring the
horse stumbled slightly, 1t was too late.
was up in the air and came down with a
terrific crash, head and shoulders, Just dis.
locating my elbow. didn't do the twist.
or Just then. "
Ever try 1t againy"