THE WILD WEST SHOWS.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7699, 3 November 1890, Page 5

THE WILD WEST SHOWS.

The third open air show by Wirfch'i Wild West Company took place on Saturday afternoon in the Aldington .Stow Grounds, in the presence of some iIiKH) people. Those' who went in the expectation of getting pleuty of excitement weie not disappointed. The cattle that had been procured were certainly what were described, wild—very different from any previously placed ar, the disposal c>l the cowboys, and po soou us they \v»;ru properly aroused by being hunted about made things very lively. The ilret part of the afternoon's entertainment consisted of a number of races, including Roman standing race over jumps, a chariot race and two or three flat races. In the last of these Baunockburn could not be kept alow enough for the others, and this black eon of ldullutn evidoutly possesses the gift of going. The hippo* drome part of the chow over, Messrs J. J. Matron, F. W. Delamain and W. Bum, who had kindly consented to between the methods of handling stock as practised by a colonial stockman (Mr Twentymnn Hodgson) and the cowboys, took ud their places Iα a position to enable them to see all that went 6n. The seven cows and steers that had been procured for the purposes of the contest were driven into one of the enclosures, and Hodgson, haviug cut one out, drove it to a considerable distance, and then broOßlit tfc back to join the others. He used his whip in a dexterous stylo, but his horse was not quite up to the mark. One of the cowboys then went to work, and having separated one beast Irons the others, hunted it round the.; ground, lassoed it, and brought it down. The "Arkansas kid" having mounted the animal, it made a bee line for the crowd, passing under the rope which runs rounc the trottiug track ring, and, of, course, throwing off the rider. The crowd wow cleared right and left, but no damage wa« done. The second beast lassoed and thrown was mounted by Hodgson, who appeared quite at home on the back of the animal. The beasts were by this time thoroughly aroused. They seemed t<3 avoid the crowd, bnt made thing) rather lively for Isolated individuals or groups, one lady, a Mrs Kennedy, , was knocked over and was somewhat bruised. The animal then got among the crowd but the cowboys and Hodgson quickly came on the scene and secured j her, Hodgson showing considerable pluck In jumping from his horse and catching the cow by the horns and nose. A horse in a buggy, the property of Mr Davis, : Islington, was charged and an Ugly 1 wound Inflicted on the shoulder. The ; occupants were thrown to the ground, bub not hurt, and no material damage woe done to the buggy. After the cattle hod been taken clear of the crowd the horses were tackled. Hodgson first gtft hold of a horse from Mr Delainain'e run, described as a perfect demon, but the horse aid not exhibit the expected qualities. The j cowboy Brown's mount showed a little 1 more life, but could not shift hie rider, whose agility in dismounting and pulling it up when galloping into the ropes waa the theme ol great admiration. The rival riders then got hold of two colts that had never been handled, but both, of them were completely subjugated and ridden without the slightest mishap. The judges were unable to come to a decision. Those that remained after the judges had left, were treated to an. exhibition of riding by one of the Mexicans, who rode one of the bucking borsee barebacked; it' was, however, quite unable to dislodge him* The exhibition of the cowboys was certainly one of the best they have given here, add their daring horsemanship was the subject of general commendation. Mx Twentyman Hodgson too, snowed himself to be a clover stockman and a nrafc-claei horseman. "V,.. , * The police did their beet to kdop, order, but it was found quite impracticable to keep the crowd within bounds. li> muel be said that' Messrs Wirth Bros, htm been doing their best to procure the yep wildest cattle and moat unmanageable horses with which to test the skill pltheb "boys." Any real bucking horses will jtx thankfully received by the management*

THE CIRCUS; } At the evening performance there wa» again a very large attendance, and fc°o whole of the performance ' was gone through In each a manner aa to draw the hearty appreciation of all present. This evening there .will bo an entire change of programme,, among the items being a. horizontal bai act, a three-horse act by Messrs P. and G. Wirth and Q, Moreny. Need less co say the performance is a most difficult one. The etajlion, Sujtan, purchased in Chriatchurch, will be put through some entirely new and dlffioulo trick acts. Several new performers wilt appear, notably Miss Pearl Akarman add Billy Akarman. from Baraum's greab circjie. The Wild West Show will be produced on entirely different lines, having been made into a drama with m eoa* nective plot taken from real life^