AR-News: (PARIS) Carson and Barnes adds a Hippopotamus to circus

[molly]

Hi -
    The Carson and Barnes Circus is back and now they have a hippopotamus!!!
This is ridicules, they spend alot of their time in water and the traveling
circus is no place for them. Thanks for helping the animals. Ann
Circus coming to town this month

By Brian Roland
The Paris News

Published March 04, 2004

The Carson & Barnes Five Ring Circus pitches its big top in Paris this month
as it kicks off the 2004 circus season.

The Red River Shrine Club hosts the circus at the Lamar County Fairgrounds
March 20 as one of the organization’s major fundraisers, said Jimmy Loar,
chairman of the Shrine Club’s Circus Committee.

“This event is a major fundraiser for us,” Loar said. “It’s not only
important to the Red River Shrine Club, but to all the clubs throughout the
U.S., Canada and Mexico.”

Carson & Barnes, which is based in Hugo, Okla., brings its traditional acts,
featuring 60 human performers from around the world as well as dozens of
exotic and domestic animals, including elephants, hippopotami, camels,
lions, tigers, zebra and more, Carson & Barnes Advance Coordinator Paddy
Guyton said.

The circus also features several new acts, including the Cardenas Troupe
from Columbia, Guyton said. This is the first year for the seven-man high
wire group to perform in the United States.

With a big top that measures 300 feet by 150 feet, Carson & Barnes is the
largest tent circus in operation today. It is also the only five ring
circus, Guyton said. This is the 67th year in operation for the circus,
which traditionally opens the season in Paris. Costumes used in the
performance are made in Hugo, Guyton said.

In addition to the big top show, Carson & Barnes also offers a free zoo the
morning of the circus. Guyton invited everyone to come out to the
fairgrounds to watch the animals arrive, be unloaded, watered, fed and
tended.

The show requires between 65 and 70 trucks to move the circus from town to
town, Guyton said. Moving the production is something that is a constant in
the life of the Carson & Barnes Circus workers.

“We’re just like a little traveling city,” Guyton said. “We move just about
every day 240 days out of the year.”

Guyton said that the Carson & Barnes Circus is a fun event for everyone in
the family.

“Bring the kids, bring Grandma and Grandpa, and come out and have two hours
of fun,” Guyton said. “See what a great circus it is.”

Advance tickets for the show are $10 for adults and $5 for children under
12. Tickets are available at the gate the day of the show for $14 for adults
and $7 for children.