Family’s feats brought equestrian acrobat fame

Posted by CarnivalMidways.Com on February 21, 2009
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By Mark Zaloudek – HeraldTribune.Com

SARASOTA – As a member of one of the most celebrated circus families in the United States, Belmonte Cristiani dazzled audiences worldwide with his acrobatic feats on horseback.

Belmonte Cristiani in 1941. He performed with his siblings from childhood until 1962. He was proud of the Cristiani Bros. Circus becoming the first nationally touring circus to perform in Alaska in 1954, his daughter said. He later manufactured carnival rides.

Belmonte Cristiani in 1941. He performed with his siblings from childhood until 1962. He was proud of the Cristiani Bros. Circus becoming the first nationally touring circus to perform in Alaska in 1954, his daughter said. He later manufactured carnival rides.

Even though he performed with his nine siblings as The Cristiani Troupe, Belmonte Cristiani, who died Feb. 6 in Sarasota at 91, frequently stood out for his athleticism.

In one act, known as the “Triple Backward Suicide Somersault,” Cristiani and one of his brothers, each standing on separate horses circling an arena, simultaneously somersaulted backward through a hoop and landed on their feet on a moving horse behind them as a third brother dismounted his horse with the same flourish.

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Goodbye, Fried Foods: State Fair Ends Today

Posted by CarnivalMidways.Com on February 17, 2009
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By LAURA FRAZIER | The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA – Tracy Wetter shaded her eyes from the bright sunlight this morning and tried to track her daughters’ whereabouts through the windows of a funhouse at the Florida State Fair.

“There they are,” she laughed, pointing to a window with jailhouse bars where daughters Joelle, 8, Jessica, 14 and friend Racheal Long, 14, waved and shouted.

News Channel 8 photo by PAUL LAMISON

News Channel 8 photo by PAUL LAMISON

The Bradenton girls had cajoled Wetter into taking them to the fair to see their favorite hometown band in concert. We The Kings – an alternative rock and pop group named for Martha B. King Middle School in Bradenton, where its members met – put on a free concert at noon. Besides, the girls reasoned, tickets handed out last week at their school would get them in the gates for free.

“Then we had to go and spend $60 on armbands, so there you go,” Wetter said. “But … it’s OK because it’s such a beautiful day.”

The mild weather sat well with fair officials, who hoped the burst of sunshine would boost attendance numbers. Those numbers were down about 7 percent from last year before today’s totals are tallied.

Thousands of students and their families were expected to attend the last day of the fair today, designated as free admission day for schools in Pinellas, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota counties. Student day for Hillsborough County schools was Feb. 6.

Fair officials hope that by the time the gates close around 9 p.m. tonight, attendance will reach close to last year’s total of 491,000.

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IISF Trade Show – Day Four

Posted by CarnivalMidways.Com on February 14, 2009
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By Ron Weber, MCW Editor

Gibsonton, FL — The IISF Trade Show entered its fourth day with attendance up over last year for the combined three opening days. Incoming President Steve Ianni said the organization was very pleased with the results. Many vendors, despite the poor economic conditions, are also happy with the results so far.

Ed Bush is owner of Jersey Shore Imports, LLC and a first time vendor at the show. His company has exhibited at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions trade show and others and he says his business in Gibsonton has been very good. “We have over 100 leads so far”, said Bush. “We saw a lot of people and they were the right people”, he added.

Jersey Shore sells licensed sports jerseys and merchandise from the NBA, NFL, NCAA and MLB as well as NASCAR. He has been working with these products for two years, mostly as game prizes.
His prizes are featured at the Florida State Fair in Wes Wilbur,s Blockbuster game. Bush says that he has seen game grosses double with the addition of the licensed equipment.

Another big show supporter is Jim Frederiksen of Fredericksen Enterprises, builders of portable slides. Fredericksen has sold three slides so far this year including one at the trade show to a carnival in Norway. “He wanted to buy two but decided to get the first and see how things go”, said Frederiksen.

2008 was the second best year for the company. They had sold 10 slides by the end of the trade show in Gibtown. Frederiksen is hoping for a good year in 2009 as well.

The company keeps its factory going year-round. “We have never stopped building in 19 years”, said Frederiksen. The company keeps slides in stock and sells throughout the year. About 75% of his business is in carnivals and 25% in parks. He estimates there are over 200 of his slides on traveling carnivals.

Fredericksen developed the 5 lane “State Fair Slide” which travels on one trailer. He has sold 5 of those over the years. Fredericksen has blueprints to build a larger, approximately 30 foot tall Giant Slide which will travel on two dually loads and has 8 lanes. He said several shows have expressed interest in this new, larger model slide.

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