Checking out the Car Killer, one of the two monster trucks, before the show
We took our seats in the rickety wooden stands and watched as performers warmed up. I took particular interest in the two young kids driving around on their little ATVs, including this 8-year old sporting kein helmet. I'm a bit of a stickler on helmets and and question people taking what I deem to be "unnecessary risks." In retrospect, I should not have attended this show. David said, "I doubt they'll have 4- and 8-year olds doing stunts on ATVs."
Another performer warming up
Here's the finale of the opening act -- the 4-year old ATV driver jumping over someone. I want to go on record as saying I do not condone this and I do believe it could give kids bad ideas. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
The 8-year old then did his thing...
...which ended with a jump through fire.At that point, the host introduced the kids and the other members of the show and we realized this was a modern-day circus family. Many of the performers had the same last name and a young girl, who looked like the boys, had taken our tickets at the entrance and later on passed around a motorcycle helmet collecting money "to cover their health insurance." The woman working the ticket booth was probably the matriarch. These young boys were learning the family business. Would I have felt so negative about their participation in the show if they were swinging from a trapeze or standing on a trotting horse? Probably not. It made me feel a teensy bit better.
Since we have lived here, we have seen 3 small family-run circuses set up their big top in the field behind our street. In fact, about 10 years ago, our neighbors woke up one morning to find in their backyard a camel who had escaped from his circus pen. We haven't been able to attend any of those performances so far, as we were always heading out of town right when they arrived, but we're keeping our eyes out for the next circus. This stunt show would have to do for the moment.
Motorcycle jump over a few colleagues...
...and through fire. This kid looked like he couldn't have been more than 15 years old.
The host did impressive manoeuvres in this BMW, but being less than 20 feet from a speeding, spinning car made me uneasy. Some people did move out of the front row, so I wasn't the only one.
Note to self: When volunteering to participate in an ATV stunt, be sure not to wear low, low cut jeans. There were many smirks in the crowd as a good portion of this lady's backside was exposed during the extended wheelie up and down the parking lot.
Two wheeling it
Car surfing
Tailgating
Smashing into and flipping a car
A young man was strapped onto the hood of this car. Right as it approached the burning wood fence, the host threw some flammable liquid onto him so he seemed to explode into flames. Loads of dangerous things to get impressionable kids all fired up (no pun intended).
Another car flipping
Over 5 cars and then...
...over 7.
The two monster trucks drove up and down the parking lot a few times, revved their loud engines, and then put the poor little cars that had been flipped over and smashed up out of their misery.
Final pose
James posing with the crushed cars that fulfilled their destiny
James doing his Bear Grylls imitation again. How long is he going to insist on posing like this?
Spectators leaving the show got into their cars, onto their bikes or scooters, or in this case, onto their tractor for the ride home.
1 comment:
Your pictures are all so professional. They could all go in a newspaper. There are so many great shots.
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