The Hanneford Circus
Celebrating 50 Years of Concerts at the WVU Coliseum
April 12, 1979
The Hanneford Circus
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| SHOW DATE: Thursday, April 12, 1979 • 4:30pm & 8:30pm | ||
| The famed Hanneford Circus was born in 1690 with Irish-born Michael Hanneford who toured
the dusty roads of rural England with Wombwell’s Menagerie, the first
show of its kind in the British Isles. Each day the athletic Michael
put on a display of horsemanship that included dancing and leaping upon
the bare back of a galloping horse. Word spread about the multi-talented
performer so that he was invited to attend a contest before King George
III to determine who was the greatest juggler in England. He not only
juggled off with the Grand Prize, but made his mark in circus lore by
having presented the first of the Hanneford Royal Command Performances, a
tradition of honor that has been repeated by each succeeding generation
since then. It may seem a bit difficult to imagine a circus inside the WVU Coliseum, but the Hanneford Circus performed exclusively in indoor arenas so when they rolled into town for two shows under the big top in 1979, those "big tops" were placed inside under the Coliseum dome. The basketball floor was covered with a protective layer of wood as well as a canvas mat, and the horses wore special rubber shoes to keep them from slipping and to protect the arena floors and walkways. Indoor/outdoor carpeting was also placed around the periphery of the performance rings. The two performances were well-received by both young and old. |
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