1. 14 COLLIE MAIL Thursday, October 4, 2012 www.colliemail.com.au
Entertainment & Dining Guide
Make circus compulsory By Dr JULES VANDENBERGH
Collie Veterinary Hospital
These are human beings at their most real, who take
“multi-tasking” to a level that would leave the average
I NEVER did get around to running away with the circus metrosexual pseudo multi-tasker in need of permanent
but on Saturday I went to a performance of Circus counselling.
Royale instead. No doubt there will be an army of po-faced child psy-
I like the mystique of the circus but circuses have been chologists ready to point out that the clown was out of
getting a bad rap in the last couple of decades . They are touch with the latest research into “what-children-
variously labelled as “outmoded”, “unsophisticated”, should-be-allowed-to-laugh-at”. But the children, as
“an infringement of animal rights”, “out of touch with well as the adults, loved his antics and roared with the
modern educational sensibilities” and so on. The list of sort of hearty laughter that no computer game or educa-
weasel worded phrases is as endless as the gaggle of mis- tionally designed TV show could ever elicit.
guided armchair philosophers and educationalists. But the animals, I hear you say. What about the ani-
In a world of electronic enhancement, where children mals? Everyone knows that circus animals are miser-
are taught to fear everything from bacteria to anything ably unhappy, depressed even! That’s right isn’t it?
that vaguely looks like an adventure, and where risk is Surely everyone knows that domesticated animals
experienced through “reality” shows, computer games belong on hobby farms or in green meadows or abattoirs,
or carefully staged “adventure” camps, I suggest it anywhere rather than “trip the light fantastic”! Don’t
should be compulsory for parents to take children to they?
experience the circus’ earthy excitement and reality. To put the doubters’ mind to rest I’ll give you a little
In fact everyone should visit a circus at regular inter- anecdote. A day earlier I had been called out to examine
vals, not merely to be entertained but to get in touch with Lonni, the performing cow who had been feeling a bit
ABOVE: Lonni with her
From Your Visitor Centre bovine friends, Lobo the
human endeavour at its most earthy, its most real, to feel
the passion, to watch and spend some time with ordinary
poorly. Medical examination completed, some samples
taken, I departed with the advice that Lonni should prob-
pony and trainer/carer people doing extraordinary things and then come to the ably not go on stage until the test results came back — a
Robin Howell.
Wildflower Show and realisation that we live in an era where such people are sort of veterinary version of “take two aspirins and have
increasingly scarce and are anything but ordinary. a good lie down”.
Guided Walk I should mention that
Lonni is actually part of a
YOUR FERGUSON VALLEY GUIDE
The Collie Visitor Centre will be blooming troupe of three performing
with a great display of local wildflowers. bovines.
Anyway, as the time for
The display will run for three days from the next performance
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th October. 1 Gnomesville 4 Ferguson Hart 7 10 Willow approached, Lonni was
left in her compound with
A guided wildflower walk will leave Estate Bridge Estate
Lyndendale Gallery some fresh hay while her
the Visitor Centre on Friday at 1pm. Gardincourt Drive Henty 828 Crooked Brook Rd Gardincourt Drive, two companions went on
www.lyndendale.com.au Ferguson Valley to perform without her.
Cost is $9 per person ferg.hart.est@westnet.com.au gilliesljdv@msn.com.au www.willowbridge.com.au Well, that was the plan
including the bus. 08 9728 0144 08 9728 3038 08 9728 0055 but Lonni, being a per-
forming artist of note and a
2 Evedon Park Bush Resort
205 Lennard Rd, Burekup
5 Henty Brook Estate 8 St Aidan 11 Moody cow of artistic tempera-
Gardincourt Drive,
Saturday: www.evedonpark.com.au Ferguson Valley Ferguson Rd, Ferguson Valley Cow ment, had different ideas.
www.saintaidan.com 791 Ferguson Rd She knew what every good
info@evedonpark.com.au 08 9728 1459
Collie Country Markets 08 9726 3012 08 9728 3007 www.moodycow.com.au performing artist knows:
moodycowbrewery@bigpond.com The show must go on!
Showgrounds Pavilion off Coombe Street. With that in mind she
08 9728 3553
8am – 12 noon. took matters in her own
3 Ferguson Falls 6 Kingtree 9 Wild Bull 12 hooves, popped out of the
Wines Brewery compound, ducked past
Wines NOW OPEN Carlaminda Wines and the startled “stage door”
Namastey Lavender Farm Pile Road Kingtree Rd THURSDAY
www.kingtreelodge.com.au French Bistro attendant and joined the
fergusonfalls@harboursat.com.au Pile Road 59 Richards Rd, Ferguson performance with an
Glen Mervyn. kingtreelodge@aol.com beer@wildbullbrewery.com.au www.carlaminda.com - qpwo@iap.net.au annoyed “sorry I’m late
Open Saturday, Tuesday & Thursday 08 9728 1083 08 9728 3050 08 9728 0737 08 9728 3002 but they really stuffed me
from 2-5pm. around this time and
where are my props?”
Entry fee of $7.50 includes Devonshire tea. look on her face.
Lavender products on sale include To avoid the embarrass-
ment of having to forcibly
handcream, soaps, essential oils, giftware drag her out of the ring,
and local olive oil. stage props were hurriedly
provided and she smugly
completed the show.
For more information on the above activities, I have worked with ani-
mals all my life and I can
contact the Collie Visitor Centre assure you that no domes-
Ph 9734 2051 ticated animal will volun-
2553988
tary pop in front of the
www.collierivervalley.org.au hunter’s gun or jump out
of the pen to get first in line
for the abattoir. The point
is, that if things are well
and sensitively done,
domesticated animals by
and large enjoy working
2565685
with humans.