By Matt Kelly

Shriners replacing annual circus with horse and acrobat spectacle

Apr 26, 2016 | 12:38 PM

Eager circus goers in the Battlefords will be seeing a different kind of spectacle when the Wa Wa Shriners’ annual event comes to town in the late spring.

In years prior, the Shriners would have brought their circus with wild animals like lions, tigers and elephants to communities across the province, but now it is horses and acrobats as part of the Equestrian and Ma’ceo Show.

Provincial circus event chairman for the Wa Wa Shriners Stuart Larson described the show as a Cirque due Soliel style show with horses, aerial acrobatics and some comedy.

He feels Ma’ceo is a completely new show for the public and something people need to see.

“You’re going to see something entirely different than what you’ve had (in the past),” he said. “There is going to be a lot of horse acts but this (is) going from a circus model to something that’s entirely different. It’s like going to a play, going to a concert, going to a thrill show all rolled into one.”

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The Wa Wa Shriners decided to make the change because attitudes have changed about circuses and the treatment of the stereotypical circus animals.

Larson pointed towards the innovation in the Shriners hospitals as an example of them listening to the public and aren’t afraid to make changes.

“We made changes in our world to be successful in there (the hospitals) and we’ve done the same thing here. We have had people that have mentioned to us that they’re not a fan of having these exotic animals in,” Larson said.

Larson stressed the animals used in the Shrine circuses of the past have all been treated very well and had the proper training and veterinarians.

The show itself can be modified and changed up depending on the target audience and where the show is taking place.

“In the Battlefords, it will be a family oriented show,” Larson said. “So it will geared towards that crowd and there will be all kinds of things for the kids to see.”

Larson added with Saskatchewan’s proud ranching and cowboy history, a horse show fits right into the culture of many people’s lives.

Ma’ceo will have its North Battleford performance on June 9 at the Civic Centre. The other stops on the tour are Estevan on June 1, Regina from June 3 to 5, Melville on June 7 and ending in Saskatoon from June 10 to 12.

mkelly@jpbg.ca