Wild West Shows For Western Wednesday...

Sometimes we forget how entertaining our Wild West was to other countries. I seems they did quite well when they traveled abroad, where they made quite a hit!

Australians Loved Them

Photo credit: Siegel Cooper & Co.

While the Wild West shows originated in the United States, Australians flocked to the shows when they came to their country. In 1891, Wirth’s Wild West Show was flooded with people in Sydney. The show boasted about having a Sioux chief, American Bear, who was set to race a New Zealand race horse around the track.

Skuthorp’s Wild West Show visited Adelaide in 1911 and drew in country visitors from all around to see the show. The show’s claim to fame was “the riding of a cow bareback by a lady.” It was stated that the event was sure to “prove a great draw.” Another Wild West show in 1911, run by a Lieutenant Colonel Stacey, promised the people of Australia three Native American chiefs, a medicine man, 26 “full-blooded Indians,” and a single Native American girl.

By 1947, Australians were giving their own Wild West shows, featuring real Australian outlaws and a Maori entertainer.

I always thought that early Australia was wild enough without having to see the shows from our wild west. Guess I was wrong.

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. How about some hot gingerbread?