REEL I. ALEX KERR, famous trainer of Tigers for over 20 years, putting his tiger, KHAN and his 3 tigresses, SITA - NADA - and BEGUM through their paces. Khan, Sita and Nada are 7 years old. Begum is 2 1/2 years old.



REEL 2. BILLY MERCHANT, the Clown, helps ? with the grooming of LAXMI, the 6 year old elephant.



WHIPEY, the Camel and BOGEY, the Llama, out for exercise.



MARINA, the Poodle, in training in a practice ring.



MARINA is an enthusiastic skipper. She is 18 months old.



Two of the High School Horses at exercise in the practice ring.



SMUGGLER ridden by KURT DUBROW and ERGA ridden by PHYLLIS ALLAN doing the 'Piaffe' (short step) and the 'Spanish Trot' (longer step)



REEL 3. HAPPY, the female giraffe, 18 months old, one of the shyest of the family, is fed by BILLY, the clown.



A corner of one of the harness rooms where the accoutrements of horse and coach are constantly attended to.



Feather plumes are part of the regalia of the famous horse acts.



Caravans are prepared for the move to London.



Cinderella's miniature coach receives a final polish whilst a sign-writer prepares the many notices for the great circus.




Initials


This year many of the acts will be coming from abroad with the result that the picture material available at Ascot is much less than in previous years.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Christmas circus season is almost upon us, and at the winter headquarters of the Bertram Mills organization at Kings Ride, Ascot, Berkshire, there is great activity in preparing for the opening.

Alex Kerr, famous trainer of tigers for over 20 years, for instance, is busy polishing up the acts of his tiger Khan and three tigresses, Sita, Nada, and Begum. Begum is the 'baby' at 2 1/2 years old. The others are each seven.

Billy Merchant, the clown, is helping (or is he?) with the grooming of Laxmi, the 6-year old elephant. Whipey, the camel and Bogey, the Llama are out for exercise while Marina, the 18 months old Poodle skips enthusiastically in the practice ring.

Two of the High School Horses, Smuggler, ridden by Kurt Dubrow and Erga, ridden by Phyllis Allan, also take their turn in the ring.

All the 'props' too are being cleaned and renovated, ready for the caravan trip to London and the re-opening of 'The Greatest Show on Earth.