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Neighborhood report

Story line will bind together new circus

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus adds a video screen and narrative flair to this year's show.

By ELISABETH DYER
Published December 30, 2005

CHANNEL DISTRICT - Mike Hayward has some tips for teaching your dog - or cat - a trick:

- Keep trainings short, no more than five minutes two or three times a day.

- Keep it positive, praise them.

- And always give a reward.

That's how he trained his favorite elephant, Nicole, to lie down on him without squishing him.

"It's really similar to dog training, you just have bigger treats," says Hayward, an elephant trainer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Each elephant has a favorite treat. For some, it's apples, carrots or oranges. For Nicole, it's a loaf of bread.

Hayward spends about 15 hours a day with Nicole, one of nine elephants performing in the 136th year of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The show opens Wednesday at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Each year, Ringling Bros. designs a new show while at its winter home at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Tampa always sees the premiere.

This time designers shook things up. They rescaled the arena to make more up-close seating, added a jumbo video screen and created a narrative theme.

"This is the first time that we've really had a story line through the show," says Nicole Feld, co-producer of the circus. About 11-million people see the show nationwide each year, she said. About 65,000 attend in Tampa.

They'll get plenty of face time with the elephants this year, Feld says, as they have a big role in the story.

The elephants' day starts at 7:30 a.m., when Hayward arrives at their tent on the fairgrounds.

Hayward, 26, hails from Nailsea, England, and has worked with animals all his life. He sees himself as a teacher and dad to the elephants. He feeds each one about 160 pounds a day of bamboo stalks, hay, and fruit and vegetables.

Every morning the elephants walk about 4 to 5 miles for exercise, then return for baths. Hayward washes them with a fire hose and soap specially designed for elephants. He scrubs them with a wire brush.

"Just like your dog lying down and being scratched all over ... they enjoy it," says Hayward.

Then they go out to play in a fenced yard. It takes about two minutes before they're covered in mud and sand, he said. "Elephants love to make a mess."

Play is where the circus stunts originate.

"We watch what they do in their play time, and we reward them for doing it," Hayward says. "It's pretty much as simple as that, really."

The youngest, 4-year-old Sara, likes to climb and kick tires while Juliette likes to pick up logs and throw them on the ground.

An elephant is about as smart as a dolphin or a 3-year-old child and can learn about 65 verbal commands, Hayward said. A dog can learn about 20, he said.

It's a matter of establishing a bond, he said.

"The more you do with them, the more they respond to you," he said.

After a month of full days of play and practice, Hayward says the elephants are primed for their roles next week as circus stars.

He can't help being drawn to 29-year-old Nicole. She is the cutest, he says, although not necessarily the brightest.

"She kind of looks like (Sesame Street's) Snuffleupagus," he said, and "the trust between me and her, well, you can't get any more trusting than that."

- Elisabeth Dyer can be reached at edyer@sptimes.com or 813 226-3321.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performs Jan. 4-8 at the St. Pete Times Forum. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. Up-close visits with the elephants, zebras, llamas and tigers begin 90 minutes before each show. An hour before the shows, guests can exercise with performers and learn to juggle or try on costumes. Tickets are $15-$70. Go to ticketmaster.com or call 287-8844.

[Last modified December 29, 2005, 09:01:31]