European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april 82007 scene stars and stripes Pace 19 Jennifer Walker checks her Eye makeup in a trucks Sid View Mirror before she and Reyna Moss background make an appearance in the big top and you have to practice he says watching son Brett juggle Fourfis Esix balls hours before his two daily performances while the teacher conducts his two hour class and the music Man unpacks Geart the showpiece takes shape mothers fathers and enthralled children watch As Frank Murray and his Topsy help raise the re Blue big top up Murray commands As the harnessed animal drags another Metal pole into place Back up ready up up Good girl with the tent standing a stiff wind whipping its four flags workers move in the Meta bleachers that can seat 1500 they hang the trapeze run Aerial cables and electrical ground wires and set up the ring that will Frame the show John Ringling North ii walks about watching the action he bought the circus this year 40 years after his father and Uncle sold the famed circus that bears the family name and he and wife Shirley have come from their ranch in Ireland to spend a week with their investment this is a circus says North not one of those shows in a building its important for kids to see what this is like in the Kitchen trailer Cook Sara Aca and her husband Benjamin Romero Are preparing a Taco salad lunch i like this circus life says Romero who has been with Kelly Miller for seven years his wife for three you get to travel around and members of the Sun acrobatic Troup stretch As they warm up for another act see places outside the big top Topsy is grazing again with Annette another of the Murray family performing elephants and rebel their miniature Pony nearby Laura Herri Oft and buddy Ragland fend to Ali the the Llama and the circus donkeys horse and ponies Herriott is a daughter of circus Hall of Famer John Herri Ott with the inside setup Complete the Pace slows members of the resales family come to the ring for their daily practice Brett juggles balls and clubs aunts car men and Deya work Hula hoops for a future act Nephew Gerard watches from a trapeze Nap time is generally 1 to 3 pm but Brett 16 and Gerard 11 juggle on Perez the big top Boss walks around the ring checking and straightening the music Man and ringmaster run through sound and lighting checks Moss takes his ringmaster duties serious in drawn to circuses As a child in Knox Lille Tenn he has worked under the big top 18 of his 40 years a Good show is cohesive and fast spaced he says Between checks we dont want the audience thinking we want them feeling six Earold troupe Shelton is feeling the excitement As he grips his ticket to the show mom look he cries Ture ponies Hes foaming at the his Mother Lyle Shelton of Farmersville Hes been drawing pictures of the circus the Pony ride draws children As do rides atop the Camel and elephant As do the inflated souvenirs and the Popcorn and Cotton Candy and cold Driks barely nine hours after the first trucks rolled in the music Man is picking up the Pace with Broadway tunes sounding the Call to Showtime the ringmaster sport ing Black knee boots top hat and red Swallow tailed coat Waits microphone at hand is buddy rag and excited the animal keeper wags his hand Soso he says Hes seen plenty in 25 years with the circus i guess theres some excitement in everybody he says looking at the Chil Dren Hes just helped off a Camel ride that what makes it right there them kids