Cirque Mondo visits Woodstock

Niall Higgins, circus worker, gives elephant Limba a little attention, in the form of a pedicure, before the evening’s shows. Foot care and mouth care are important for the health and longevity of elephants.”

Lindsey Bruggink, Lindsay Paats, Niall Higgins and Marcel Vasseur (left to right) take a much needed break with their German Sheppard Tucker and their elephant Limba prior to Monday night’s Cirque Mondo show at Carleton Civic Centre.”

Lindsay Paats, circus worker, gives camel Todd a little love.

Lindsey Bruggink, circus worker, gives camel Eddie a treat, one of a variety of exotic animals from the Bowmanville Zoo in Ontario

Lindsey Bruggink gives Major the zebra a treat while Lindsay Paats brushes his coat in preparation for Monday night’s Cirque Mondo show in Woodstock.

WOODSTOCK – The Circus came to town Monday night, much to the delight of local children.

“I seen the elephant and a baby camel and a big camel and another big camel,” said four-year-old Alex Pickel, who enjoyed the circus immensely. “My favorite was the motorcycles because I like them.”

Cirque Mondo, a circus based out of Bowmanville, Ontario, made its last Maritime stop at Woodstock’s civic centre. Eager spectators lined up to see two shows put on by the animals from Bowmanville Zoo. Carleton Civic Centre staff said approximately 560 adults and children attended the first show and 700 watched the second.

The show includes aerial acts, animal rides and delicious circus treats.

“There’s balloons and popcorn and those kinds of circus treats,” said Marcel Vasseur, animal trainer. “Then in the first half, some aerial stuff, some animals, some juggling and then you have an intermission where they (children) can come and ride the camels and elephant and the second half is again, a bit of everything.”

Vasseur has been with the circus for four years, working with elephants for five, and working with other animals even longer. He said the show is a lot of fun for both excited adults and children.

Vasseur leads a special act in the show. He and his partner, Limba, dance a waltz, and give rides to the young children. His partner is an elephant. “She’s goes out there, goes around the ring, does some waltzes,” he said. “She gets up on the tub, sits on the tub.”

After her act, Limba lets the children ride her and pet her, said Vasseur.

“She grew up in a zoo by herself and doesn’t like other elephants so she actually prefers people. She’s a sweetheart of an elephant.”

Cirque Mondo is a travelling show; it travels around eastern Canada and Atlantic provinces starting in Quebec. “We do this for two months, travelling everyday to a new town,” Vasseur explained. “After two months, we go back to working at the Bowmanville Zoo, working regular hours, well, regular zoo hours.”

“The last few weeks we’ve been in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and now we’re heading back into Quebec for a couple days before we go home.” Vasseur said although putting on a circus show is a lot of fun, he can’t wait to return to the less stressful life of working at the zoo.

As for four-year-old circus enthusiast, Alex Pickel, he’s already looking forward to the next time the circus comes to town.