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Rieffenach Family Equestrian Act
The Rieffenach family were circus performers who specialized in a Bareback riding act that performed in Europe and the United States during the first half of the 20th century[1]. Family members Maria (Mitzi) Rieffenach and Rose (Rosie) Rieffenach were inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame in 1970[2]. The Rieffenach Family Equestrian Act originated from the marriage of Maria Enders of the Hungarian Circus Enders, and Simon Rieffenach. The family performed with the Sarrasani Circus in Europe from 1905 and were with the German Circus Carl Hagenbeck in 1921. The Rieffenach Family Riding Act came to the United States in 1922 after being booked to perform for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The Rieffenach Family Act was with Ringling Brothers for sixteen years through 1938. In her memoir Tiny Kline, the famous circus acrobat, stated: "The Rieffenachs' riding act had been the feature in the center ring of the Big Show since their arrival from Austria"[3]. In 1939 the Rieffenachs went on the Cole Bros. Circus, performing through 1943 after which the act was disbanded. One son, James Rieffenach, continued riding with the Poodles Hanneford Act, while the other members of the act retired.
The members of the act included the matriarch, Maria Enders Rieffenach, and her daughters, Mitzi Rieffenach Jahn, Rose Rieffenach Bruce, Betty Rieffenach Olvera and James Rieffenach.[3] The mother Maria owned and managed the act but did not ride in the performances in the United States. An equestrian herself, she had performed bareback in Europe with her sister, Paula Enders Balasic, with the Circus Enders owned by their father. Maria joined the Rieffenach Act and after the Circus Enders closed in 1905 the act joined the Sarrasani Circus, Her sister Paula had left earlier to form the 5 Balasis Acrobatic Act with her husband Victor Balasic.
In addition to the Rieffenach family members, the act included Clarence Bruce, husband of Rose.
In addition to the many circus art posters created for The Rieffenach Sisters, they were the subjects for a painting by the famous artist John Steuart Curry and a print by the famous illustrator and lithographer, Robert Riggs.
Alternative names[edit]
- Geschwister Rieffenach Akrobatinnen zu Pferde
- The Rieffenach Troupe
- The Rieffenach Sisters Riding Beauties of International Fame
- Miss Rose Rieffenach Hungarian Queen of Equestrianism
- Rose Rieffenach Champion Equestrienne of Continental Europe
- Miss Rose Rieffenach World's Greatest Equestrienne
[1] [2] [3] [4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Draper, John (January–February 2006). "Those Riding Rieffenachs". Bandwagon. Vol. 50 (No. 1): 22–28. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
{{cite journal}}:|issue=has extra text (help);|volume=has extra text (help)CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ a b Hohenadel, Walter (September–October 1970). "Circus Hall of Fame Enshrines Rieffenach Sisters". The White Tops. Vol.43 (No.5): 3. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
{{cite journal}}:|issue=has extra text (help);|volume=has extra text (help)CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ a b c Davis, Janet (2008). Circus Queen & Tinker Bell The Memoir of Tiny Kline (first ed.). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois. pp. 167–171. ISBN 978-0-252-07510-0.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ Atwell, H. A. (Aug 2, 1931). "Circus is coming to town". Tribune Company. Chicago Sunday Tribune. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2004. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
Rose Rieffenach bareback equestrienne
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External links[edit]
- Rieffenach Poster Collection held by the Ringling Museum of the Circus, Sarasota, Florida
- Rieffenach Circus records - photographs, movies, poster art, held by the Robert L. Parkinson Library, Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin
- Rieffenach poster held by the Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Rose Rieffenach Circus records, held by the Milner Library at the Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
- Rieffenach Poster Collection in the Heiser-Aalban Collection of Circus Historical Materials held by the Houston Public Library, Houston Texas
- Rieffenach painting "The Rieffenach Sisters" by John Steuart Curry held by the Samuel P. Harn Museum, University of Florida
- Rose Rieffenach poster held by Library and Archives Canada
