UNDER THE BIG TOP

Sanders County was entertained yet again by the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus (CMC) that came into Thompson Falls. The big tent was raised at 9:30 a.m. last Wednesday and a tour was given shortly after where spectators could get a closer look at the animals that would be performing in the two shows later that evening. 

CMC prides itself on the care it puts toward the animals in the performances and makes sure that Francis the lion and Delilah the tiger have plenty of free time to play with their toys or take a cat nap. They also visit the vet for a checkup every 30 days. The ponies and horses stretch their legs and run at every venue when their corral is set up. 

CMC has been traveling the country for 32 years. The 90-minute show visits more than 200 towns in 17 different states. The big cats perform to kick off the show followed by Leo the clown, who came out driving a mini car. Miss Georgia entertained with her amazing skills of contortion and Miss Simone flew high on the trapeze. The Arlise Troupe is a family of performers who all put on a fun and fast-paced unicycle show. Miss Natalie and her team of dancing dogs jumped over hurdles and worked as a team to draw laughs from the crowd. 

Ending the show was the Perez family, who performed various gravity-defying acts such as the Destiny Wheel, where father and son, Memo and Romario Perez, spun around running on a ferris wheel-like contraption that is elevated to almost reach the top of the tent. Romario also swung on the Russian Swing, getting enough momentum to even make a full rotation, before jumping into a net designed to catch him.