By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
CONNEAUT — A collective gasp of disbelief rose from the big-top crowd at the Kelly Miller Circus Sunday afternoon as a huge Belgian horse stumbled and fell during the equestrian act.
The sorrel horse, named Queenie, was hitched to an equally large black Percheron horse when she suddenly collapsed, rolling under the hooves of the black horse and throwing two bareback riders.
No one was injured in the incident, ringmaster John Moss III said, though the bareback riders known as the Armondo Loyal Riders quickly exited the tent with the horses. A young boy was one of the two riders to fall, but he was harnessed to the tent ceiling and never hit the ground.
The other rider, named Armondo, did fall to the ground, Queenie’s hard hooves kicking inches from his head.
“The riders are fine,” Moss said. “Everyone is OK. Queenie, the horse that fell, is also OK. We love our animals and all our animals are special members of the Kelly Miller Circus family,” Moss said.
Eric Runnion, of Jefferson, said was just yards from where the horses fell.
“I have never seen a horse fall like that. Being that we are so packed in here and she fell right in front of us, it made me kind of nervous,” he said.
Also in the front row with his three young granddaughters, Russell Fetterolf, who has some experience riding and showing horses, said he is grateful Queenie didn’t fall into one of the tent support poles.
