The Diving Horse of Atlantic City
A diving horse is an attraction that was popular in the mid 1880s, in which a horse would dive into a pool of water, sometimes from as high as 60 feet up.
History
William "Doc" Carver "invented" the idea of horse diving exhibitions. Allegedly, in 1881 Carver was crossing a bridge over Platte River (Nebraska) which partially collapsed. His horse fell/dived into the waters below, inspiring Carver to develop the diving horse act. Carver trained various animals and went on tour. His partner, Al Floyd Carver constructed the ramp and tower and his rider Lorena Carver was the first rider. Sonora Webster joined the show in 1924. She later married Al Floyd Carver. The show became a permanent fixture at Atlantic City's very popular venue, Steel Pier. There, Sonora, Al and Lorena continued the show following his death.
In 1931, Sonora Webster Carver and her horse "Red Lips" lost their balance on the platform. Sonora survived the fall, but was blinded (caused by detached retinas in both eyes). She continued horse-diving while blind. In 1991, Disney released a film titled Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken based on Webster's life and her memoir A Girl and Five Brave Horses.
History
William "Doc" Carver "invented" the idea of horse diving exhibitions. Allegedly, in 1881 Carver was crossing a bridge over Platte River (Nebraska) which partially collapsed. His horse fell/dived into the waters below, inspiring Carver to develop the diving horse act. Carver trained various animals and went on tour. His partner, Al Floyd Carver constructed the ramp and tower and his rider Lorena Carver was the first rider. Sonora Webster joined the show in 1924. She later married Al Floyd Carver. The show became a permanent fixture at Atlantic City's very popular venue, Steel Pier. There, Sonora, Al and Lorena continued the show following his death.
In 1931, Sonora Webster Carver and her horse "Red Lips" lost their balance on the platform. Sonora survived the fall, but was blinded (caused by detached retinas in both eyes). She continued horse-diving while blind. In 1991, Disney released a film titled Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken based on Webster's life and her memoir A Girl and Five Brave Horses.
In February 2012, It was announced that a diving horse act would return to the Steel Pier In Atlantic City as part of the recently approved Tourism Master Plan.
Animal rights
The shows received very strong criticisms of animal rights abuses, which contributed to the decline of its popularity after World War II. The horses sometimes dove four times a day, seven days a week. There are allegations of using prods, electrical jolts, and trap doors to get unwilling horses to dive.
Plan to bring diving horse act back to Steel Pier draws criticism from animal-rights activists
February 3, 2012
When the iconic diving horse act returns to the Steel Pier this summer, spectators can expect to see a horse ridden by a stunt diver jump from a platform 30 to 40 feet in the air, much like the original attraction made famous in the 1920s.
Another trapping of the shows, at least the 1990s version of the act, also is likely to return: Animal-rights protesters.
The show’s latest reprisal will be a far cry from the diving horse act last seen at the pier during a two-month stint in 1993, which came to an abrupt close following protests by several animal-rights groups. At that time, the show featured two ponies, a mule and a dog jumping 15 feet into a pool of water. No riders were involved.
“This is a full-scale, custom act,” said Tony Catanoso, one of the pier’s owners. “We know the diving horse is controversial, but I think people need to look at the bigger picture. A diving horse is going to be iconic. It’s going to be a small piece of the development project that will bring family entertainment back to Atlantic City.”
The original show began in the late 1920s and featured swimsuit-clad women on horses diving from a 40-foot platform. The show was discontinued months after Resorts International purchased the pier in 1978.
Plans for the show’s return were announced Wednesday when the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved a $6 million contribution to the $20 million first phase of the Steel Pier improvement project. The attraction coincides with the goals of the city’s newly unveiled Master Plan to improve upon existing elements within the city.
However, statements Thursday by animal-rights groups suggest that the show will face opposition.
“The Humane Society of the United States emphatically opposes equine diving acts, which subject the animals to inhumane and potentially abusive situations in the course of their training, transport and performance,” Keith Dane, director of equine protection for the Humane Society of the United States, said in a written statement. “The stress and trauma endured by these animals, in addition to the risk of injury to them, make these acts unacceptable. They are senseless animal exploitation, for the sake of entertainment and profit.”
The Humane Society’s response to the act in 1993 included flying a banner plane over the Steel Pier to protest the show.
Catanoso, however, is adamant that nothing cruel or inhumane will be associated with the attraction. An out-of-state private consultant, whom he declined to name, is training three horses with trick divers that will rotate through the shows.
The diving horse is planned as the finale to a 15- to 20-minute show at an indoor amphitheater at the pier — likely with four shows on weekdays and six on weekends. Three or four other acts, including acrobats, will go on before the horse; none of the other acts includes animals. There will be an admission fee of less than $10 for the show, though the exact price has yet to be determined.
There are plans to show off the horses outside the pier as well, possibly allowing them to walk on the resort’s beaches in the morning, Catanoso said. Atlantic City is looking to bring horseback riding back to the resort’s beaches this summer between Steel Pier and Jackson Avenue. The city, however, has not yet selected a vendor to provide the service.
Sue McDonnell, an equine behaviorist at the University of Pennsylvania, said to a small degree, there is something natural about a horse jumping into water. She’s observed semi-wild horses, particularly young foals, voluntarily jumping into ponds from inclines of 5 or 6 feet. However, that behavior is very rare.
“I don’t think anybody has ever studied how high they will voluntarily jump from for sure,” said McDonnell, who also owns a private equine consulting business based in Unionville, Pa. “Some horses do actually dive in that they will put their head down, dive, go under water, and come up like a person.”
Still, she said, she was surprised to hear about the return of a diving horse act to Atlantic City.
The above text is an excerpt from an article published in Press of Atlantic City - to read the entire article, please click HERE!
The Petition
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Protests lead Steel Pier owners
to drop plans to bring back diving horse
February 15, 2012
Steel Pier owners scrapped plans this afternoon to bring back the diving horse after the iconic yet controversial attraction prompted "disturbing" backlash from animal rights activists.
"We did expect a negative reaction - we're not surprised by this," said Tony Catanoso, principal of Steel Pier Associates.
"This time around, it's a little more disturbing, some of the responses we're getting as far as the way people talk, ... which hurts their cause, hurts their credibility."
Catanoso declined to comment on whether he'd been threatened or to provide more details about the communications that have caused concern.
"We didn't want the negativity to derail the positive things that are happening," he said. "Although we'll preserve history and nostalgia in our own way, we won't be doing it through the diving horse act."
Outcry from animal rights activists against the diving horse act prompted Catanoso to close it after a two-month stint in 1993, 15 years after its original run concluded, at the request of former pier owners Trump Entertainment.
Tony, Charles and William Catanoso bought the 1,000-feet-long structure at auction for $4.2 million in August. They and partner Paul Steelman announced the return of the diving horse during a presentation Feb. 1 to the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. The CRDA then approved a $6 million loan for the first $20 million phase of a $102 million revitalization of the pier expected to be completed in 2015.
Some 50,000 people have since signed one of several online petitions against the plan to bring back the diving horse. Catanoso said he is aware of the petitions, but was not aware of the protest being organized at CRDA headquarters in Atlantic City on Tuesday during the next board meeting.
"They're certainly within their rights to do that," he said.
Tracy Chafin, co-organizer of the protest, said she'll cancel the demonstration.
"We're glad to hear they're putting the voices of those who spend tourism dollars first," Chafin said. "If they don't have any animal-based entertainment, I'll be there on opening day to give them my business. And those people who signed the petition are encouraged to give them business to show their appreciation as well. We gratefully say thank you."
She also was glad the worrisome messages from animal rights advocates ultimately were not counter-productive.
"If we don't approach one another with respect, then nothing positive is going to happen. We are encouraging, with our movement, politeness and respect, first and foremost," Chafin said.
CRDA officials knew about plans for the diving horse when Catanoso and his associates applied for the loan, said CRDA real estate director Bunny Rixey.
"The issue with animal rights activists stood out like a red flag, that ... there might be a problem," Rixey said today. "Any question animal rights activists might have, (Steel Pier Associates) had those answers, ... but I don't know (the activists) will ever have that comfort level."
Under state laws effective a year ago, the CRDA controls planning and development in the Atlantic City Tourism District, which includes the Steel Pier.
Source: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/article_a19c4e32-5739-11e1-be73-0019bb2963f4.html
