Day 2 of circus competitions was initiated by the Orlov Trotters, which have been bred in Russia for 250 years, are famed for beauty and gentility, have manes tied in pony tails, and heads and chests decorated with ornaments made by their riders. 

The couple in charge of the 12 horses comes from generations of animal trainers. They and their charges performed eloquently, exhibiting a combination of technical difficulty and aesthetics depicting free, unrestrained, and romantic movements. Watching were a panel of judges and an audience of 5,000 attending the 3rd International Circus Festival on Nov 24. All 13 acts of the day featured animals.

Orlov Trotters [Photo / Zhuhai Daily]

One Among the Lions was then performed by Goncharov Vladyslav from Ukraine, his 12-year-old son Timur, and eight African lions. The highlight was when Vladyslav lifted a lion on his shoulders eliciting a hearty round of applause. 

The judging panel consists of eight foreigners and three Chinese, each of them a leading circus figure. All acts in the second round on Nov 25 were vying for monetary Golden Tiger Awards. The trophy is a jumping white tiger, which is the mascot of the festival’s major organizer Chimelong Group. The tiger also symbolizes fighting spirit and the festival’s justice, equity, professionalism, and high quality, according to a spokesperson.