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Giustino “Papa” Loyal

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Giustino “Papa” Loyal Famous memorial

Birth
Turin, Città Metropolitana di Torino, Piemonte, Italy
Death
17 Jan 1999 (aged 89)
Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida, USA
Burial
Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Entertainer. Equestrian. Born into the Loyal-Repensky troupe in Torino, Italy, he became the 6th generation of his family to become a circus performer. He began his career at the age of 6, and the troupe performed throughout Europe, occasionally before such now historic figures such as Mussolini and Hitler and the British royal family. During a 1931 performance in Belgium, they were seen and recruited by John Ringling. The following year, the were center ring performers with Ringling Brothers Circus. They remained featured performers with them for 27 years. Their Ringling act featured an unusual seven-man pyramid based on five horses, with four post riders and three top-mounters. Giustino's signature stunt was to somersault off the back of a galloping horse over the heads of five more, to land on the back of a sixth. He later formed a troupe, The Grand Circo Loyal Americano, which toured South and Central America, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. In 1958 he retired from performing and co-founded Sailor Circus, the amateur circus of Sarasota, Florida for which he was one of the principal teachers. He remained active in the circus community even after his retirement, coaching performers with the Sailor Circus until just two years prior to his death. He was inducted into the circus hall of fame in 1978.
Entertainer. Equestrian. Born into the Loyal-Repensky troupe in Torino, Italy, he became the 6th generation of his family to become a circus performer. He began his career at the age of 6, and the troupe performed throughout Europe, occasionally before such now historic figures such as Mussolini and Hitler and the British royal family. During a 1931 performance in Belgium, they were seen and recruited by John Ringling. The following year, the were center ring performers with Ringling Brothers Circus. They remained featured performers with them for 27 years. Their Ringling act featured an unusual seven-man pyramid based on five horses, with four post riders and three top-mounters. Giustino's signature stunt was to somersault off the back of a galloping horse over the heads of five more, to land on the back of a sixth. He later formed a troupe, The Grand Circo Loyal Americano, which toured South and Central America, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. In 1958 he retired from performing and co-founded Sailor Circus, the amateur circus of Sarasota, Florida for which he was one of the principal teachers. He remained active in the circus community even after his retirement, coaching performers with the Sailor Circus until just two years prior to his death. He was inducted into the circus hall of fame in 1978.

Bio by: Iola


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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Added: Feb 1, 1999
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4441/giustino-loyal: accessed ), memorial page for Giustino “Papa” Loyal (2 Aug 1909–17 Jan 1999), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4441, citing Palms Memorial Park, Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.