Ringling Big Cat Trainer Sheds Light on Circus Life

While many kids dream of running away to join the circus, Alexander Lacey actually did.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus big cat trainer takes to the spotlight on a regular basis to awe crowds with his animal training abilities. And, while a cuddle from a lion is most certainly a thrill of a lifetime, Lacey said the job isn’t as glamorous as star-struck children might believe.

“It’s a lot of work,” Lacey told Patch. “What a lot of people don’t realize is it is a 24-hour a day, 365-day-a-year job. The animals rely on you entirely.”

Lacey comes by his passion for animals naturally. His parents, he explained, owned two zoos in England and he began helping with animal care when he was about the age of 4.

“I went to boarding school and when I came back on holiday I would spend my time looking after all the animals, but especially the big cats,” he said.

By the time Lacey was 17, his mind was made up: He wanted to work with big cats full time.

That decision, he said, is one he’s glad he made.

“It’s a way of life,” he admits.

For others considering a similar path, Lacey reminds that the job isn’t easy.

“You’re not in the spotlight all day long; only a few minutes a day,” he said. “My advice would be that you have to really enjoy it and the only way to find out ‘what’s for you’ would be to get a job at a kennel, a zoo or stable and see if you really love being around animals and putting in the hard work it takes to care for animals properly.”

Lacey is one of the performers who will take the spotlight in Tampa soon. Ringling Bros. is rolling into town with its Legends show Jan. 6-10 at the Amalie Arena. A number of other performers are also lined up for the event, including the acrobatic Solar Hawks and the Riders of the Wind trick riders.

As for Lacey’s act, people can anticipate seeing the relationship he’s worked so hard to forge with the cats in his care, he said.

“It’s a mixed act of lions and tigers working together, which is unusual,” he said. “They will show their natural abilities throughout the presentation, like jumping over each other or standing on their hind legs. Some parts of the act you get to see what a great friendship I have with the cats where I hug, cuddle or tickle their bellies.”

Tickets for the show are on sale now through the McDonald’s Ticket Office at the Amalie Arena, through Ticketmaster outlets and via www.Ticketmaster.com. Phone orders are also available by calling 800-745-3000. Ticket prices start at $16.

The performance schedule is as follows:

• Jan. 6-8 at 7:30 p.m.
• Jan. 9 at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Jan. 10 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment