The circus is in town
THE Ashton Circus family tradition continued in Grafton on the weekend with hundreds of locals taking the chance to watch the spectacle.
Bert Newton describes the Ashton family as show business royalty - the bloodline of circus performances now spanning seven generations with young Remi Rodriguez, 12, now dazzling audiences with his incredible feats of balance, strength and acrobatics.
The show last came to the Valley three years ago and a notable omission from the current production is animals, which, according to performer and Ashton descendant Tamara Rodriquez, was not an easy decision.
In the end the cost of public liability insurance, the challenges of transporting animals over long distances and the need for a large performance space for animals were deciding factors.
Australia has also witnessed a considerable publicity campaign against circus animals in the past decade.
The Ashton Circus heads to Yamba this weekend and tickets are available at the Yamba Street Cafe with funds from some of the tickets going to help fund Yamba girl Bonnie O'Neil's cancer treatment in Germany.
