John Edward Joyce (February 10, 1876 – June 16, 1934) was an American horse trainer. He was colorful figure in the world of horsemanship and animal training, who had nearly a ten-year career with Buffalo Bill on his Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Joyce toured throughout Europe until the late 1920s. He retired in upstate New York and died June 16, 1934.
Biography
Early years
Joyce was born February 10, 1876, in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, to Patrick J. Joyce and Elizabeth Graham. Joyce turned from his parents' desire that he enter priesthood to a nearly a ten-year career with Col. Cody on his Buffalo Bill's Wild West. In 1896 he was listed in the route book of that show as an assistant in the Cody and Salisbury Horse Department. He eventually became a most daring bronco rider and appeared with Will Rogers in a roping and riding acts in New York theaters. Around that time, he decided to go to Europe rather than start a career in Hollywood movies.
Europe
In 1909 Joyce was in Berlin, Germany, on Circus Busch. On his famous horse, "Two Step", he was hailed as the first bucking horse rider and roper to appear in Europe. In Denmark, Jack became a good friend of young Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe. The Prince presented him with a diamond scarf pin in the shape of a horseshoe superimposed with a whip. However, it seems doubtful if this anecdote regarding Jack Joyce's relationship with Prince Christian and the gift from the Prince is true. In 1911 still on Circus Busch with his horses, he presented a type of wild west drama with some 20 characters.
In January 1912 Jack Joyce's Wild West Show was appearing at Coliseum in London. Later, in May of that year, it was the big attraction at the New Hippodrome Palast in Berlin. The popular American cowboy had with him about a half dozen boys from Texas and a troupe of fake Indians. The "demand for a wild west show is so great that the Germans don't worry about the genuineness of the red skin--all they want is the excitement connected with the show." Joyce had a pretty strong feeling for cowgirls. Although they were not easily found in Berlin, he did not worry. He made a selection among a throng of Berlin maidens and trained them to be cowgirls. In 1916 Jack Joyce was doing well with his circus and wild west show touring Sweden.
Return to America
Early in 1925 Joyce returned with his 9 thoroughbreds to the United States on the SS California from an extended engagement in London. It was a very rough passage. Captain James Blaike had to transfer the animals from improvised stalls on the shelter deck to an inner freight square on another deck.
Beginning at the end of January, he performed with his Wonder Horses for several weeks on the Keith-Albee-Orpheum Circuit at the New York Hippodrome. His 15-minute presentation was far above the average horse act, but did not begin to compare with John Aggee's equines that had appeared previously in the same setting at the Hippodrome. The two acts were different. Joyce's presentation was the typical circus offering of the kind where the animals followed set routines. It opened with a high school turn with various types of 1 and 2 steps to music with Joyce in the saddle. Then Jack dismounted and put his black steed through a ritual where it knelt and ran between 2 cannons in the ring. Carrying flags it jumped over the cannons and fired them. Later in the engagement, Joyce, for the sake of a smoother presentation, replaced this part of the act with a riding turn. Next, the drollery of an English comic brought forth mild laughter. Cossack trick riding with various unique feats scored well as the horse and rider raced around the ring. Following came 6 showy equines with royal plumes and glittering harness. They did a nice drill which ended with their marching on the rim of the ring curb. The horses were somewhat hesitant in their movements and notably nervous, probably as a result of experiencing the very rough ocean crossing just two weeks earlier.
Later, R.C. Carlisle wrote from Buffalo, New York: "Recently dropped in backstage at, Shea's Theatre, Toronto to say hello to Jack Joyce, old timer of the Wild West, who has been in Europe for a number of years. Jack now has a real European act of highly schooled horses and a Russian Cossack trick rider.... Joyce's horses are beautiful black thoroughbreds that will rank with the best in Europe."