New Exhibit Displays History of Georgian Trick Riders in USA

A new photography exhibit is on display at Tbilisi’s Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art. The exhibit tells the story of Georgian horseback riders who, more than a century ago, visited the United States and wowed Americans with their dramatic talents and exotic culture.  

A team of trick riders from Georgia’s western Guria region toured the United States for 30 years, performing in circuses starting in 1892 as part of several popular shows including the internationally famous Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. The original team was composed of 10 men between the ages of 18 and 25.

The MoMA exhibit has over 50 photographs, videos, and posters from the Gurians’ performances on display. At the time, they were advertised as “Russian Cossacks,” as Georgia was administered as part of the Russian Empire.

Equestrian historian Irakli Makharadze designed the exhibition, based on the research for his 2015 book titled Georgian Trick Riders in American Wild West Shows, 1890s-1920s in 2015. Makharadze writes, “Out of all the international performers, the Georgian riders’ performance was perhaps the most popular feature of the Wild West Show. Only Indians and cowboys enjoyed similar popularity. It is very interesting that the Cossacks became an essential feature of every respectable show of that time.”

Makharadze said the riders “won widespread recognition and significantly influenced cowboys.” In his 1975 book “Trick and Fancy Riding,” author Frank Dean wrote that “The cowboy already experimented enough to be making flying and running mounts, most of them knew how to stand in the saddle, some knew how to vault... When the Cossacks came to the United States for the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, the Americans picked up some hints and bright ideas. From that date on trick riding had a boom from coast to coast.”

Museum organizers say the exhibit displays "one of the oldest known relationships between Georgia and the United States of America.”

“Georgian Horsemen in America” will be on display at the MoMA, located at 27 Rustaveli Ave., through June 25.

By Samantha Guthrie

Photo: Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art