Inner-row Jumper - Gus
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Carver: Gus Buysen
Painters: Linda Chalmers & Jean Roth
Size: 36" chest to rump
Status: finished
Sponsor: The Buysen-Harper-Blackett Family
Gus is the first horse carved by an Edmontonian for the FEP Carousel. Gus Buysen, a member of the 1920s Midway Committee, traveled to Montana in the fall of 2000 to take a crash one-week carving course from Bob Cherot. While there, Gus carved half a leg and half a head, quite a feat for someone who had never carved in his life before! Gus returned home to buy the necessary carving tools and set up a carving workshop before putting in an estimated 500 hours to complete his horse.
Gus is a replica of a Stein and Goldstein jumper. The original horse was carved about 1914. Stein and Goldstein steeds were massive muscled horses, inspired by the Czar's cavalry mounts in their native Russia, circa 1912. Typically their horses were powerful figures with fierce expressions, large saddles, big belts and buckles, fishscale blankets, knobby knees and real tails. Gus' replica is no exception.
Karaghez was painted by the team of Linda Chalmers and the noted Edmonton artist, Jean Roth.