Wild West Georgians

Wild West Georgians deals with an extraordinary fate of Georgian trick riders who in the end of the 19th century and in the begenning of the 20th century paerticipated in numerous Wild West shows and who were wrongly assocciated with Russian Cossacks.


Thomas Oliver (1867 – 1943), a commissioner, arrived in Georgia (then part of Russian Empire) to locate riders for Wild West show in the United States. In Batumi, Oliver stopped at the home of James Chambers, the British Council. An employee of Chambers, a fellow named Kirile Jorbenadze, who was on familiar terms with some of the riders in Guria, offered help. Oliver accepted and soon the two men plus vice-council Harry Briggs, departed to the village of Lanchkhuti. On the way there they stopped at village of Bakhvi, where they visited Ivane Makharadze, a distinguished rider who promised Oliver that he would be responsible for signing up other riders.

Markoz Jgenti

Ivane and Barthlome Baramidzes and the Indians

Georgian riders in London, 1892

Georgian riders were known to do the most unbelievable stunts while galloping.
The act usually began with Georgian native dances and songs, and then was followed by stunt riding. It represented the perfection of man and horse and the Georgians did some unimaginable things. There are some quotes from American newspapers testify to their unique riding skill, “They stood in the saddle, on their feet and on their hands and kicked their legs as the horses flew madly around. They rode standing in their saddles with their faces facing their horses tails and chased each other to capture a handkerchief carried in their mouth…” (The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 9, 1893).
From left: Vasil Chkonia, David Chkonia, Frida Mgaloblishvili, Dimitri Mgaloblishvili, Zosime Pataraia

Georgian famale rider Maro Zakareishvili

The Wild West show's female employees brought more grace to the Georgians' performances. The first Gurian woman who made it to America was Frida Mgaloblishvili. She arrived in 1893. Very little is known about Frida. She was born on August 7, 1871 in Ozurgeti.
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