THE PERFECT PAIR DOLPHIN TRILOGY’S TRAINER CHALLENGES 'A REVIEW OF DOLPHINARIA' BY KLINOWSKA AND BROWN
I'M THROUGH PUSSYFOOTING AROUND!With all the recent publicity surrounding the South Elmsall secret training pool, this is as good a time as any to put the record straight. As the former head trainer featured in The Perfect Pair Dolphin Trilogy book series, I learned my craft at this West Yorkshire location. It’s time that both public and activists knew the TRUE facts, so here they are laid out for all to read.
The pool was owned by John Nolan, a well-respected water-filtration engineer and a man considered to be well ahead of his time in his field.The facility was leased to Entam Leisure, a subsidiary of the international conglomerate, The Trust House Forte group.The first dolphins to arrive at the South Elmsall facility were Duchess and Herb’e (aka Flippa), more affectionately known as the Perfect Pair.The second shipment of dolphins consisted of Scouse (blinded during a botched transport), Baby Dai (an illegally imported infant), Stumpy (deemed too sick to train) and Bubbles (transported whilst in shock and rumoured to have met a dubious end).All the above dolphins shared the facility with a California sea Lion named Bobby (covertly shipped from Manchester Belle Vue Zoological Gardens following a catastrophic attack on a member of the public) and two Humboldt penguins named Smelly and Worse.The existence of the South Elmsall training facility has now been recognised by its inclusion in Jonathan Straight’s museum exhibition, Faces of South Elmsall, giving the South Elmsall Atlantean detainees a voice at last.
DAVID CAPELLO, HEAD TRAINER:THE TRAINER THE UK CETA CHARITIES WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE NEVER EXISTED.
The credits of David C Holroyd (stage name David Capello), the first trainer to graduate from the South Elmsall facility:
Opened onstage the premiere dolphin show at Knowsley Safari Park Dolphinarium with a young Duchess and Herb’e.Opened onstage the premiere dolphin show at Woburn Abbey Safari Park Dolphinarium with Bonnie and Clyde.Performed onstage the Royal Show at Woburn Abbey Safari Park Dolphinarium, exclusively for the Duke of Bedford, his titled guests and selected members of the press.Became head trainer for Entam Leisure overseeing training programmes for Knowsley Safari Park, Woburn Abbey and Rhyl dolphinaria.Offered Europe’s then only captive orca, Ramu III, by Gary Smart (Billy Smart’s Circus) at Windsor Safari Park.The only UK trainer known to employ the connection mind-training technique.The only UK trainer to achieve the Shadow Ballet (series of somersaults).Entam Leisure’s only dolphin hand-catcher and trouble-shooter.
I PUBLICLY CHALLENGE THE KLINOWSKA AND BROWN REPORT!This official Government-commissioned report on UK dolphinaria did not name several of the early South Elmsall dolphins. The records of those it did name were riddled with inaccuracies, ie dates of arrival, dates and places of death. Why?
Why did such a vital piece of work close its eyes to the memory of these sad but magnificent Atlantean performers?
Could it be that those who supplied the information had a different agenda? Could it be that, such was their shame surrounding the treatment of the Entam dolphins, those involved chose to cover up the existence of certain dolphins, whilst falsifying the records of others?
I strongly believe this to be the case because the vast amount of information submitted to the researchers was presented by the captive cetacean industry itself. By this, I mean those people who worked for the UK aqua circus, ie owners, vets and animal celebrities who went on to build lucrative careers on the back of dolphin suffering.
WHY DID THE UK CHARITIES CHOOSE TO BLACKLIST CAPELLO'S VITAL EXPOSE?I refer you back to my last comment: animal celebrities who went on to build lucrative careers on the back of dolphin suffering.
As most people are now aware, the villain of The Perfect Pair Dolphin Trilogy exposé was a character named Tommy Backhouse (a fictitious name designed to avoid legal problems at the time of publication).
Tommy Backhouse’s true name was Terry Nutkins, Entam’s then general manager. He became a famous 1980s presenter of animal programmes (most notably Animal Magic and The Really Wild Show). He was also known to several charities because of his work with cetaceans and his links to naturalist and author, Gavin Maxwell - just one of the MANY reasons that might explain the UK ceta charities’ stubborn reluctance to support The Perfect Pair Dolphin Trilogy exposé.
However, what cannot be explained is why a UK ceta charity director, Margaux Dodds of Marine Connection and Dolphinaria-Free Europe, covertly tried to discredit the exposé, asking other charity directors NOT to support it – a shameful stifling of the truth that, to my mind, has cost the lives of many captive dolphins.
So, there you have it: a web of skulduggery to maintain a cover-up that was hatched by the UK captive industry over 50 years ago - sadly, a mantle that the ceta charities have happily taken up. This well-orchestrated ghosting has now failed BIG-TIME thanks to photographer and entrepreneur Jonathan Straight’s South Elmsall museum exhibition - not forgetting the brave journalism of the Yorkshire press, who have each done their bit in getting out the truth about the existence of South Elmsall’s secret pool. Their coverage has helped to give the ill-fated South Elmsall dolphins a voice.So, thank you The Yorkshire Post, Wakefield Express, Pontefract and Castleford Express and all those smaller online media outlets who took this story to their hearts.
To finish, as the former trainer of all the dolphins mentioned above, I am sorely aware that I cannot undo my wrongs. However, I can shine a light on the truth – a truth that has been so long denied to ceta activists globally.
Thus, I dedicate this blog to my precious Atlanteans: Duchess, Herb’e, Scouse, Baby Dai, Stumpy, Bubbles, Big Mama, Eccles, Twinkle, Bonnie, Clyde and all those other innocents who followed. Please forgive!Thanks for reading. I WILL answer all questions and comments addressed to this blog.
David C Holroyd, aka David Capello, former head trainer, Entam Leisure, Trusthouse Forte.
Click on the links below to read more about the South Elmsall dolphin-training pool.
South Elmsall Stories - The Dolphinarium (facesofsouthelmsall.com)
Dolphins in a West Yorkshire swimming pool | Faces of South Elmsall | Jonathan Straight - YouTube
The Perfect Pair Dolphin Trilogy Book Series Authors' Blog
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