Gregory's Fall Results In Trip Postponement

After a fall by Ed Gregory, owner of United Shows of America, on Feb. 11 at the Florida State Fair here, it was decided to postpone the carnival's 8,300-mile, 22-day journey to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The show was to take 35-40 rides to the annual Dubai Shopping Festival and Fair, March 18-April 14 (AB, Feb. 13). It had planned to leave Feb. 17, two days after closing at the Feb. 4-15 fair here. "The people we're dealing with over there could not have been nicer about extending to us the opportunity to play their city and change the dates to accommodate my emergency health problems," said Gregory. "We will probably go over there in the fall."

the fall

During a Grand Ole Opry Show on Thursday evening, that was booked by Gregory, he fell six feet to a concrete floor and was badly injured.

Jerry Murphy's Murphy Bros. Exposition was scheduled to cover three winter fair dates if United made the trip.

"Jerry is covering the St. Lucie County Fair in Fort Pierce for us now [Feb. 26-March 7], and it is my intention to pick the route back up in Arcadia [for the DeSoto County Fair, March 22-28]," said Gregory, from his home in Nashville. After Arcadia, United plays the Bradford County Fair in Starke, Fla, April 6-11.

In explaining how his accident occurred, Gregory said, "I was standing and talking to Jim Ed Brown when the emcee, a local guy, went to the microphone to announce the start of the show, on which we had close to 30 acts.

"I turned to get ready to go to the center of the stage, but I took a step backward, where there was no railing. I was at the left front part of the stage and I fell a solid six feet to concrete."

after the fall

Gregory broke his right upper arm, his wrist in two places, two of his ribs, and his pelvis was cracked in two different places on both sides.

"For the first two days, I couldn't walk and didn't know if I'd be able to walk. I was just out of it. Now, two and a half weeks later [on March 1], I'm walking with pain and a cane. But I feel good and am very thankful to God that he gave me another chance."

Gregory said he was told that Jim Ed took over and emceed the rest of the show. "Our whole crew jumped in and Rick Vymlatil and Fred Brown [of the Florida State Fair] helped me to cover all obligations at the fair."