Ingeborg Vinicky , circus animal trainer in United States Born 1925-12-02 in Germany dead 2019-09-17 in United States . Ingeborg Magarete (Luda) Vinicky, known by her friends as Inge Smaha, 93, of Baraboo, passed away on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at St. Clare Meadows Care Center. She was born on Dec. 2, 1925, in Leipzig, Germany, the daughter of Maximillan and Marta (Schadlid) Luda. Inge was raised in the circus life and began her performing career in 1937 in a roller skating act called the “Champions”. The Troup was well known in Germany and throughout Europe where they received honors for best performers. She moved to Spain in 1941 and continued on tour for the next four years. In 1946, Inge met her husband, Antonin Vinicky while touring with the Apollo Circus, and together they began working with horses and elephants in the circus shows. They moved to Australia in 1950, and toured in the Wirth Circus until 1955 when the family came to the United States with the King Brothers Circus. They settled in Baraboo in 1961 with the Wilbur Deppe and his “Old Time Circus”. Throughout her life, Inge performed with various circus acts in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with many of the highlights being presented on the Jackie Gleason, Ed Sullivan and Royal Lipizzan Stallion shows. She made Baraboo her home when not performing on the road.
