Horsing Around: Ron Larson keeps Town Square carousel rider-ready
Horsing Around:
Ron Larson keeps Town Square carousel rider-ready
By Marianne Hamilton
When visitors climb aboard one of the brightly colored horses circling the carousel in Historic Town Square, they’re actually becoming a part of history – one 30-plus years in the making. That’s a legacy that artist Ron Larson takes very seriously.
Since 2012, Ron has ensured that every one of the 30 fiberglass steeds looks its best, touching up paint worn away through the popular attraction’s constant use. It’s a welcome respite from his day job: For nearly five decades, the Salt Lake City transplant has created watercolor and oil paintings that are exhibited and sold worldwide. His large-scale works have been in numerous juried shows throughout the United States, earning him multiple awards and the acclaim of international arts professionals.
How did Ron become the de facto horse whisperer in St. George? You can thank former Leisure Services Director Kent Perkins for that inspired recruitment, Ron says. “Kent and I knew each other, and he talked me into touching up the horses about a year after the carousel was purchased,” Larson says. “With kids climbing on and off, there’s a pretty big amount of wear and tear on all of them.”
The City’s 2011 acquisition of the carousel brought it … well … full circle. Originally designed in 1989 by the Chance Rides company (which has since constructed the “roaring” train at Thunder Junction All Abilities Park), it first debuted at a park in Chicago. The carousel was then purchased in 2006 by a Californian named Wendell “Bud” Hurlbut, a designer, builder, entrepreneur and one of the first creators of theme parks in the US.
Recalls Kent, “Bud was one of the most important early ride designers at Knott’s Berry Farm, and was a contemporary of Walt Disney. He planned to operate the carousel at Castle Amusement Park, which he hoped to build in Riverside, California.”
Alas, Bud was well into his 80s by the time he acquired the carousel, and passed away a few years later, at the age of 92. The City of St. George then purchased it, aiming to increase foot traffic in Historic Town Square. It was a brilliant decision: From the first year, the beautifully crafted horses have hosted a continuous stream of riders, and the attraction — the proceeds of which help to fund public art — has been profitable.
Which is why, on an unseasonably toasty spring morning, Ron was bent over a table overflowing with paint cans, selecting precisely the right hue to update a sketchy-looking saddle. “I have to bring every color of the rainbow,” he laughs. “Fortunately I don’t have to repaint entire horses; just wherever the paint’s worn off, or lost its shine. I use automotive enamel; kind of what old sign painters used to use. The quality’s really good.”
In most cases, Ron simply selects the color closest to the spot in need of freshening up, applies a few strokes and moves onto the next task. But, he confides, he took some “artistic liberty” approximately four years ago. On the day in question, a pint-sized fan expressed dismay at her inability to find a horse of her favorite color.
“She and her mom came by, and she said, ‘there’s no pink one! Can you paint me a pink one?’” Ron reveals, laughing again. “I thought, ‘sure; why not?’ I didn’t ask anyone, I just painted a white horse pink. Since then the City Parks workers always say ‘boy, that sure is popular! Little girls wait in line to get on that horse!’”
Ron’s personal favorite is the one he calls the “war horse,” which sports armored plates and a fearless expression. “They all have character. I just think that one’s really pretty,” he says.
It takes only three or four days to close the carousel and complete the paint-job each year. The latest refresh was completed on March 18, and the carousel is once again welcoming “Pink Pony Club” members and others. Since January of this year the carousel has been a cashless location; tokens are $2 each, and can be purchased via credit card as well as Apple/Google Pay. Hours for the carousel can be found at sgcityutah.gov/carousel(Opens in new window) — they vary seasonally.
In the meantime, you can expect Ron to continue keeping the carousel in tip-top shape for the foreseeable future. “I enjoy the work,” he notes. “Sometimes it’s a pain, but I like that it’s different from what I normally do. Plus, it’s fun to hear the kids’ comments when they walk around and take a look. As long as the City calls me and asks me to come down, I’ll keep doing it.”
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