Pinito del Oro facts for kids

María Cristina del Pino Segura Gómez, known as Pinito del Oro, was a famous Spanish trapeze artist and writer. She was born on November 6, 1931, and passed away on October 25, 2017. Pinito del Oro was especially known for performing with the Ringling Circus for seven years.

Early Life and Family Circus

María Cristina del Pino Segura Gómez was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Her father, José Segura Fenollar, came from a family of circus performers called the Hermanos Segura. Pinito was the youngest of seven children who grew up to be artists, out of 19 children her mother had.

When Pinito was a child, her family's circus troupe, "troupe Segura," had a serious accident. Their truck overturned while traveling, and her sister Esther sadly died. After this, her father encouraged Pinito to become a trapeze artist to help the family business.

Amazing Circus Career

While working in a small circus in Valencia, Spain, Pinito del Oro was discovered by a representative from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. They offered her a job, and she accepted, moving to the United States with her husband. She performed with the Ringling Circus for seven years, winning many awards in the 1960s.

The famous movie director Cecil B. DeMille wanted Pinito to appear in his film The Greatest Show on Earth. However, Pinito turned down the offer because DeMille did not want to give her credit in the movie.

Daring Feats and Injuries

Pinito del Oro was known for her incredibly daring acts, often performing 12 to 16 meters (about 40 to 52 feet) above the ground. She suffered several serious falls during her career.

• When she was 17, she fell and fractured her skull, staying in a coma for eight days.
• She fractured her skull again later.
• She broke her hands three times.
• She even needed surgery on her feet because her toes curved from constantly gripping the trapeze bar.

Retirement and Return

After many accidents, Pinito decided to retire from the trapeze in 1961. However, a few years later, in 1968, she made a comeback at the Circo Price in Madrid. She finally retired permanently from the trapeze on April 17, 1976.

Life as a Novelist

Besides her incredible circus performances, Pinito del Oro also became a writer. She published several novels, including:

• Born for the Circus (Nacida para el circo)
• The Eve (La víspera)
• The Italian (El italiano)

Her books were recognized in literary contests, and she was a finalist for awards like "City of Oviedo" and "Blasco Ibáñez."

Pinito's name became so famous for skill that people would sometimes say, "You're going to fall, you are not Pinito del Oro!" (¡Que te vas a caer, a ver si te crees Pinito del Oro!) if someone was trying something difficult.

Honors and Legacy

Pinito del Oro received many honors for her amazing career.

• The cultural center in Albaladejo, a town in the province of Ciudad Real, is named "Pinito del Oro" in honor of her mother, who was from that area.
• She has a wax figure at The Wax Museum of Madrid.

In 2017, Pinito received the Gold Medal of Canaria, a high honor. She shared her thoughts on her life, saying, "I just felt happy on the trapeze. I have triumphed in the artistic world, I achieved everything, personally the balance is not so positive."

Awards

• National Prize of Circus (1990)
• Gold Medal of Canarias (2017)

Death

Pinito del Oro passed away at her home in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on October 25, 2017, at the age of 85.

See also

In Spanish: Pinito del Oro para niños