Helen Zapashnaya: Without my husband, I can’t sleep in our huge bed! Helen Zapashnaya: “Askold is the best dad in the world.

A famous trainer, a representative of one of the most famous circus dynasties in the world, Askold Zapashny, will come. We learn all the secrets of his profession, but about what kind of dad he is, how he raises his daughters, Elsa and Eva, and what the future awaits for children whose dad is a circus director, “Oh!” said the wife of the tiger tamer, Helen Zapashnaya.

Eva and Elsa are the same age, but they look completely different, but are they similar in character?

The girls are very different in character. Eva is more like me, she is very energetic, constantly going somewhere, running, moving. She is one of those who is for any party. And Elsa is all Askold, calm, a little reserved, attentive, loves to tinker with small details, and brings any task to the end. She prefers to sit in her room than to be in society.

Elsa loves to draw, and Eva likes a little bit of everything: she takes it, throws it, takes it, throws it. But there is also something that really fascinates her - the circus. Eva can rehearse until late, try herself in different genres, but Elsa has to be forced a little more: she loves the circus very much, but she likes drawing and sculpting much more. And she’s actually really good at it! Elsa’s paintings are realistic, lively, and we already have entire shelves filled with plasticine characters.

Of course, girls love to play together, but they also have quarrels - probably like everyone else.

Do girls enjoy school?

This year, Eva finished second grade, and Elsa finished first grade. Girls study in regular public school but it's really very good school. The Zapashny brothers also studied there, and the school director remembers them very well. The brothers’ first teacher teaches in the parallel class, and Eva’s class teacher, Natalia Gennadievna Kamovich, often recalls the story when she gave Askold a bad grade in the first grade. We are very proud of our school and try to keep the bar high.

Did you somehow specially prepare Eva and Elsa for school?

Elsa went to training courses at school, but Eva didn’t have time. In general, it turned out to be a very sudden story with her: the girls went to the same group kindergarten, and we always taught them the same way, we wanted them to go to the same class. But at some point the teachers started telling me: “Look, Eva is getting very bored, maybe it’s time for her to go to school?” I resisted for a long time, but in the end I brought her to first grade. Eva was 6 years and 9 months old.

I really like the approach of our school: teachers say that re-teaching is much more difficult for them than teaching from scratch, so if a child doesn’t know how to do something, it’s not so scary. Despite the fact that they used to be like twins, together from seven in the morning until nine in the evening, and now they had to separate, it seems that this time was even more stressful for me than for them.

What do girls do in their free time from school?

All of them free time occupied by the circus. When the team goes on tour, which happens for 2-3 months a year, the girls go to a rhythmic gymnastics school and train under the guidance of Alexandra Blinova. In addition, I loaded them up with music school, because I think that it is important for a girl to receive a music education, especially piano. It is not so easy to master the instrument, but if I see that they are succeeding, they have opened up, then I will insist that they do not give up, although it is difficult for them, I see it.

What do Eva and Elsa do at the circus?

Eva is madly in love with horses; she learns how to do tricks in the arena, and outside of rehearsals she washes, feeds and cleans up after them. Both girls work out with a coach rhythmic gymnastics and acrobatics. Circus children have unique opportunity absorb everything that surrounds them, learning almost as they go. In the circus there is always a schedule, where it says which coach and where he is rehearsing today. You can make your own schedule and move from one point to another all day.

There are two primas in the Zapashny brothers circus - Elena Petrikova and Elena Baranenko. Elena Petrikova trains dogs, and Eva runs straight to her at rehearsals! Even if Lena allows you to just throw a bone or give some kind of command, it’s a great pleasure for her. And Elena Baranenko works with parrots, and Eva attends her rehearsals with great pleasure.

Helen, have you ever thought about sending your girls to school in Israel?

We are physically in Russia most of the time, so I cannot send the girls to school in Israel. We adapted to the circumstances. Of course, I really miss Israel, but I’m also used to Moscow. The main thing is that I knew who I was marrying, so this issue is not discussed.

I know that the girls are already participating in real shows. What are their responsibilities?

They only have theatrical roles now. Askold's entire show is real story, which has its own heroes. Last time the main characters were girls. In the “Angels” project, Eva had a very important role. For her, she even learned sign language - she studied with a mute teacher for a whole year. And Elsa was her sister according to the script, playing a smaller role.

Do you worry about them when they're on stage?

Only for the first time. You know, when what I call “New Year’s Eve” begins, and there are 3 performances a day, the only strength left is to control what is happening behind the scenes: changing clothes on time, taking them out and picking them up after leaving.

Does Askold behave like a strict director or like a dad at rehearsals?

Askold tries to convey very clearly to any artist what is required of him. He doesn’t have brothers, friends, girlfriends or children in his arena - he has artists, and he makes the same demands on everyone. He can calmly explain for a very long time what he wants to get from you, but this is not strictness. He can be strict with some careless artists who are late, don’t show up to the arena, or can afford not to come to the rehearsal at all.

What kind of dad is he?

He is best dad in the world. Even if he is tired, he still puts the girls to bed, plays different games. The evenings are entirely his time. By the way, Askold is a gamer here, and the children have become the same, but I don’t mind at all. They play together computer games. When the grandmothers started grumbling, at first I took their side, and then I saw Elsa hitting some high ratings, building such smart strategies, playing such difficult games men's games... Well, she doesn’t want to play with dolls, but she wants to play this strategy. Why not?

Of course, they read my books and write reader's diaries. I make sure they read a few chapters regularly. I can’t boast that they do it with pleasure, I’m just trying to instill in them a love of books.

I know you plan for both Elsa and Eva to continue the circus tradition. What will happen if, for example, Elsa says that she is choosing a different path?

You see, our task as parents of children of such a dynasty is to instill such strong love to this art so that the child does not want to leave it. But in no case should we forget that another profession is also needed. I really like the phrase that Walter Mikhailovich told the brothers when he forced them to study and get a second education: “The circus is a world in which you can very quickly move away from the arena, no one is immune from injuries, and your head will always work!”

That's why we give girls general education, and also a love for the circus. True, Askold honestly says: “I wouldn’t want my children to work with predators, this is not a woman’s profession.” But if one of the girls says that they only want to go there, I’m sure he will support and teach everything he knows.

Askold Zapashny – producer, Honored and National artist RF. He is the artistic director of the Great Moscow Circus, which is located on Vernadsky Avenue. To see the grand shows of legendary trainers called “Sadko”, “Camelot” and “Legend”, “K.U.K.L.A.” and “System”, many spectators regularly come and leave the circus performance in a state of complete admiration.

Askold Valterovich Zapashny is the youngest representative of the famous circus dynasty Zapashnykh. A dynasty that spans four generations. Not only their parents, but also their grandparents and great-grandfathers were circus performers. He is a German by birth, the eccentric clown Carl Thompson, who performed in Russia under the stage name Milton.

It is difficult to say exactly what nationality Askold and his brother are, because the family has different roots.

To follow in the footsteps of famous ancestors and continue the glorious circus dynasty was destined for the great-grandsons of Milton - and Askold Zapashny. Parents even gave bright names to their children so that they would sound beautiful under the circus big top and be remembered well.

The family toured the country - such a “nomadic” fate for circus performers. The eldest son Edgard was born in Yalta, but a year younger Askold was born in September 1977 in Kharkov, Ukraine.

Zapashnye specialized in training predatory animals. This most dangerous profession more than once put the lives of parents, Walter and Tatyana Zapashny, on a fine line beyond which this life could end. Terrible wounds were left on the mother's legs after the tiger attacked. And one can talk for hours about the injuries received by his father: numerous broken limbs, lacerations and even a broken neck, after which Walter Zapashny miraculously returned to life.

However, such a life - always on the edge - turned out to be the only possible and familiar one for the parents. She became the same for Askold Zapashny and his older brother.

The future trainers studied in the same class, although there was a one-year difference between them. This was the decision of the father, who saw the future of his sons under the circus big top. The family traveled to many large cities in Russia, so the boys changed several schools. However, this did not give them the right to study in any way: the boys’ progress was monitored strict father. And although he was terribly tired after exhausting training and difficult attractions, he always found time to raise his sons.

Askold Zapashny's circus biography began at an early age. He went to the arena as a child, but the boy took part in his first circus act when he was 10 years old. The official debut is considered to be entering the stage at the age of 11. Then, in the winter of 1988-89, the Zapashnys toured in Riga. Askold and Edgard took part in the “Time Machine” number, which was warmly received by the audience.

Career

In 1991, Askold Zapashny and his family went to the Middle Kingdom. The advent of the “dashing 90s” brought their charges to the brink of starvation, because the required provisions for lions and tigers were a considerable expense every day. And in the 90s, it became more and more difficult to buy food for animals every day.

Fortunately, a solution was found. The Chinese offered the parents a lucrative contract. At that time, the sons graduated from school. There were no obstacles to traveling abroad.

In a famous holiday destination, Safari Park in the suburbs of Shenzhen, a summer circus was erected for the Zapashnys. Walter Zapashny's responsibilities included training Chinese trainers. The sons also participated in the process. And to be different from the Chinese, they became blondes.

Askold Zapashny learned a difficult one Chinese which he still owns today. During these years, he learned to juggle while standing on horses and train monkeys. Later, in this type of training, he and his brother reached such heights that they received the main prize “Golden Troika” from the First All-Russian festival-competition circus art, which took place in Yaroslavl in 1997.

In addition, Askold Zapashny is an excellent vaulting acrobat, tightrope walker, Segway juggler and roller acrobat.

After the end of the Chinese contract, the circus family returned to Moscow. During these years they toured a lot, visiting everything big cities post-Soviet space, and distant foreign countries. We even visited Japan.

Also, Askold and Edgard Zapashny began working with lions and tigers at this time. In 1998, the father passed on the famous attraction “Among Predators” to his sons. Askold and his brother adopted from him the wisdom of training predatory animals and developed this dangerous and beautiful art. Askold Zapashny with his author's trick “The longest jump on a lion” is included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Soon the brothers created their own circus, calling it the “Zapashny Brothers Circus.” He is distinguished by a special style that none of his colleagues have either in the country or abroad.

In 2012, Askold Zapashny became the artistic director of the Great Moscow State Circus. Edgard took over as director.

Askold Zapashny in the show " glacial period»

In 2013, the brothers presented the show “Emotions...” at the Fontanka Circus. The peculiarity of this program is that each performance can be considered the main one. That same year, the artist shared in an interview that they began building a 5D circus. And by 2018, or maximum by 2021, such a circus will be created in Russia.

Askold Zapashny – real star. Therefore, a man is often invited to television shows. He and he became a participant in the 4th season of the TV show “Ice Age” in 2013. He also appeared in the top-rated television projects “The Safronov Brothers”, “Veselaya Street”, “One Hundred to One” and “Dinner Party”.

Askold Zapashny in the “Dinner Party” program

Askold Zapashny actively participates in social political life countries. In 2011, he and his brother signed an Appeal from members of the public, which condemned the pressure on the judicial system in the case of Yukos leaders.

And in the spring of 2014, Zapashny Jr. signed an appeal from cultural figures of the Russian Federation who expressed support for the president’s policy on the issue of annexing Crimea.

Askold Zapashny in the program “Legends of the Circus”

In 2015, Zapashny became the hero of the “Legends of the Circus” project, where the trainer’s brother acted as the host.

In the same year, the artist participated in the filming of a series about life. At the work site, Askold was unexpectedly attacked by the tigress Shakira and cut the artist’s thigh with a blow of her paw. Zapashny was immediately sent to the hospital.

Askold Zapashny in the program “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

In January 2016, Askold Valterovich participated in the program “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Paired with famous artist played by an actress.

In September, Askold, like his brother, became a confidant of the United Russia party in the elections to the State Duma of the 7th convocation.

Personal life

For a long time famous trainer considered an eligible bachelor. Handsome, famous, rich, prominent (Askold’s height is 177 cm) - after his heart young man Crowds of beauties were hunting. But later it became known that Askold Zapashny’s personal life was arranged. He also had two charming daughters with sonorous names, like everyone else in this glorious circus dynasty, Eva and Elsa.

The artist met his wife Ellen Raichlin, who has Israeli citizenship, in Minsk while on tour. The girl is Jewish by nationality. At the time of the meeting he turned 27. Behind him was an 8-year-old civil marriage Elena Baranenko, also a circus performer, with whom Askold never decided to marry. Helen was born in Belarus, but as a child she moved with her parents to Israel. Higher education received in my small homeland.

The beautiful student and several other friends were brought with him to the circus by Zapashny’s friend Andrey. Askold immediately liked the girl. She turned out to be not only charming, but also an intelligent conversationalist and an interesting person. But the main thing that intrigued the trainer, spoiled by female attention, was that Helen did not know or hear anything about him until the moment of the meeting.

They dated for three years. These were occasional meetings, because the girl did not give up her studies, and Askold Zapashny could not cancel the planned tour.

Obstacles on the way beautiful couple it turned out to be more than one could imagine. The relatives of each of the young people were not too happy about this union. Helen Reichlin's parents dreamed of a Jewish son-in-law, preferably a doctor. And the circus artist’s family saw Askold’s wife as a girl from the “circus” circle, who would understand and share a specific lifestyle.

However, love overcame obstacles, and two charming daughters only cemented this marriage.

In one interview, Askold’s mother, Tatyana Zapashnaya, recalled that at first she did not treat her daughter-in-law very well, and then fell in love with the girl. The woman also mentioned the spree of her son from his wife. Then Tatyana told Askold that even if he broke up with Helen, she would remain in the family.

In 2016, Eva and Elsa performed for the first time under the circus big top together with their famous dad and uncle. If they tie future life with the circus, they will turn out to be circus performers in the 5th generation, continuing the glorious Zapashny dynasty.

Thousands of fans watch the artist on social networks “ Instagram", where Askold posts personal and work photos and videos. Often, animal rights activists write in the comments to the pictures asking the trainers to close the show.

Zapashny also leads "

Edgard Zapashny is a representative of the famous and ancient dynasty circus artists Zapashny. Edgard and his brother are fourth generation trainers. Their names are known today far beyond Russia.

Edgard Zapashny was born in the summer of 1976 in Yalta, under the zodiac sign Cancer. His father Walter Zapashny was already one of the most respected trainers in the country. His charges are predatory animals. Walter Mikhailovich - Honored Artist of the RSFSR since 1988.

My grandparents were also circus performers. Moreover, the father of Lydia’s grandmother was the famous eccentric and clown Karl Thompson, a German by nationality, who performed in Russia under the stage name Milton.

So the great-grandchildren of the clown Milton - Edgard, Askold and Maritsa Zapashny - did not see any other way for themselves. They, as they say, absorbed the festive atmosphere of the circus with their mother’s milk. The children are already in early years knew that they would continue famous dynasty Zapashnykh.

Throughout his childhood, Edgard Zapashny carefully watched his father’s work. He left the arena at the age of 70. But until the end of his life he was never able to leave his favorite business and held the post of artistic director of the Zapashny Brothers troupe he created.

IN early childhood Edgard Zapashny was a year different from his own younger brother. He was a calm and reasonable boy. But Edgard has a difficult character, he constantly got it from his parents for his eccentric antics and ebullient energy, which was in full swing and did not always find the right way out.

And if the mother sometimes turned a blind eye to her son’s tricks, then the strict father got it. He controlled not only the behavior, but also the studies of his sons, checking school grades right up to the graduation class. Even at the institute, he was keenly interested in the progress of Askold and Edgard.

Edgard Zapashny received higher education. He has a diploma from the Moscow Institute of Entrepreneurship and Law. He speaks English and Chinese.

Career

The circus biography of Edgard Zapashny began in 1988, when he was 12 years old. This happened in Riga, where my father went on tour.

After graduating from school, the family went to China. These were difficult years, which are usually called the “dashing 90s”. The whole country was experiencing a crisis. Artists and circus performers were no exception. In 1991, the Chinese offered Walter Zapashny a lucrative contract, which literally saved the lives of circus animals. After all, caring for them required a lot of money.

So Edgard Zapashny and his family went to a strange, amazing country, which greeted the whole family and their charges quite warmly. A spacious summer circus was built especially for the Zapashnys in the famous Safari Park near the city of Shenzhen. To differentiate themselves from the Chinese, the brothers changed their hair color and became blonde.

After the end of the contract, the entire family returned to their homeland. On tour they traveled all over the former Soviet Union. We visited Japan, Mongolia, Hungary.

And in 1998, a turning point occurred in the life of Edgard Zapashny and his brother: at the anniversary celebration, the father handed over to his sons the reins of the most striking and complex attraction called “Among the Predators.”

The young trainers were able to accept this gift with dignity and successfully developed the family business. They created the Zapashny Brothers Circus and increased their show programs. New circus attractions have appeared: “Colosseum”, “Camelot”, “Sadko”, “Camelot-2: Viceroy of the Gods”, “Legend”, “K.U.K.L.A.”, “Terrible Force” and others.

Edgard has a circus act that is unique in its complexity and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. This is a trick during which Zapashny stands with his loose legs on the croup of two horses moving in the arena, and two girls balance on his back. This issue was prepared for a year and a half.

In November 2012, Edgard Zapashny was appointed director of the famous Big Moscow State Circus, on Vernadsky Avenue, by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

There were also dark streaks in the trainer's work. One day, his brother came out of the tigress’s cage with a bloody face, having received a strong blow from the animal’s paw. And more than once he had to encounter tragedies that happened to his closest colleagues, because work in the circus is one of the most dangerous. An example of this was not only my brother, but also my mother and father, who were repeatedly seriously injured in the arena. Unfortunately, Edgard himself was not spared from serious injuries.

In 2006, during a trick on a horse, Zapashny landed unsuccessfully on the arena and tore ligaments in his leg. As the circus performer himself says, at that moment he did not even feel pain, he only heard a sound as if a string had broken. Long-term treatment in Germany was required; the man had to undergo several operations to restore his health.

And this is far from the artist’s only injury. In 2017 in German clinic he underwent spinal surgery - he had an intervertebral disc replaced cervical spine to artificial. This operation was planned, but due to his busy schedule he kept putting it off.

And in 2010, he and his brother were in a terrible accident, and although the car could not be restored, the guys remained safe and sound.

Edgard Zapashny in the show “King of the Ring”

Edgard Zapashny often appears on screen in TV shows and movies. In the spring and summer of 2007, he became a participant in the “King of the Ring” show, which was broadcast on Channel One. Here he managed to win 6 out of 7 possible victories in intermediate battles, winning in the final battle.

Viewers also watched the popular trainer in the programs “Big Race”, “Cube”, “Alone with Everyone”, “Comedy Club”, “The Invisible Man” and “Empire of Illusions: The Safronov Brothers”. Edgard Zapashny hosts his own program on the Zvezda TV channel, called “Legends of the Circus.”

Edgard Zapashny in the program “Alone with Everyone”

In 2015, he, his brother and his ward, the tiger Martin, came to the studio. And in 2015, television came to visit them - they starred in the program “While Everyone is Home.”

The artist also starred in several films, for example, in the TV series, where he played himself, in and.

Edgard Zapashny in the program “While everyone is at home”

In February 2012, Edgard Zapashny registered as a proxy of a candidate for President of the Russian Federation, and now current president. In March 2014, he signed the appeal Russian figures culture in support of the president’s policies in Crimea and Ukraine.

In the fall of 2016, during the elections to the State Duma, he became a confidant of the United Russia party.

Personal life

According to the artist, he managed to “accustom” journalists to the fact that he is not one of the media persons who provide rich food for yellow publications. Therefore, the personal life of Edgard Zapashny for a long time was in the shadows, no one knew anything about her except ten of her closest friends. But no one doubted that the handsome handsome man (his height is 189 cm and his weight is 95 kg) is not deprived of female attention.

In 2008, the artist gave frank interview magazine “7 days”, where he spoke about his first woman. He was 16 when he moved from theory to practice. But his chosen one was 36. She worked in the Novosibirsk circus, where Edgard came for a month. He admits that there was a mind-blowing passion between them. But love did not work out, the difference of 20 years and the artist’s youth had an impact.

For 13 years, the trainer lived in a civil marriage with his circus artist Elena Petrikova. But living together The couple was not legally married. According to Edgard, Lena realized that the “youth” of her half would never end, which means strong family it won't work with him.

It seemed to Zapashny that he met his love in Voronezh. He liked Olga, a red-haired beauty with a beautiful figure, immediately when he saw her. This happened in one of the Voronezh fitness centers. Olga Denisova – fitness instructor. A romance broke out. It continued when the girl moved to the capital. The move to Moscow was connected with her career.

Olga gave birth to Edgard’s daughter Stefania in 2011. But the couple never turned into official family. This did not happen 2 years later, when the second daughter Gloria was born.

Nevertheless, Edgard Zapashny is a wonderful dad. He takes an active part in the life and upbringing of the girls, gave them his last name and took on financial expenses. After each tour, he rushes to his beloved daughters and tries to give them maximum parental warmth.

Further, the personal life of Edgard Zapashny seems to be developing in its own way. Soon he admitted that he had a girlfriend. He hid her for a long time, but when the news leaked onto the Internet that the trainer was preparing to become a father for the third time, he revealed the name of his chosen one. She became Yaroslavna Demeshko. They met in 2013 in the company of mutual friends. They talked a lot, and soon decided to move in together. To be closer to Edgard, Yaroslavna even got a job at the Zapashny Brothers Circus as an administrator.

In August 2017, the couple had a son, who was named Daniel. True, a boy was born ahead of schedule for several weeks, and he had to be placed in the intensive care unit in a special box. But, fortunately, everything worked out. Today at " Instagram"The artist regularly appears with photos of his children. But the microblog on Twitter has not been updated with new entries since 2015.

Fans of the trainer are all waiting for news about the wedding, but for now Yaroslavna remains in the status common-law wife Edgard.

Edgard Zapashny now

On April 1, 2017, information appeared on the website of the Great Moscow Circus that Edgard fired his brother from the circus. Allegedly, Askold himself wished to leave the post of artistic director of the BSMC. This position will be filled by Honored Artist of Georgia Gia Eradze. This news was received with indignation among the masses. But by the evening of the same day, Edgard announced that it was an April Fool's joke.

But in June 2018, a serious scandal broke out around Zapashny. A video has appeared on the Internet from the training of his daughter Gloria, who is already learning the circus profession with all her might. In the video, the girl cried in pain after stretching. The man was immediately accused of child abuse, to which he did not remain silent. He published a long response to his detractors, but main quote in this speech there was a phrase:

"No pain - no result...".

Askold Zapashny - producer, Honored and People's Artist of the Russian Federation. He is the artistic director of the Great Moscow Circus, which is located on Vernadsky Avenue. To see the grand shows of legendary trainers called “Sadko”, “Camelot” and “Legend”, “K.U.K.L.A.” and “System”, many spectators regularly come and leave the circus performance in a state of complete admiration.

Askold Valterovich Zapashny is the youngest representative of the famous Zapashny circus dynasty. A dynasty that spans four generations. Not only their parents, but also their grandparents and great-grandfathers were circus performers. He is a German by birth, the eccentric clown Carl Thompson, who performed in Russia under the stage name Milton.

It is difficult to say exactly what nationality Askold and his brother are, because the family has different roots.

It was destined for Milton’s great-grandsons, Edgard and Askold Zapashny, to follow in the footsteps of their famous ancestors and continue the glorious circus dynasty. Parents even gave bright names to their children so that they would sound beautiful under the circus big top and be remembered well.

The family toured the country - such a “nomadic” fate for circus performers. The eldest son Edgard was born in Yalta, but a year younger Askold was born in September 1977 in Kharkov, Ukraine.

Zapashnye specialized in training predatory animals. This most dangerous profession more than once put the lives of parents, Walter and Tatyana Zapashny, on a fine line beyond which this life could end. Terrible wounds were left on the mother's legs after the tiger attacked. And one can talk for hours about the injuries received by his father: numerous broken limbs, lacerations and even a broken neck, after which Walter Zapashny miraculously returned to life.

However, such a life - always on the edge - turned out to be the only possible and familiar one for the parents. She became the same for Askold Zapashny and his older brother.

The future trainers studied in the same class, although there was a one-year difference between them. This was the decision of the father, who saw the future of his sons under the circus big top. The family traveled to many large cities in Russia, so the boys changed several schools. However, this did not give them the right to study in any way: the boys’ progress was monitored by a strict father. And although he was terribly tired after exhausting training and difficult attractions, he always found time to raise his sons.

Askold Zapashny's circus biography began at an early age. He went to the arena as a child, but the boy took part in his first circus act when he was 10 years old. The official debut is considered to be entering the stage at the age of 11. Then, in the winter of 1988-89, the Zapashnys toured in Riga. Askold and Edgard took part in the “Time Machine” number, which was warmly received by the audience.

Career

In 1991, Askold Zapashny and his family went to the Middle Kingdom. The advent of the “dashing 90s” brought their charges to the brink of starvation, because the required provisions for lions and tigers were a considerable expense every day. And in the 90s, it became more and more difficult to buy food for animals every day.

Fortunately, a solution was found. The Chinese offered the parents a lucrative contract. At that time, the sons graduated from school. There were no obstacles to traveling abroad.

In a famous holiday destination, Safari Park in the suburbs of Shenzhen, a summer circus was erected for the Zapashnys. Walter Zapashny's responsibilities included training Chinese trainers. The sons also participated in the process. And to be different from the Chinese, they became blondes.

Askold Zapashny learned the complex Chinese language, which he still speaks today. During these years, he learned to juggle while standing on horses and train monkeys. Later, in this type of training, he and his brother reached such heights that they received the main prize “Golden Troika” from the First All-Russian festival-competition of circus art, which was held in Yaroslavl in 1997.

In addition, Askold Zapashny is an excellent vaulting acrobat, tightrope walker, Segway juggler and roller acrobat.

After the end of the Chinese contract, the circus family returned to Moscow. During these years they toured a lot, visiting all the major cities of the post-Soviet space and distant foreign countries. We even visited Japan.

Also, Askold and Edgard Zapashny began working with lions and tigers at this time. In 1998, the father passed on the famous attraction “Among Predators” to his sons. Askold and his brother adopted from him the wisdom of training predatory animals and developed this dangerous and beautiful art. Askold Zapashny with his author's trick “The longest jump on a lion” is included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Soon the brothers created their own circus, calling it the “Zapashny Brothers Circus.” He is distinguished by a special style that none of his colleagues have either in the country or abroad.

In 2012, Askold Zapashny became the artistic director of the Great Moscow State Circus. Edgard took over as director.

Askold Zapashny in the show “Ice Age”

In 2013, the brothers presented the show “Emotions...” at the Fontanka Circus. The peculiarity of this program is that each performance can be considered the main one. That same year, the artist shared in an interview that they began building a 5D circus. And by 2018, or maximum by 2021, such a circus will be created in Russia.

Askold Zapashny is a real star. Therefore, a man is often invited to television shows. He, along with Maria Petrova, became a participant in the 4th season of the TV show “Ice Age” in 2013. He also appeared in the top-rated television projects “The Safronov Brothers”, “Veselaya Street”, “One Hundred to One” and “Dinner Party”.

Askold Zapashny in the “Dinner Party” program

Askold Zapashny actively participates in the socio-political life of the country. In 2011, he and his brother signed an Appeal from members of the public, which condemned the pressure on the judicial system in the case of Yukos leaders.

And in the spring of 2014, Zapashny Jr. signed an appeal from cultural figures of the Russian Federation who expressed support for the president’s policy on the issue of annexing Crimea.

Askold Zapashny in the program “Legends of the Circus”

In 2015, Zapashny became the hero of the “Legends of the Circus” project, where the trainer’s brother acted as the host.

In the same year, the artist participated in the filming of a series about the life of Margarita Nazarova. At the work site, Askold was unexpectedly attacked by the tigress Shakira and cut the artist’s thigh with a blow of her paw. Zapashny was immediately sent to the hospital.

Askold Zapashny in the program “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

In January 2016, Askold Valterovich participated in the program “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Actress Evelina Bledans played together with the famous artist.

In September, Askold, like his brother, became a confidant of the United Russia party in the elections to the State Duma of the 7th convocation.

Personal life

For a long time, the famous trainer was considered an eligible bachelor. Handsome, famous, rich, prominent (Askold’s height is 177 cm) - crowds of beauties hunted for the young man’s heart. But later it became known that Askold Zapashny’s personal life was arranged. He also had two charming daughters with sonorous names, like everyone else in this glorious circus dynasty, Eva and Elsa.

The artist met his wife Ellen Raichlin, who has Israeli citizenship, in Minsk while on tour. The girl is Jewish by nationality. At the time of the meeting, he was 27. Behind him was an 8-year civil marriage with Elena Baranenko, also a circus performer, with whom Askold never decided to get married. Helen was born in Belarus, but as a child she moved with her parents to Israel. She received higher education in her small homeland.

The beautiful student and several other friends were brought with him to the circus by Zapashny’s friend Andrey. Askold immediately liked the girl. She turned out to be not only charming, but also an intelligent conversationalist and an interesting person. But the main thing that intrigued the trainer, spoiled by female attention, was that Helen did not know or hear anything about him until the moment of the meeting.

They dated for three years. These were occasional meetings, because the girl did not give up her studies, and Askold Zapashny could not cancel the planned tour.

There were more obstacles in the way of this beautiful couple than one could imagine. The relatives of each of the young people were not too happy about this union. Helen Reichlin's parents dreamed of a Jewish son-in-law, preferably a doctor. And the circus artist’s family saw Askold’s wife as a girl from the “circus” circle, who would understand and share a specific lifestyle.

However, love overcame obstacles, and two charming daughters only cemented this marriage.

In one interview, Askold’s mother, Tatyana Zapashnaya, recalled that at first she did not treat her daughter-in-law very well, and then fell in love with the girl. The woman also mentioned the spree of her son from his wife. Then Tatyana told Askold that even if he broke up with Helen, she would remain in the family.

In 2016, Eva and Elsa performed for the first time under the circus big top together with their famous dad and uncle. If they connect their future life with the circus, they will turn out to be circus performers in the 5th generation, continuing the glorious Zapashny dynasty.

Thousands of fans watch the artist on the social network Instagram, where Askold posts personal and work photos and videos. Often, animal rights activists write in the comments to the pictures asking the trainers to close the show.

Zapashny also runs Twitter. There, the man regularly shares entries with readers. In addition, sometimes the trainer goes online using the Periscope application, where he communicates with fans.

The Zapashny Brothers Circus has an official website. Fans of the show can find on the Internet resource the necessary information about the program, posters, photos from performances and more.

In 2010, the brothers had an accident when they were returning to Bryansk to start rehearsal in the morning new program. The car hit a curb, lost two axles and stopped 10 cm from a tree. Askold and Edgard were not injured: they were saved by their seat belts and airbags.

In 2014, the tiger tamer suffered complex operations on the spine. The procedures took place in Germany. The artist had problems with his spine due to complex stunts and acrobatic performances. Later, the artist spoke in an interview about the illness and shared with a smile that he felt much better. However, if the man had not applied for medical care, could remain disabled.

Askold Zapashny now

In the summer of 2017, Askold and Edgard Zapashny participated in the program “Where is the logic?” on the TNT channel. The program was hosted by Azamat Musagaliev. The brothers' rivals were Nastasya Samburskaya and Maria Minogarova.

In December-January, the Zapashny brothers presented to the audience three premieres at once under the titles “Princess-Nesmeyana”, “UFO” and “Angels”.

In February 2018, Channel One premiered the program “Stars under Hypnosis.” Askold Valterovich participated in one of the episodes. Hypnologist Isa Bagirov put the artist into hypnosis, and he forgot that he was running a circus. Instead, Zapashny was sure that he was an artist.

That same month, a tragedy occurred in the circus of the Zapashny brothers’ uncle, Mstislav Zapashny. Acrobat Anton Martynov fell during a performance and fell into the arena from a 6-meter height. A month later, the young man died without leaving a coma.

Askold Zapashny in the show “Stars under Hypnosis”

In April, Olga Buzova released the Buzcoin cryptocurrency. In an interview, the presenter and singer said that the world lives in her era. The Zapashny brothers could not ignore such a loud statement. Edgard suggested making a video in which he involved artists of the Great Moscow Circus. Askold took care of the script and editing. According to the plot, the characters in the video are shocked when they find out that they live in the Buzova era and decide to commit suicide.

On May 31, a large volunteer forum started in Moscow. The forum participants summed up the interim results of the Year of the Volunteer.

After the event, Askold and Edgard Zapashny held a circus performance for children with cancer. The program was implemented at the Cancer Center named after. Blokhina.

On June 1, a grandiose performance took place at the Great Moscow Circus, in which the Zapashny brothers took part. The men entered the arena with their favorites - the eleven kings of the jungle. The attraction is called “Among the Predators”. The famous American actor Steven Seagal was present in the hall, who after the show went backstage and thanked the artists for the amazing spectacle.

In the same month, actor Mikhail Efremov offered to give Crimean Bridge Ukraine. Askold called the artist’s words shocking and suggested that he decided to feel like a liberal.

This dynasty dates back to pre-revolutionary Russia. The showman's parents are Tatyana and Walter Zapashny, who specialize in training wild animals. Older brother Edgard also works in the field of circus arts. Askold Zapashny spent his childhood behind the scenes of the circus and at the age of 10 he could work with lions and enter their cage.

Biography

The artist was born on September 27, 1977 in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov. He is a representative of a famous circus dynasty, which includes many famous trainers.

All photos 6

When the brothers graduated from school, their parents decided to temporarily move to China, where a summer arena was built for their performances in the city of Shenzhen. It was 1991, when the country was going through difficult times. Touring in an Asian country allowed the family to save the animals from certain death, because there was nothing to feed them, and their maintenance required impressive amounts of money. Since then, the brothers decided to go blonde to stand out among the dark-haired Chinese.

The Zapashny brothers took over the baton family success. They have traveled almost all over the world with their shows. The artists visited Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Japan, and Belarus. Despite his hectic touring activities in Russia and abroad, Askold managed to graduate from GITIS and received a diploma with honors. He speaks fluent English and Chinese.

Zapashny began his career in the circus with relatively simple acts: juggling on a horse, performing with trained monkeys. Askold Valterovich masters many other types of circus arts, such as tightrope walking and acrobatics. He has been performing with wild animals for many years; in 1998, his father gave his sons the “Among Predators” act. The artist honed his skills so much that he managed to get into the Guinness Book of Records by performing the longest jump on a lion. This number is considered deadly.

The Zapashnys turned out to be successful producers; they own the Zapashny Brothers Circus enterprise. Their list includes many shows that have gone down in the history of Russian show business. Askold Zapashny himself became the owner of the titles “Honored Artist of Russia” (1999) and “People’s Artist of Russia” (2012). For some time now he has been the artistic director of the Great Moscow State Circus. The Zapashny Brothers Circus prepares a variety of performances for spectators, which include performances by tightrope walkers, acrobats, clowns and trapeze artists. However, numbers with trained lions and tigers are the trademark of their enterprise. However, in the show programs of this circus there are other animals: parrots, dogs and horses.

One of the areas of career development for Askold Zapashny is television. He often stars in popular shows, participates in television competitions and games. Askold starred in the Channel One program “Ice Age – 4”, where he studied figure skating, working in tandem with athlete Maria Petrova.

The artist is an active participant in the social and political life of Russia, and is one of the confidants of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He can often be seen among celebrities signing petitions and appeals to citizens and various politicians in the country.

Personal life

Since 2009, the artist has been married to a woman named Helen. He has two daughters: Eva and Elsa. Zapashny does not like to talk about his personal life; he rarely gives interviews in which he talks about his wife and children. The reason for this state of affairs is the threats from fans that his family periodically receives. Teenage girls in love with the trainer sometimes promise to throw acid on his wife. Askold Zapashny even told reporters about the fact of his marriage after the wedding took place. The couple’s relationship developed rather slowly; at first, the artist was not sure that he had found his soul mate.

At the time of meeting her future husband, Helen was an Israeli citizen and was studying at the University of Minsk to become a doctor. She served in the Israeli army, tried to work as a model, and worked part-time in stores. After the wedding, the artist’s wife began to take care of her family and children.

Askold is one and a half years younger than Edgar, and his daughters were also born with a slight time difference. Eva is a little more than a year older than Elsa. The artist admits that he dreamed that his children would have a small age difference. But he did not try to put pressure on his wife in this matter; Helen herself went towards his dream. He hopes that someday his daughters will continue the dynasty, and is already thinking through acts for the future “Circus of the Zapashny Sisters.” The happy dad himself chose his daughters' names, trying to make them sonorous and beautiful. After all, in the world of show business, such things are of great importance. And Zapashny Jr., like his entire family, has plans to raise and educate the heirs of his circus empire.