"This is the story of the branch of the Houcke family which has for six generations shone in the largest circuses in Europe and America. It started in the 19th century and for two centuries has passed on its passion for the equestrian art.
Twice the horse has been replaced by wild animals. Tiger tamer Gilbert, the 4th generation and today Sarah, the 6th generation. Life in the circus is hard and is not for the faint hearted. It needs not only perseverance, but also luck. Accidents happen often . Apprenticeship starts at a very early age."

He was Jean Léonard who was born into a well to do family in Hazebrouck. She was Adèle René the daughter of a bargeman on the Saint Louis island in Paris ,became a horsewoman with the Circus Loisset. Their paths crossed on a tour in the north. Jean Leonard had run away to join the circus and fell doubly in love with Adele the beautiful rider and the horses.

Jean Léonard became an excellent horseman, and so the young couple found themselves in London with the Ashley Circus where in 1839 their first son was born, Adolphe Wilhelm Léonard. This last name will become distinctive with the descendents of Jean Leonard. It even became the name of the circus when the family bought the Gautier Circus in 1869.

In 1850 the couple left England and travelled through Germany with their own circus, the Olympique Circus and then the Léonard Circus. Later, Jean Léonard worked with Lalanne and Franconni before becoming the director for Dejean in Paris. He then left for Scandinavia with Adèle René and their eight children to direct and develop the Copenhagen Circus. He is considered to be the pioneer of the circus in Scandinavia.

No one knows exactly where and when Jean Léonard died.
His wife, Adèle (born René) took over the circus with her children.