The Roundup made its debut in 1954, manufactured by Frank Hrubetz, USA. The ride was a quick success with licenses being issued in Europe (Swedish-based Gunnar Manson),Australian-based Ferrari, UK-based Cadoxton and Sam Ward’s Meteorite.
The ride movement is essentially a Rotor / Gravitron on a 50° angle using centrifugal force to keep riders in place. . The ride comes in 24 and 32 person units, racks on a single trailer and can be set up in 1.5 hours, making it appealing to the show owner.
The Roundup remains a popular with an appeal that has lasted through generations of carnival-goers.
In 2003, Dartron premiered a modernised design under the name Zero Gravity with improved loading, 33 person capacity and refined portability.
There are approximately 15 Roundups in Australia, at least 40 in the UK and 70+ in the USA.
Hola, soy panameño. Visito tu página desde hace casi 10 años. Es muy grata la oportunidad de participar con comentarios. Felicidades!
Este juego Round Up es mi favorito desde que tenía 3 años de edad (1975). Mi familia iba a las ferias en la ciudad de Panamá, en medio de los edificios de la Cuchilla de Calidonia y en Vía España al lado del Banco Nacional, y ahí mi atracción hacia esa máquina, al ver su belleza y a la vez, me llamaba la atención que las personas no se caían (a esa edad no comprendía la fuerza centrífuga).
La versión que siempre traían a Panamá, era la de la primera foto, la de la corona sobre el eje central. Luego, a finales de los 70, venía sin corona. En los 80s vino por pimera vez la versión Super Round Up, más grande, con 6 espacios más para 6 pasajeros. Nunca más volví a ver la luminosa versión de la corona y luces fluorecentes blancas, amarillas y azules hasta 1990. Me emocionó verla otra vez. Visualmente este juego luce mejor en esa versión que en las nuevas, que me parecen más obscuras.
Hace ya varios años que este juego no viene a mi país. La única feria anual que nos visita es una feria centroamericana llamada Play Land Park, que en lo personal, ha decaído bastante y ya no trae esta máquina.
English Translation:
Hello, I am Panamanian. I’ve visited your page for almost 10 years. The opportunity to participate with commentaries is very pleasing. Congratulations! The Round Up is my favorite since I was 3 years of age (1975). My family went to the fairs in the city of Panama, in the middle of the buildings of the Blade of Calidonia and in Via Spain next to the National Bank, and that started my attraction towards this machine, when seeing its beauty and simultaneously, fascinated that the people did not fall (at that age I did not understand the centrifugal force).
The type always brought to Panama was likethe first photo, with the crown on the central axis. At end of the 1970’s, it came without crown. In 80s came a super version of the Round Up, with spaces for 6 more passengers. I never returned to see the luminous version of the crown with white, yellow and blue lights fluorescents until 1990.
Visually this ride lights up better in older versions than in the new ones, that seems darker to me. Already for several years this ride has not been coming to my country. The unique annual fair that visits us is a Central American fair called Play Land Park, who has decreased in size and no longer brings this ride.
Rafael Aguilar E. - June 6th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Great ride! Been on a few different travelling ones, very strange but exciting ride experience, love them :)
Danny - July 22nd, 2009 at 5:34 am
How many revolutions per minute?
Jenny Weir - July 24th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I last looked at your site on 4/5/2005. At the time you had on page 2 of 3 a photograph with following caption: An interesting German-built unit, with sit-dowm seats! Notethe rider sitting the wrong way up. This 800×600 161 KB was merely a thumbnail. Do you have it anywhere, where the upside rider can be seen? I thank you in advance, for any attention you can give this.
Tom Grupe - August 8th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Wow.
Unknown - August 14th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
30 Passenger Roundups turn 18-18.5 RPM, 42 Passenger (Super Roundups)16 RPM, and were designed to tip 67 degrees
Mark Blumhagen - August 17th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Best ride at any traveling carnival by far- probably because just about anyone can ride it :) Can put you to sleep but if you get bored on it, you could always try spitting on your friend beside you, not that I condone it, since it normally hits you in the face.
Erin - September 5th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Love this ride! I went on it for the first time this past summer (2009) and loved it. I wanted to get back on, but I ran out of money. I haven’t gotten the opportunity to try the “Zero Gravity.” I went to a perminent park that had it, but it wasn’t opperating. I was sad. Next year (hopefully) , I’ll be able to get on both….
Myles - September 12th, 2009 at 4:17 am
great but scary you have nothing to hold on to apart from a chain that holds you back from falling
george - May 1st, 2010 at 5:56 am
owned and operated a 30 person hrubetz roundup in uk. good money taker, rode by all ages. believed to be in australia now. sadly missed super machine
mark wilkins - June 13th, 2010 at 4:38 am
I used to call it the Barf Up
Bryce - June 21st, 2010 at 5:31 am