Ray Guthrie - Owner (left)
John Young - General Manager (right)
In 1969 Ray's older brother Pat, (owner of Jules and Beck Shows, www.guthriecompany.com), left home to travel with Johnny Denton's Gold Medal Shows. Meanwhile Ray was graduating from the University of Kentucky. " After Ray's graduation he hit the road and partnered with Pat in Guthrie Shows. Ray's first ride was a 1948 Smith and Smith "Chair-O-Plane."
After five years, Pat started a three-ring circus and Ray formed Derby State Shows. Ray's new show played fairs and festivals throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Georgia.
In 1985 Ray formed a second show called Peachtree Rides. Based in Atlanta, Peachtree Rides operated around Atlanta and North Georgia also playing fairs and festivals. The company has expanded to become a full midway with spectacular rides, game concessions and mouth-watering fair food. The premier event for the show is the Atlanta Fair at Turner Field. Ray and Pat combine some 50 plus rides and attractions for the largest fair in the city of Atlanta.
John Young (General Manager) with over 20 years of experience, handles all daily duties of the operation of the show, along with repairs and refurbishing of equipment at the shows Atlanta "winter quarters".
Ray Guthrie (picture below on the right) was bitten with the carnival bug early in life. He and his four brothers grew up in Middlesboro, a sleepy little town in Southeastern Kentucky.
"The fair used to come to town once a year and our house was only a block away. We'd lie awake at night and listen to the midway and ride sounds. We were always intrigued by the carnival."
Charlie Skevington (Grandson)
Samantha Skevington (Daughter)
Ray Guthrie (Owner)
Phillip Guthrie (Son)
Faith Guthrie (Granddaughter)
Ray bought his first ride in 1971;
a 1948 Smith and Smith "Chair-O-Plane"
(on leave from the Navy)