Here's a bit of trivia that may be of interest. The fiddle tune 'Rickett's Hornpipe' was written in honour of John Bill Ricketts, an English equestrian performer who brought his circus to America in 1792. Among other feats of agility, he danced hornpipes on the the back of a horse galloping around the arena. His student, John Durang, a great professional dancer, also had a hornpipe named after him, but that began life as a concert piece composed for Durang by Wilhelm Hoffmeister before becoming a standard in the repertoires of fiddlers across the country. [Information from Bill C. Malone 'Singing Cowboys and Musical Mountaineers']

--Stewie.