Whip it! An old tradition comes alive at Bavarian competition

"Goaßlschnalzen" or whipcracking is a Bavarian tradition that goes back to coachmen who used to announce their arrival in the village with their whip. In today's competitions, the challenge is to pound the whip in rhythm, as music became an integral part of whipcracking in the 1970s, when organised championships started in Bavaria. The popping occurs when the sound barrier is broken through the quick buckling of a hemp fibre attached to the end of the whip.