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Doing The Right Thing
I heard someone say, “The Executive exists to make intelligent exceptions to the rules.” Whip cracking requires a lot of Executive Decisions. This is inevitable where there is no single right way to do a specific thing.
We can’t even agree on our terminology.
A whip’s lash is AKA a popper is AKA a cracker is AKA a snapper, etc, depending on who you ask. And a straightforward Circus Crack is AKA a Gypsy Crack – you get my point.
Some Australians have tried to codify a repeatable combination of cracks (called a ‘Flash’) with descriptive titles, such as Mike Murphy’s “Mad Coachman.” But even the Sidney Flash and the Victoria Flash are essentially the same with only one minor difference: one begins with a Circus Crack and the other begins with an Overhand Flick. Other than that, they are the same crack.
Replacing a cracker on your whip requires a series of Executive Decisions. What material do we weave the cracker from, how many strands do we put in, how long is the fuzzy part supposed to be? The arbitrariness of it all continues when we try to tie the cracker onto the whip, because although this knot is basically a self-tightening hitch, there are still several different ways to tie it.
So, with all this subjective reality and chaos swirling around what is supposed to be an uncomplicated activity, how do you decide what is right?
Well, I can’t tell you what’s “right” – you have to make that Executive Decision for yourself. But I can at least share with you the benchmark that I use when I am deciding which way to go.
That test is this: “Does it work?”
The highest compliment I can give someone is to say, “That worked!” And yes, there may be several different methods of doing something so it works. They all could be right and correct. Just like us, with all our variations, differences and unique qualities.
The only unshakeable constant in whip cracking is
(This piece first appeared in the newsletter of the Wild West Performing Arts Society, an affiliate of the Single Action Shooting Society.)
NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS
The year ahead has started to take shape, and it already looks like it's going to be a good one. Here are a few items to notice:- The devious spam left in this blog's comments boxes is gone, and their originating IPs have been banned. I apologize for allowing that to happen. The decks are now clean and clear.
- The Bullwhip Stimulus Package is almost ready to be unveiled in its new incarnation. Test sales over the summer exceeded my expectations, so you are invited to stay tuned for what's next.
- Gigs are being booked, travel plans are being made. Venues are coast to coast in the US and Canada. Updates will be posted at www.bullwhip.net/appearances.html. (Even America's Got Talent was chasing me again on the phone, this evening. We'll see....)
- Copies of my columns in the monthly newsletter for the Wild West Performing Arts Society will be posted here, as well, if you'd like to see them.
And that's just for openers!
-Robert D-
WILD WEST PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY LAUNCHED
Convention Set for Dec 3-6 in Las Vegas;
Yours Truly Named Bullwhip Columnist
The recently formed Wild West Performing Arts Society (WWPAS) will have its first convention Dec. 3-6 as part of the larger annual convention of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS).
Dr. Buck Montgomery, Trail Boss and long-time member of the 85,000-member strong SASS, announced a lineup of experts and performers like Jack Dagger, Dan Mink, Mark Allen, and Paul Nolan. The gathering includes workshops and seminars, contests and competitions on Dec. 4-5, with prizes such as engraved belt buckles and huge bragging rights (at least until next year's convention).
This year's event honors the late Joe Bowman, an iconic figure for many years in Wild West performing circles. In his memory, the new Straight Shooter Award will be given annually to "an individual that has shown continued support and preservation of the Wild West Arts."
In an open letter, Montgomery said, "The response we are getting from Wild West performers, former Wild West Arts Club (WWAC) members and SASS members has been and continues to be incredible. My phone has to be charged twice a day and I think my computer is overheating."
The WWPAS' new monthly newsletter will include a regular column about bullwhips (and everything that pertains to them) written by whip pro Robert Dante, a former professional journalist and author of "Let's Get Cracking! The How-To Book of Bullwhip Skills," available on Amazon.com.
For more information on the WWPAS and the SASS/WWPAS convention in Las Vegas, write to Dr. Buck Montgomery at P.O. Box 7123, Goodyear, AZ 85338, or call 623-521-3856, or send an email to DRBuc@cox.net .
Good On You Both, Major and Clarke!
When I was in England over the summer, I enjoyed the hospitality of Major Horton (that really is his first name) of Wolverhampton, and I had the chance to crack some whips with him and his friends. So I was happy to see an article and a videoclip about his whip cracking skills on the Star and Express website. The piece noted Major recently won a pair of gold medals at a US whip competition.
Good on you, Major! This affable Englishman also said that he now holds the "unofficial" world record for most bullwhip cracks in one minute, having reached the number of 266, quite a bit higher than my own official Guinness World Record of 254, so I am confident this 66-year-old man may repeat his remarkable feat with the proper documentation.
I was happy to see as well that Major used the opportunity to mention whip cracking in the context of the Olympic Games. In my opinion, a better ambassador for whip cracking will not be found.
I am also looking forward to the day that the prestigious Guinness World Record will be broken yet again by a woman and by a teenager. For teenagers, I would keep my eyes on a young fellow named Clarke Bynum of Tennessee, who posted the video below (watch for the speed of his volleys). So good on you, too, Clarke!
THE PRICE OF FAME? "Indy" Whip Sold At Auction
A recent auction of Hollywood memorabilia included one of the bullwhips used by Harrison Ford in an Indiana Jones adventure film.
What was the price one person thought it was worth?
Hold on to your hat, Buckaroo: it was $56,050.00! And even this was not a record for the auction price of a used on-screen Indiana Jones bullwhip!
The bullwhip was one of many whips used by Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Whips for all the Indy films have been made by legendary whipmaker David Morgan, with additional whips from Joe Strain. Aussie Terry Jacka provided some whips used in the fourth and most recent installment of the ongoing saga.
I hope owners of authentic Indiana Jones used on-screen bullwhips know which scene their whips appeared in. It's kind of hard to keep track. To help things along, I will share with you a Youtube video which purports to be a compilation of all the whip shots in the series (well, the first three, apparently).
Another Out-Of-The-Blue Revelation
Imagine My Surprise!
The swashbuckling actor Robert Taylor could handle a bullwhip fairly credibly!
I spent part of this rainy and blustery Sunday indoors, indulging one of my guilty pleasures - old adventure movies.
There was the goateed Robert Taylor in the 1955 "Quentin Durward," wooing Kay Kendall in Cinemascope and waving his sword wildly at every noble opportunity. As he thwarted yet another attempt to murder him in a stable, he seized a conveniently placed bullwhip (looked like a 6- or 7-footer) and used it in a slashing attack against his would-be assassin, knocking his helmet off and carving a streak across his forehead.
I was immediately sitting straight up, narrating the action to myself like some ringside radio sports hack from the 1940s:
"It looks like he's got a stockwhip or a bullwhip, folks, and here comes a blistering series of Circus Cracks. As the camera pulls back, we see him pulling the whip around his body with his hand sailing over his head to start a 3-crack sequence of Overhand Cracks from both sides of his body. He keeps the whip moving, he does not hit himself, he is fearless and unflinching, his foot position is pure perfection and - oh! Oh!
The bane of every whip cracker has just happened, folks!
His whip has wrapped around a beam in the stable ceiling! What will he do? Will he swing down with the whip's thong tightly gripped with both hands in some improbable homage to the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or will he come up with some other unlikely magic in this pre-CGI production?"
And lo and behold, our brave Scotsman-cum-Californian takes the handle of the whip and swings it toward his attacker. As the bad guy is distracted by the object sailing at his face, our hero leaps at his armored killer, using the chaos to his own advantage.
I was pleased to see the director allowed the whip, even in its brief appearance, to do what a whip can really do, which was certainly more than dramatic enough for the moment. Frankly, it was a bit of a jolt to see such a moment of reality in an otherwise piece of fictional froth which asked me to believe that Robert Morley was actually King Louis XI of France (no matter what role he plays, he is always and ever Robert Morley to me).
It was a postcard from the Universe, like the one that showed me Akim Tamiroff''s unexpected expertise with a whip (see earlier post). So well done, Mr. Taylor - you could act and crack a whip at the same time with conviction. And in so doing, you brightened an otherwise gloomy Sunday afternoon for this viewer.
The swashbuckling actor Robert Taylor could handle a bullwhip fairly credibly!
I spent part of this rainy and blustery Sunday indoors, indulging one of my guilty pleasures - old adventure movies.
There was the goateed Robert Taylor in the 1955 "Quentin Durward," wooing Kay Kendall in Cinemascope and waving his sword wildly at every noble opportunity. As he thwarted yet another attempt to murder him in a stable, he seized a conveniently placed bullwhip (looked like a 6- or 7-footer) and used it in a slashing attack against his would-be assassin, knocking his helmet off and carving a streak across his forehead.
I was immediately sitting straight up, narrating the action to myself like some ringside radio sports hack from the 1940s:
"It looks like he's got a stockwhip or a bullwhip, folks, and here comes a blistering series of Circus Cracks. As the camera pulls back, we see him pulling the whip around his body with his hand sailing over his head to start a 3-crack sequence of Overhand Cracks from both sides of his body. He keeps the whip moving, he does not hit himself, he is fearless and unflinching, his foot position is pure perfection and - oh! Oh!
The bane of every whip cracker has just happened, folks!
His whip has wrapped around a beam in the stable ceiling! What will he do? Will he swing down with the whip's thong tightly gripped with both hands in some improbable homage to the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or will he come up with some other unlikely magic in this pre-CGI production?"
And lo and behold, our brave Scotsman-cum-Californian takes the handle of the whip and swings it toward his attacker. As the bad guy is distracted by the object sailing at his face, our hero leaps at his armored killer, using the chaos to his own advantage.
I was pleased to see the director allowed the whip, even in its brief appearance, to do what a whip can really do, which was certainly more than dramatic enough for the moment. Frankly, it was a bit of a jolt to see such a moment of reality in an otherwise piece of fictional froth which asked me to believe that Robert Morley was actually King Louis XI of France (no matter what role he plays, he is always and ever Robert Morley to me).
It was a postcard from the Universe, like the one that showed me Akim Tamiroff''s unexpected expertise with a whip (see earlier post). So well done, Mr. Taylor - you could act and crack a whip at the same time with conviction. And in so doing, you brightened an otherwise gloomy Sunday afternoon for this viewer.
Heading Into October!
My last entry in this blog was a few months ago, but a lot has happened between then and now. I will recap the high points quickly so I can resume writing here with a clear mind and not be concerned about playing catch-up. Sometimes one lives faster than one can record.
The "Ride a Horse, Feed a Cowboy" event in Hulett, Wyoming was an astounding experience, from the horse and rider who came into the bar to chat with folks, to the "branding of the bank." And daring Mary's debut went extremely well. So pleased was I that I rewarded us with a day trip to Devil's Tower - eerie, mystical, breathtaking place. Took us an hour to walk all the way around it, and every ten feet its appearance seemed to change. It's for good reason the natives consider it a sacred place. There is something palpable there.
The following weekend, we had the pleasure of working with Pistol Packin' Paula at the Shooters Roundup in Morristown, MN. This continues to be one of my favorite events.
And last weekend, I spent several days in South Carolina with some fine people, doing demos and workshops for an annual event. This particular trip cemented my respect and affection for the area. If you ever get diown there, be sure to try the sweet potato pancakes. Wow!
Back at home in Minneapolis, the work on my right shoulder continues. I am diligent in my stretching and exercises, and while my range of motion has improved (somewhat), I may never do a Tasmanian Cutback again, I think. The old and familiar pain down the right arm is never too far away, but the adrenalin of performing lets me ride through it. It also has forced me to become more creative with my stunts. You will forgive me if I do not give details here, but I have beenhearing other whip crackers use my narrations and perform my tricks since they apparently do not have imaginations enough to do something original of their own. Sigh. This is so like saying because there are only 88 keys on a piano keyboard, all music must have already been made by now.
So - I'll post more news and photos (possibly, video) in the next few weeks, as The Adventure continues! (And oh, does it ever!)
The "Ride a Horse, Feed a Cowboy" event in Hulett, Wyoming was an astounding experience, from the horse and rider who came into the bar to chat with folks, to the "branding of the bank." And daring Mary's debut went extremely well. So pleased was I that I rewarded us with a day trip to Devil's Tower - eerie, mystical, breathtaking place. Took us an hour to walk all the way around it, and every ten feet its appearance seemed to change. It's for good reason the natives consider it a sacred place. There is something palpable there.
The following weekend, we had the pleasure of working with Pistol Packin' Paula at the Shooters Roundup in Morristown, MN. This continues to be one of my favorite events.
And last weekend, I spent several days in South Carolina with some fine people, doing demos and workshops for an annual event. This particular trip cemented my respect and affection for the area. If you ever get diown there, be sure to try the sweet potato pancakes. Wow!
Back at home in Minneapolis, the work on my right shoulder continues. I am diligent in my stretching and exercises, and while my range of motion has improved (somewhat), I may never do a Tasmanian Cutback again, I think. The old and familiar pain down the right arm is never too far away, but the adrenalin of performing lets me ride through it. It also has forced me to become more creative with my stunts. You will forgive me if I do not give details here, but I have beenhearing other whip crackers use my narrations and perform my tricks since they apparently do not have imaginations enough to do something original of their own. Sigh. This is so like saying because there are only 88 keys on a piano keyboard, all music must have already been made by now.
So - I'll post more news and photos (possibly, video) in the next few weeks, as The Adventure continues! (And oh, does it ever!)
