USU club takes a crack at whip cracking
Every Thursday, members of Utah State University’s Performance Whipcracking Club meet to show off their skills, learn new whip cracks and share in a passion for performance whip cracking.
Whips are one of the oldest man-made tools, with different variations found across cultures from ancient Egyptians to the Innuits of Alaska and Canada. Originally used for cattle driving and horse riding, today whip cracking has become both a sport and a performance art.
Joshua Merrell, the club’s founder, is a third-year mechanical engineering student. Merrell started the club in 2022 and has since been teaching new members how to crack the whip.
“A long time ago, whips were used for equestrian means, but at some point, there was an art form discovered in it,” Merrell said. “Our club is mainly an appreciation of that art form.”
Over a hundred different types of cracks have developed as whip cracking transitioned from tool to art, all varying in sound and form with the type of whip.
“We make whips, we crack whips and we’re hoping to do some performances later on in the year,” Merrell said.
According to Merrell, beginners learn three main types of cracks. The first type are loop cracks, which is what may come to mind when picturing whip cracking. A loop is formed and rolls out, resulting in a loud sound.
The second are the U-shaped cracks, commonly referred to as flicks. The whip is straightened out and pulled in the opposite direction to create a U in the air.
Lastly are slack cracks, where slack is created in the whip, then pulled forward to create sound.
“There are tons of variations of all those types of cracks,” Merrell said. “There’s an infinite number of combinations, probably a main 200 that you could learn and know the basics.”
Some of the most popular cracks are the Cattleman’s crack, The Arrowhead, Four Corners and The Snake Killer. Chese sprouted from the basics of the U-shape, slack and loop cracks.
According to Merrell, picking up the sport is relatively easy — it’s mastering fast, snappy combinations without hitting yourself in the process that takes skill.
“It’s not crazy hard to pick up,” Merrell said. “The hardest thing about it is overcoming your instincts. If you bring up a whip, your instincts say to push it away. But when you do that, it collapses in on itself, and it grabs you.”
The sport has gained traction around Utah.
“I grew up in Vernal where we’ll see people all the time that are really good at it,” Merrell said. “They’ll go around on horseback doing these crazy tricks.”
There are pop-up competitions, rodeos and meet-ups across the state, all dedicated to the art of cracking a whip. The Utah Whip Convention held in Provo is one of the bigger events for Utahns.
Whip cracking is a popular sport in countries like Germany, Britain and recently, Australia. Traditional competitions like Bavaria’s Aperschnalzen and modern showcases like the British Whip Cracking Convention invites enthusiasts from around the world to show off their skills or learn new forms.
In the United States, the most popular event for whip cracking enthusiasts is the L.A. Whip Convention held in Burbank, California.
“They have competitions, vendors where they sell whips and a whole gathering,” Merrell said. “I want to do a little bit of performance with a lot of competition.”
According to Merrell, collaborations with USU’s Rodeo Club are in the works to put on these competitions and potentially travel to bigger conventions like L.A. Whip Convention.
Justin Nelson, a member of the club, is a fourth-year student studying technology.
“I just think it’s fun to learn about whip cracking,” Nelson said. “My favorite part is chatting with people in the club.”
Nelson has been a part of the club for a year. According to Nelson, it’s been a great opportunity to learn new skills.
“I like learning something new, and it’s relatively simple to pick up,” Nelson said. “If you’re really invested in it and if you stick with it, there’s a lot more you can learn.”
Whip cracking enthusiasts can join Merrell and the rest of the club on Thursdays from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Hyrum Gibbons Mount Logan park.
“I love that we’re kind of breaking down stereotypes with it. Sometimes there can be a sexual or racist connotation to whip cracking, so it’s nice to subvert that,” Merrell said. “It’s just a fun club.”