The colourful winter hustle and bustle on Shrove Thursday
An old custom for expelling winter that only takes place in Prad is the colourful Zussl race. It is not only a carnival procession, but also a precisely choreographed noise ritual. On Shrove Thursday, young boys dress up in white robes decorated with colourful paper flowers. They wear large cowbells, often weighing over 20 kg, strapped around their stomachs.
The “Zussln” are accompanied by six Schimmeln, boys dressed up as white horses. The team is driven by the wagoner with his “Goaßl”, a long whip which, skilfully swung through the air, makes a loud crack sound. The carter is followed by the sower, who throws sawdust into the crowd instead of grain. Then come the farmer and the farmer’s wife, the farmhand and the maid, and finally a couple dressed in rags, the “Zoch” and the “Pfott”.
The Zussl race is truly worth seeing!
