European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Off Urith its head a Zandvliet rider expresses frustration after failing to yank the head from the dangling Goose. By David Tarrant Brussels Bureau emperor Quot Stanny de Backer who won the Crown for the second straight year celebrates at the end of the Competition. It in t easy to pull the head off a Goose. That is one conclusion that can be drawn from the annual Quot Goose Riding festival that tops off the carnival season in Northern Belgium a or As they say in the neck of Antwerp. Goose Riding does not involve As one might presume actually Riding a Goose. No. That would be stretching things a bit. As a brochure from the Antwerp tourist office explained participants on horseback ride full Speed under a Gallows trying As they pass to tear off the head of a dead Goose that has been tied to a wooden pole. Quot needless to say Quot the brochure continued Quot this causes general  except for any Webfoot in the area. It s All part of a very old tradition according to some of the locals. The festival which seems to have its roots in old germanic Hunting traditions is depicted in some paintings from the 16th Century. The tradition was revived in the Early 1920s when the belgian government declared that the festival could be held but Only with a dead Goose. Goose Riding clubs soon formed in five Small communities Northwest of Antwerp where they serve As kind of father and son organizations to this Day. In some respects Goose Riding season resembles the basketball playoffs. Beginning with carnival weekend before the Start of the lenten season Goose Riding continues every weekend through mid Lent in each of the five towns. Each town s Winner becomes its Goose Riding King for the year and is eligible to participate in the final match. In the grand finale All the towns Kings from the previous three years get together to compete and the Winner is crowned  in Zandvliet on a recent Sun splashed sunday several dozen Kings and former Kings competed in the final contest each trying to wrest the Crown from last year s emperor Stanny de Backer. Long before the main event which began at 3 . Sharp the City s Center was choked with Commerce. Vendors sold cold sausages cold drinks and a special brew with the intriguing name of Quot Goose blood Quot stripes Magazine april 19, 1990