More Common Riding Activities!

Well, there are lots of other events throughout the Hawick Common Riding festivities, there's the Thursday Night Chase, when the Cornet and his followers ride to St Leonards to order the 'Curds and Cream' ready for the Common Riding Day!

On the Sunday before Common Riding Day 'Exhibition Sunday', there's the Kirkin' of the Cornet with the Cornets Chuch Parade along the Highstreet, then the 'Inspection' of the Race Course ready for next Thursday, Friday's and Saturday's big events!

Then on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday there are morning chases leaving at 6am coming back into town at 8am.The Chases represent the capture of the English Flag!

There is another 'Chase' on the Thurday morning when only Men are allowed to follow the Cornet to St Leonards where the speeches and songs in the 'hut' are accompanied by rum and milk, (women are never allowed in the hut, this is a very hallowed place).
 The School Children of the Parish love the Thursday before Common Riding Friday as the Cornet and Right and Left Hand Men with their Lasses, and the Acting Father and Mother visit all the schools in the town and ask the Headmasters to allow the Children to have a day off school to celebrate the Common Riding and indeed they are allowed to leave school on the Thursday Morning and not return until the following Monday!

On Thursday night its the 'Colour Bussing' ceremony, where the 'Cornets Lass' ties the blue and gold ribbons to the Hawick Flag declaring it 'well and truely bussed'. The Cornet climbs a ladder to tie blue and gold ribbons to the flag on 'The Horse' statue on the high Street...he is surrounded by crowds and crowds of on lookers cheering him along...another unbelievable sight to see!!

The songs and ceremonies of the Common Riding re-live the story of the victory at Hornshole.


 'The Colour'

Teribus, ye Teri Odin
Sons of heroes slain at Flodden,
Imitating Border Bowmen,
Aye Defend your rights and Common.

There are lots of events and activities both public and private going on in Hawick over the Common Riding, I have only described a few here, there are many many others!