Common Riding - Present

Present

In current times, Common Ridings celebrate each Border town's history and tradition in mid-summer, during a period spanning June through to August. Rideouts now involve hundreds of horses, often ridden in costume to evoke a passion worthy of the reivers old.

Each community starts its celebration with the election of that year's principle man in the spring, chosen from amongst the communities young men. The leader of the communities celebration, once elected and until the end of ceremonies that year in that community, the principle man is an honoured figure. Each community often has a different name for their nominated leader/principle man:

• Coldstream: Coldstreamer
• Duns: Reiver
• Galashiels: Braw Lad
• Hawick: Cornet
• Jedburgh: Callant
• Kelso: Kelsae Laddie
• Langholm: Cornet
• Melrose: Melrosian
• Selkirk: Standard Bearer
• West Linton: Whipman

Hawick is traditionally the start the season of annual rideouts, due to the fact that the community captured a flag from the English army in 1514. The other oldest Common Ridings are held at Selkirk, Langholm and Lauder, each with histories tracing back over hundreds of years. Other towns which now hold ridings are: Peebles; Coldstream; Duns; Kelso; Jedburgh; Galashiels; Melrose; West Linton; Musselburgh; Edinburgh]].

While most community festivities last a week, some are focused around a few days while others last for up to two weeks. The programme will consist of a combination of ceremonies, rideouts, entertainment and traditional Scottish sports. Community spirit for the ride is symbolised by the Burgh Flag, which in a colourful ceremony is bussed, recalling the days when a knight's lady attached her ribbon to his lance before battle, where by now ribbons are tied to the Burgh Flag staff by the principal lass.

Today Common Ridings attract large crowds (of emigrants and tourists) gathering from all around the world as Borderers pay their respects to those who risked their lives protecting the townspeople.