Hawick women in stirrup coup Common riding ruling is hailed as historic

As male common riding representatives walked off grim faced, her friend, 23-year-old Ashley Simpson, said: ``This has been a very difficult time for us, but it has been worth it in the end. We will definitely be joining the men on the ride tomorrow.''

The men had gone to Duns Sheriff Court seeking an interim interdict forbidding the women from carrying out a threat to join a 300-strong mounted cavalcade from Hawick to the Roxburghshire village of Denholm this afternoon, part of the build up to the high point of common riding celebrations next Friday.

Their application asked the sheriff to forbid Ms Simpson and Ms Graham ``molesting, annoying and embarrassing'' 23-year-old Hawick Cornet Alan Weir, the leader of the cavalcade and ``encouraging any others of the female sex to join the cavalcade or any other in the month of June''.

The application also asked for costs against the women.

But Sheriff James Paterson, who had deferred an application the previous day because he wanted to hear both sides of the case, dismissed claims that the women's presence could lead to public disorder. He said the application was wholly lacking in substance and ordered that the men should pay the costs.

Solicitor Sandy Stevenson, a former secretary of the common riding committee, had told the sheriff: ``Feelings are running high in Hawick and there is genuine concern that things could get out of hand.''

A group led by the provost has already met senior police officers to stress their fears of disruption, discord and even danger to the public.

Mr Stevenson conceded that the women could not be barred from the public roads, but said the ride out was essentially a private event.

Mr Stevenson went on to promise: ``Within 14 days, civic leaders will meet with the girls to discuss what will happen in the years ahead.''

The women's solicitor, Mr Alan Campbell, submitted that an interdict could only be granted in the case of a legal wrong or infringement of rights and could not be applied to an annoyance.

He said: ``Being the Cornet of Hawick confers no special rights. The ride out takes place on public roads over the land of nine private owners. My clients have received permission from eight of them and will not cross the land of the ninth, they only intend to do what they are entitled to do.''

On the warnings of disruption he said: ``My clients are not out cause trouble, although it is true that they are making a point. They are repsonsible people who have tried to approach this in a responsible manner.''

As the sheriff delivered his judgment the two women, who had not been called to speak, beamed. Ms Graham said: ``We are delighted with the result. All we ever wanted to do was follow and support our Cornet at our own common riding.

Hawick Provost Tom Hogg, who chairs the common riding committee and had sat at the back of the court, said said : ``I am worried about what could happen tomorrow.''

In court providing moral support was Ms Simpson's boss, Mr David Hill, managing director of the Perident Dental Products firm in Galashiels where she had been given time off from her job as a staff trainer. He said afterwards: ``Ashley has my complete backing and the support of a great many of her colleagues as well. She is a very competent horsewoman and I see no reason why she and others like her should not ride at Hawick.''

Now the big question is whether the women and other women supporters will anger the male traditionalists even further by also trying to take part in next Friday's big cavalcade when the top-hatted Cornet and his followers are cheered through the streets of the town before galloping into the hills to ride the common land boundaries in a ceremony dating back centuries.

``We haven't decided yet,'' said Ms Graham before heading back to the town that sings proudly about its ``bright-eyed daughters'' but may have mixed views about two of them.