Festivities are in full swing in West Linton with Whipman Calum Murray and his Lass Alison Hardie leading the way.
The smiling duo were appointed in April and installed last Friday at a special ceremony on the village’s Lower Green, before being led around the village by the West Linton and District Pipe Band.
Whipman Play Society secretary Sheila Forsyth said: “It’s been a busy week and Calum and Alison are doing a great job.
“Everything is going really well and, although we have had a lot of rain, the sun has shone when it needed to at all our events.”
Tonight’s events are junior rugby and cricket. Last night villagers were set to take part in cross country races, the children’s bogie race, adult’s wheelbarrow race and men and women’s pillow fight.
Tomorrow night will be the Ex Whipman’s Dinner Dance followed by Saturday’s procession, led by the pipe band, to the war memorial where Whipman Calum will lay a wreath. Sports Day, opened by Calum and his Lass, follows and, in the evening, the Whipman Market, while on Sunday the Whipman Songs of Praise will take place in the marquee at 6.30pm.
The Whipman Rideout last Saturday was well supported. Organisers said: “The ground was good and weather conditions were perfect for most of the ride, the rain coming in early afternoon.”
The Sashes races was won by Jedburgh’s Billy Spence, Jedburgh; Stuart Rendall took the open race and Robert Muir first hired horse, with Hamish Dykes taking the Ian Morrison Memorial Flask. Also last Saturday were the junior fun day (when Silky Skills were the overall winners), junior tug o’ war (won by Unusual Rainbow Unicorns) and the fancy dress with trophies to overall winner, Frankie Court, best dressed group Isobel and Nicola Amos and Owen Jones who won the best dressed, 9-11 years category.
Organisers say there was a “great turnout of bikes” for last Sunday’s cycle rideout; Eastern BMW won the five-a-side football with So Stobo United runners-up and Scott MacFarlane player of the tournament. The dog show attracted 71 entries and, following last year’s success, the second Whipman Playlist Music Festival was that evening . Monday brought kids football (Cameron Robb captained the winners, Alex Tait the runners-up), junior netball (won by Puffle Buffs, with Marshmallows the runners-up) and scooter and cycle races, while Tuesday’s toddlers and juniors fun discos were well attended.