The Hawick Common-Riding is the first of the Border festivals and celebrates both the capture of an English Flag in 1514 by the youth of Hawick. The Hawick Common-Riding is the first of the Border festivals and celebrates both the capture of an English Flag in 1514 by the youth of Hawick at a place called Hornshole and the ancient custom of riding the marches or boundaries of the common land.
The Cornet for the year is elected at the beginning of May, well in advance of the festival proper, when the Provost's Council, on the recommendation of the two previous Cornets (called the Right and Left-Hand Men) invites a young man to act as Cornet. The Halberdier, accompanied by the Drum and Fife Band, carries an official letter of invitation to the nominated Cornet. Invitation accepted, the Officer is rewarded with a new “shilling” and asked to carry the Cornet's letter of acceptance back to the waiting Council. Afterwards the Cornet with his two predecessors walk round the older parts of the town before attending a congratulatory Smoker. From then until the festival is over the Cornet is an honoured figure in Hawick. The first recorded Cornet was in 1703 and other than the World Wars there has been an unbroken line to the present day.
In the weeks preceding the actual Common-Riding, on each Saturday and Tuesday, the Cornet and his supporters are out on their ride-outs in the course of which they visit surrounding villages and farms. The main ride-out, however, usually two weeks before the Common-Riding weekend, is the twenty-four mile ride to Mosspaul and back.

While returning from the rideout on the Saturday before the Common-Riding the principals visit the Hornshole Lest We Forget Memorial to salute the memory of the youth of 1514.
On the Thursday evening of the week preceding the Common-Riding, the first of the Cornet's Chases takes place up a hill called the Nipknowes on the way to St. Leonards Farm where a local caterer is asked to prepare the customary dish of “curds and cream” in readiness as a refreshment during the actual riding of the marches. This marks the end of the preliminary procedure.

The Common-Riding proper takes place in June on a Friday and Saturday. It had been the invariable practice to hold the riding of the marches on the last Friday in May, but the adoption by this country of the Gregorian Calendar, which removed eleven days from the year, forced the festival into June.
This important week begins on the Sunday with the Kirkin' o' the Cornet during a service in the church of which he is a member. This is preceded by the Cornet's Church Parade in which the principals, together with the followers, walk from the Council Chambers to the church.
In the afternoon the Cornet's Lass with the Lasses of the two previous Cornets travel to the Hornshole Memorial and lay a wreath.

THURSDAY
Following Chases on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings of Common-Riding week the second major Chase takes place on the Thursday morning when the Cornet carries the unbussed Flag for the first time. After breakfast the Principals visit the local schools where, after a rapturous welcome, the Cornet requests the Head Teacher to proclaim a holiday for the rest of the day and the next. This is of course granted and the children and assembled parents join with the riders in singing the festival songs.