About E.M.R.A
Principals
The Edinburgh Riding of the Marches is led by the Edinburgh Captain and for the first time in 2011, the Edinburgh Lass. For the purposes of Inspecting the Marches the Captain is entrusted by the Lord Provost with the City Of Edinburgh Banner. The Captain and Lass will be supported on the right by the 1st Officer and on the left by the 2nd Officer.
To become Captain, an individual must first serve a year in each of the 2nd and 1st Officer roles. These are supporting roles for The Captain and Lass. In days of old the 1st and 2nd Officers would ride alongside the Captain and take control of the Banner should the he be unhorsed or injured in a skirmish. In modern times the Officers support the Captain and Lass in all their duties and are on hand to look after the Banner should they be required.
The Edinburgh Lass and 2nd officer roles become vacant each year and new candidates are sought.
4 weeks prior to the Edinburgh Riding of the Marches each year, candidates are invited to apply for these posts. Full details of criteria, selection process and how to apply for the post will be available on this site at that time.
Principals For 2010
Edinburgh's Captain Elect for 2011 will be Iain Whyte. Iain is a member of the City of Edinburgh Council representing Inverleith ward. He is also the Convener of Lothian and Borders Police Board and a Non-Executive Director of NHS Lothian. Now 43 Iain was born and brought up in Edinburgh.
Prior to taking on the role of 2nd Officer 2009, Iain’s riding experience was limited but he has taken part in many rides throughout the country since then and feels he is more than ready to meet the challenge of his 3rd Riding Of The Marches in Edinburgh and lead from the front. Iain’s 14-year-old daughter Anna will be joining him again on the ride and is thrilled at the prospect of seeing her dad carrying the City Banner.
Commenting on the prospect of leading the 2011 Riding of the Marches, Iain said: “I have always valued the heritage and tradition of our city and I am eagerly awaiting my chance to carry the City Of Edinburgh Banner at the head of the Riding Of The Marches. I feel it is really important that the Council is represented on the ride and it is a great honour, as a councillor, to follow in the footsteps of the many council officials who have been involved in the Riding Of The Marches down the centuries.”
The new Edinburgh 1st Officer for 2011 will be Gareth Monro. Gareth was born and bred in Edinburgh. Having attended South Morningside Primary and James Gillespies Secondary Schools and has gone on to run a successful business in the city, which has been going from strength to strength for the last 14 years.
Gareth is a great lover of the outdoors and enjoys swimming, running, climbing and of course, horse riding. He has been riding for 4 years now, during which time he has taken part in many riding festivals up and down the country.
Gareth has been a member and strong supporter of the Edinburgh March Riding Association since its inception in 2008. Gareth was selected as 2nd Officer for 2010 and as if that wasn’t enough of a job for him, he took the lead in the planning of the 2010 ride.
When asked to comment on becoming 1st Officer for 2011 Gareth said, “It is a great honour to be 1st Officer and I am thoroughly looking forward to supporting the Captain and Edinburgh Lass throughout this year. Representing The City Of Edinburgh around the country is a great priveledge and can be hard work at times. I look forward to the the reward, when I ride through the City at the head of the cavalcade on 11th September”
The first woman ever to receive the honour of becoming Edinburgh Lass is Tracy McNaughton. She was born, bred and schooled in the City Of Edinburgh and works in her family riding school business on the outskirts of the city.
Tracy learned to ride when she was a very young child and has since competed in all equestrian disciplines. She has a particular interest in Scotland’s Riding Festivals and has ridden in the vast majority of them. She has been a member of the Edinburgh March Riding Association since its inception and has assisted in the planning of the 2009 and 2010 rides.
When asked to comment on becoming Edinburgh Lass Tracy said,” When I learned of the return of Edinburgh Riding The Marches, I was keen to get involved and help build the event. I never thought for a second that the Lass Role would emerge and I would be lucky enough to land it. I have been very busy since the Introduction Night and I can’t wait to get out and about visiting all the other riding towns in my new role as Edinburgh Lass.
I have taken part in the Ride over the last two years and experienced the thrill of riding up the Royal Mile but I’m sure that won’t come close to the experience of leading the ride with Iain and climbing the Mercat Cross for the return of the Banner to the Lord Provost. I am absolutely thrilled by this opportunity and intend relishing every second”
The 2011 Edinburgh 2nd Officer is Stuart Nicoll. Stuart has lived in the Capital for the past 6 years and has been a keen follower of the social side of the riding festivals for several of those years. Stuart joined the E.M.R.A. committee in 2009 and was a key member of ground crew for that years ride. It wasn’t until 2010 that Stuart got himself in the saddle and after a small number of lessons, took part in the Musselburgh and Edinburgh rides.
An active swimmer and keen rugby player throughout his life, Stuart was immediately hooked by the physical exhilaration of riding and can’t wait for the 2011 season to kick off.
Stuart has a particular interest in the history and culture of the City Of Edinburgh and in 2007, set up West Port Tours, a historical walking tour company, which operates from the heart of the Old Town. Dedicated to history, WPT provides the world famous “Burke and Hare Murder Tour” which entertains the public and tourists on a daily basis.
Commenting on his selection as 2nd Officer Stuart said “I’m very much looking forward to completing as many rides as possible this year and becoming more involved with the various riding towns activities throughout the summer. To climb the Mercat Cross in the presence of the massed crowds and riders on the 11th September will be a moment, I’ll never forget”
Iain Whyte (Chair)
Robert Hardie (Vice Chair)
Ian Douglas (Treasurer)
Kay Robertson (Secretary)
Gareth Monro (Ride Convener)
Stuart Nicoll (Events Convener)
Steve McGill
Alan Booth
Louise Kay
Graham Russell
Sarah Hempstock
Chris Calder