Cornet Elect: Ross Johnstone is a 26 year old servicer/stylist at Headmasters in Dumfries, with whom he has participated in many shows and lots of photographic work. He was educated at Locharbriggs Primary School and then Dumfries High School. Ross was a Lynor to Billy Geddes in 2002 a year where he fully enjoyed himself, supporting Billy and Pam Davers, the Cornets Lass. Ross`s hobbies include skiing, horse riding and travelling and tells us his Nana was Cornets Lass in 1952.

On his appointment, Ross said "I`ve been a keen supporter of Guid Nychburris from an early age and first rode the marches in 1995. I am really looking forward to my year in which I will be supported by my friends and family and I ask the towns people to make 2008 a year to remember".       

The Cornet is an old name for a young officer of the Local Defence Force. In the days when frequent raids were made on Scottish towns by English warriors, the Cornet was the officer in charge of the younger men of the town who rode out to challenge the enemy. The older and less active townsmen stood gaurd over, and defended, the town walls or dykes.

Cornets Lass Elect: Melissa Houliston was born in 1978 and attended Caerlaverock Primary School and then Dumfries High School, before going on to complete a BA (Hons) Degree in Marketing Management, at Napier University. Now living back in Dumfries, she manages her father`s wholesale food company, Galloway Foodservice.

Melissa said, "Having followed Guid Nychburris and the Riding of the Marches for many years, I am extremely honoured to be appointed Cornets Lass Elect 2008. I first rode the Marches at the age of thirteen and follow in the footsteps of my dad, Keith, who was Lynor in 1970 to Cornet Ian Hamilton".   

The Cornets Lass was first appointed for the Dumfries Riding of the Marches in 1939.    

Lynors: Jamie Farquhar is a 27 year old teacher. "Having grown up in Stranraer and studied in Stirling, I was delighted to be able to return to Dumfries in 2002. Since then the town has become my home and I am honoured to be able to represent the Burgh at this year`s Guid Nychburris Festival. I play rugby for the mighty Dumfries Saints and teach biology at the fabulous Dumfries Academy.  My riding experience is limited to the pony club as a youngster and a month spent tracking the wild horses of Mongolia. The mongolian style of riding is completely different from our own, so I`m hoping I`ll adapt back again quickly. Here`s hoping for sunny weather, soft falls and gentle mornings."

Bruce Blower is nineteen years old and comes from a family who have been actively involved with Guid Nychburris for many years. His dad, Arthur, was Courier in 1988 and also Pursuivants Man in 1997, his brother Russell and Uncles, Michael and Raymond Findlater, also having been Lynors. Bruce`s mother Alison is owner of Buckaroo Tack Shop in Dumfries, so he will be well kitted out for his duties. He first rode the marches at five and has continued since and expects to be well supported by his family, including cousins Ciaran and Ross, who will be out blowing their horns. Bruce was educated at St Ninians Primary and then Dumfries Academy and is currently traning to be a farrier. He currently plays Rugby for Annan and for this years Festival will ride his 16.3 hh mare Lucy, who has participated in the festivities in previous years.       

Sam Hiddleston is nineteen years old and lives with his his mum and dad, two brothers and one sister on the family farm, Newmains near Shawhead. When he left Dumfries Academy at 16, he studied for two years at the Barony College, Parkgate, and then spent a further year studying agriculture at the Scottish Agriculture College in Edinburgh. His main interest outside farm work is playing rugby with Dumfries Saints. He also likes customising his car and travelling. He was lucky to have travelled to Australia with the Colt Rugby Team and hopes to spend some more time `down under` in the next couple of years.

Ross McMeeken is nineteen years old and was born in Dumfries. He went to Dumfries Academy and currently works for the Council as a leisure attendant. During the weekends, he maintains a keen interest in ice hockey, playing for the local team, the Solway Sharks, having represented Scotland at  the under 19`s level this season. Ross is a keen musician, playing various instruments but favours Drums and Percussion in particular, which should come in handy for making as much noise as possible this Guid Nychburris!. Many of his family members have ridden the marches in previous years, so the view from horseback instead of watching from the sidelines, will be a very different viewpoint. Ross said, " I`m a novice rider, so please cut me some slack if I`m not doing very well but on the positive side, it should all be a good laugh. I am honoured to get the opportunity to be a Lynor this year and am really looking forward to it".        

The Lynors are selected by the Cornet as his supporters and assist him in all of his Guid Nychburris duties.

Queen of the South Elect, Abbey Kerr, is a fourth year student at Maxwelltown High School. having begun her education at St Ninians Primary. About herself, Abbey said, "I enjoy most areas of sport and have a special interest in gymnastics. I am currently attending Dumfries & Galloway College once a week, to study Beauty Therapy. I am very interested in this and hope eventually, to use what I have learned to make a career out of it. With regard to Guid Nychburris, I am very honoured to have been chosen to represent Maxwelltown High School as Queen of the South".   

The Queen of the South represents the young citizens of Dumfries. The duty of electing the Queen of the South falls in rotation on each of the four Dumfries secondary schools, this year being the turn of Maxwelltown High School.

Queens Attendants: Abby Black initially attended St Ninians Primary School and is now in fourth year at Maxwelltown High School, looking forward to staying on to do her Higher examinations. When she finishes her sixth year, her ambition is to study nursing and then go on to join the RAF. Abby said, "I enjoy meeting up with my friends and enjoy all sports, having played for several football teams in the past. I feel most honoured to represent my school this year by being chosen to be one of the Attendants to the Queen of the South and hope everyone enjoys the forthcoming events".   

Nikki Watson began her education at Lochside Primary School and has now been at Maxwelltown High School for four years studying, among other subjects, Physics and Biology. Nikki said, "I also attend college once a week to study childcare. I aspire to be some sort of designer when I leave school. In my free time, I like to play badminton and football. I am very honoured to have been given the opportunity to be an Attendant to the Queen of the South".  

Key Bearers: Lisa Plunkett, " I am fifteen at present as I will be sixteen on June 22nd, the day after Guid Nychburris Day. I went to St Ninians Primary before going on to Maxwelltown High School and I am currently in fourth year. My hobbies are spending time on my laptop and listening to music".   

Shannon Anderson is presently in her fourth year of secondary education at Maxwelltown High School. Shannon said, "My primary education was from August 1997 until summer 2004, during which I was a pupil at Lochside Primary School. Here I had the pleasure in 2004 of representing the school as primary attendant to the Queen of the South. I am a very sociable person and a member of my school`s gymnastics team with whom I have been participating for three years. I am hoping to stay on and complete my full six years of secondary education before joining Bell College to study nursing and then hopefully progressing to nursing in the army. I am very honoured and grateful to be a Key Bearer of 2008 to represent Maxwelltown High School as part of the Queens party".  

Additional Primary School Attendants are: Patricia Corbett (Lochside), Louise Ho (Lincluden), Shannon Dalgleish (St. Ninian`s) Kirsten Wismach (Cargenbridge), Abbey McCallay (Calside), Anna Graham (Troqueer), Channelle Mulligan (Laurieknowe), Hannah Hastings (Georgetown), Charis Scott (Brownhall), Kallie Jamieson (St Michael`s), Joanne Wheeler (Locharbriggs), Catriona Auld (Loreburn), Grace Dillet (St Andrews), Erryn Watson (St Teresas) & Leah Johan Syme (Noblehill).

Additional Secondary School Attendants are: Stephanie Stitt (Dumfries Academy), Georgie Boyle (St. Josephs College) & Tasmin Haines (Dumfries High School).      

Singer: For the second year in a row, Lauren Jack will sing `Queen of the South a Song of Dumfries` during the crowning ceremony on Guid Nychburris Day. Sixth year Dumfries High  School pupil, Lauren, is said to be `over the moon` to have been asked to perform this role yet again, an experience normally only enjoyed once in any girl`s life.   

Chaperone: Mrs Elizabeth Shennan. (Maxwelltown High School). Elizabeth is happy to take on the pleasant duty of Chaperone 2008, accompanying the girls from Maxwelltown High School. Elizabeth has two sons and a daughter and was the proud mum of Jamie, a Lynor in 2005. 

Courier: Neil Sturrock is married to Rhona and has worked for Dumfries and Galloway Council for the past thirteen years. His main hobby is football, where he plays on both Saturday and Sunday for local clubs. Neil was Lynor to John Hunt and Nikki Gordon in 2004 and thoroughly enjoyed his time in this role. He is very proud to be asked to be Courier for 2008 and is looking forward to the year`s festivities.     

Pursuivant: Bud Little. "It is a great honour to be asked to be Pursuivant for Guid Nychburris. I am a father of three and a partner in the family builders business. I have been involved with horses and ponies for many a year, from racing right through to Riding the Marches at all local towns".   

Pursuivants Men: Andrew Miller is a Veterinary Surgeon from Lockerbie, spending most of his time with the local equine population. Having had great pleasure in being Pursivant in 2006, he is looking forward to supporting his colleagues and renewing many friendships made at previous Guid Nychburris. Kenneth Spence was born and brough up on the farms at Corrielaw, Lockerbie. He is 54 years old and married to Helen and they have three almost grown up children who are all keen on horses, particularly their 16 year old, Alice. Kenny works as an agricultural building contractor and farmer and Rode the Marches at Lockerbie from a very early age, later becoming Cornet and Standard Bearer for the town. Kenny has occasionally ridden in the festivities at Dumfries over the years and still remembers riding for the first time, when his father was Pursuivants Assistant in 1966. Mike Johnstone is a 53 year old telecom engineer from Goldilea near Dumfries and has been riding horses since his teens. He is a keen follower of Dumfries and Galloway Foxhounds and rides out for local trainer Andrew Parker in his spare time, also enjoying riding in cross-country events. His other interests, when time allows, include hill walking. Bruce Gibson is a 30-year-old from Hightae, where he lives with his partner, Jackie. He is a retired National Hunt Jockey and works for local trainer, Len Lungo. 

Town Clerk: Kenny McCall
The Town Clerk`s job is to read out the Charter during the ceremonial part of Guid Nychburris day. The Charter is a document conferring certain rights and privileges on the citizens of the town, most valuable in the middle ages because it nearly always implied freedom from some of the restricted practices of the feudal system and the right to impose taxes.

Halberdiers: Robert Athol & Euan McCall.

Provost: Jack Groom. 

Baillies: Bob Agnew, Maureen McKerrow, Ivor Hyslop, Alastair Witts.

Town Drummer: David Harkness.
The Drummer announces to the citizens the coming of the Pursuivant, and to summon them to the Midsteeple to hear the Charter proclaimed. He is in fact the Town Crier.

Bugler: Elliot Waterhouse