Scots have always been competitive and have successfully exported several indigenous sports that have become popular around the world - golf, curling and the perhaps more ethnically associated events of the highland games are amongst them. Virually every sport has evolved a system of trophy and cup competitions to mark achievement. While many competitions were begun by sporting Victorians, a few are a lot older. The oldest sporting trophy in the world is still won and lost on Musselburgh Links every year, as it has been since 1677.
We've won the Cup!
The Scottish Cup has a claim to be Scotland's premier sports trophy of the present time. But the competition is a comparative youngster against some of Scotland's lesser known sports trophy. The Scottish Cup was first awarded in 1873 as football (soccer) was increasing in popularity. Some trophies first awarded in the 17th century are still fought over today.
Even golf is a newcomer when compared to the ancient sports of Scotland. The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers drew up a set of rules in 1744 and played a competition thereafter, the winner of which became the 'Captain of Golf' and was awarded a silver club. A cairn and plaque on Leith Links marks the venue. Earlier competitions were played there for cash challenges.
The Royal Company of Archers gained their title and dignity when they acted as escort to George IV when he visited Scotland in 1822. Since that time they have been the Sovereign's Body Guard for Scotland. But they have their origins in a private archery club and their principal trophy, the Musselburgh Silver Arrow, has appended a medal dated 1603 and another (a bell) that is perhaps even older. The trophy remains with the company and each winner adds another medal.
The Rattray Silver Ball may survive from a competition even older than the silver arrow. It is believed to be a hand ball trophy and was made in Perth between 1597-1616. It was played for until around 1770.
The Lanark Silver Bell was made in Edinburgh around 1610. It was horseracing trophy competed for at Lanark Races and the earliest surviving winner's shield dates to 1628. It was last raced for in 1977 and was then the oldest active racing trophy in Europe.
In Kirkwall, Orkney, the inhabitants have played a traditional game for hundreds of years. Lots of other places have similar traditional competitions. Kirkwall's 'Uppies' and 'Doonies' play through the streets on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay (New Year's Eve). The game has 'no hard and fast rules' and usually comprises a rolling scrimmage as one team try to land the ball in the harbour and the others try to touch it to a wall. Each year the ball itself is the trophy, given to the most notable player in the winning side.
Many early games have their origins in festivals surrounding saints' days or even earlier pagan celebrations at solstice and equinox. A great number have disappeared over the years but in some places they have been successfully revived. Peebles revived its Beltane Games to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Records show that the Fair was celebrated in 1621. After it was revived the 'Beltane Bell' was presented by Americans with Peebles roots.
