Teenager Ella Howatson has achieved a Lockerbie Gala and Riding of the Marches hat-trick.
The 14-year-old farmer’s daughter was crowned as Gala Queen on Saturday at a ceremony in McJerrow Park – adding to her previous accolades as a junior attendant in 2014 and Miss Valentine in 2020.
ROM chairman Ian McLatchie said she joined “an elite group” in being elected for the three roles, and comes from a long-standing family tradition of supporting the annual festivities.
Ella, who is a third year pupil at Lockerbie Academy with aspirations to become a hairdresser, has always been involved in the annual gala day parade on horseback or on foot.
She was crowned by last year’s Gala Queen, Caitlin Jardine, and supported by a royal retinue made up of senior attendants Mya Guthrie, Grace Handley and junior attendants Lenyx Adair, Olivia Davis, Rhiley Ferries and Sydney Scott; as well as flower girl Darcie McDonald and page girl Chloe Teasdale; and Miss Valentine, Isla Beeton.
The ceremony also saw the official public sashing of this year’s principals, Cornet Ewan Lowther, Cornet’s Lass Eilidh Kennedy, and Standard Bearer, Penny McLatchie.
