Backhold Wrestling
Officially Scottish Backhold Wrestling
Traditional Scottish + North English folk wrestling — wrestlers begin with locked hands behind opponent's back (backhold), attempt to throw opponent to ground; releasing grip = loss. Signature event at Highland Games worldwide since 1800s.
What is Backhold Wrestling?
Backhold Wrestling is a traditional Scottish + North English folk wrestling style — wrestlers face each other, lock hands behind opponent's back (this is 'the backhold'), and attempt to throw each other while maintaining the grip. Any wrestler whose grip breaks first, or whose body-part other than feet touches the ground first, LOSES. English variant (Cumberland-Westmorland Wrestling) uses same backhold posture with minor rule differences. Central event at Highland Games competitions worldwide since 1800s — Braemar Highland Gathering (attended by British monarchy since Queen Victoria), Cowal Highland Games, and dozens of smaller Highland Games events in Scotland + North England + Cornish/Scots diaspora (Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand). Weight classes: heavyweight, middleweight, lightweight. Championship at Braemar + Cowal historically prestigious; Scottish Wrestling Bond governs modern sport.
Quick facts
Category
Combat Sports
Type
Individual
Players
2–2
Duration
~5 min
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Estimated origin
Medieval Celtic + Norse origins; codified at Highland Games from 1800s; governed by Scottish Wrestling Bond since 1970s
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Throw opponent to ground while maintaining backhold grip; wrestler whose body-part (other than feet) touches ground first = LOSES fall.
Match structure
3 falls per match (best-of-3); tournament format at Highland Games often single-elimination.
Rules
Basic rules
Start position: BACKHOLD grip
Wrestlers face each other + lock hands behind opponent's back (each wrestler's chin over opponent's right shoulder, arms wrapped, hands clasped).
Grip must be maintained through throw
Wrestler who releases grip first LOSES the fall.
First body part (other than feet) to touch ground = loses fall
Even a knee touch = loss; strict standing-throw discipline.
Best-of-3 falls wins match
First to 2 falls wins.
No striking, no leg grips
Pure standing wrestling from backhold; may use leg trips WITHOUT gripping opponent's leg.
Advanced rules
Legal throws
Hip throws (hipe), cross-buttock, back-heel trip, sacrifice throws where wrestler goes to ground WITH opponent (both fall together = judges decide who touched first).
Sacrifice throws (dohg)
Wrestler deliberately falls WITH opponent to force opponent to hit ground first; risky but effective on stronger opponent.
Grip breaking = automatic loss
Even if opponent hits ground first, if you break grip, you lose.
Weight classes (Highland Games standard)
Lightweight (~70kg), middleweight (~85kg), heavyweight (open weight).
Cumberland-Westmorland variant differences
Same backhold posture but different scoring nuances; historical northern English wrestling tradition documented since 12th century.
Scoring
Best-of-3 falls; fall = opponent touches ground first (grip maintained).
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Opponent touches ground (any body part other than feet) first while your grip held | 1 fall |
| You release grip first | You LOSE the fall (regardless of throw) |
Win condition · First to 2 falls wins match.
Equipment
Wrestling attire (kilt or shorts)
Cumberland-Westmorland variant historically worn embroidered singlets; Scottish variant may wear kilt.
Grass wrestling ring
Traditional grass ring; no fixed size at Highland Games.
Positions & roles
Wrestler ('wrastler')
×1Backhold grip + throw execution + fall avoidance.
Officiating
Judges determine which body part touched ground first + grip discipline.
- Referee (ring official)
- Judges (2-3 for fall determination)
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Illegal leg grip
Fall loss.
Striking
Disqualification.
Refusal to engage backhold
Fall loss.
Strategies
Grip discipline first
Never release grip; even losing fall is better than releasing (releasing = auto-loss).
Hipe (hip throw) as go-to attack
Hip below opponent's center + lift + rotate = classic Highland Games throw.
Sacrifice throw for stronger opponent
If overmatched, deliberately fall together — force judges to decide who touched first.
Grip breaking counter
If you sense your grip breaking, initiate throw immediately before it fails.
Terminology
- Backhold
- The mandatory start-grip: hands locked behind opponent's back.
- Hipe
- Hip throw — classic Highland Games attack.
- Dohg
- Sacrifice throw — deliberately fall with opponent.
- Chip
- Small technical throws or trips.
- Grand Wrestling Champion
- Braemar wrestling champion title.
Major competitions
Braemar Highland Gathering wrestling championship
annual (September) · Braemar, Scotland — royal event · since 1832
Cowal Highland Games wrestling
annual (August) · Dunoon, Scotland · since 1894
Grasmere Sports (Cumberland-Westmorland style)
annual (August) · Grasmere, English Lake District · since 1852
US Highland Games wrestling (Grandfather Mountain, Long Beach, etc.)
annual · US Scottish-American Highland Games circuit · since 1950
Canadian + Australian + New Zealand Highland Games
annual · Scottish diaspora Highland Games worldwide · since 1900
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Scottish Wrestling Bond
Founded 1970 · Scotland
Official site ↗Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling Association (England variant)
Founded 1980 · Cumbria, England
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Various Braemar + Cowal champions across 150+ years
- Multi-generation Highland Games wrestling families in Scotland + Cumbria
- Alan Kirkpatrick (Cumberland-Westmorland champion, multiple)
Records
Royal recognition
Braemar Highland Gathering wrestling — British royal family attends annually since Queen Victoria; wrestling is core event alongside caber toss + hammer throw + tossing (2024)
Continuous 800-year tradition (Cumberland-Westmorland variant)
Cumberland-Westmorland Wrestling — Documented in English northern counties since 12th century; among the oldest continuously-practiced wrestling styles in England (2024)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Attend local Highland Games (Scotland or diaspora)
Wrestling exhibitions + amateur entries at every Highland Games.
- 2
Train with Scottish Wrestling Bond clubs
Small but active club network across Scotland + Cumbria.
advanced
- 1
Compete for Braemar Grand Championship
Highest honor in Scottish backhold wrestling — royal attendance.
- 2
Cross-style training with Cornish + Breton wrestling
Celtic wrestling family shares many technical elements.
Frequently asked
How do wrestlers score without releasing grip?+
The backhold posture allows leg-trip attacks (using your own leg to trip opponent's stance without gripping their leg), hip throws by lifting + rotating hips under opponent's center of gravity, sacrifice throws where you deliberately fall together forcing opponent to hit ground first, and back-heel trips. Skilled backhold wrestlers execute impressive throws entirely from the fixed grip.
Is backhold wrestling only at Highland Games?+
Primarily yes — it's the traditional Highland Games wrestling discipline. However, Scottish Wrestling Bond runs some club-level training + tournaments outside Highland Games. Cumberland-Westmorland variant has its own English northern counties tournament circuit (Grasmere Sports flagship). Scottish diaspora Highland Games in US + Canada + Australia + NZ continue tradition worldwide.
How is it different from Cornish Wrestling?+
Cornish uses jacket grips + is not fixed to backhold posture. Backhold requires the specific locked-hands-behind-back start position throughout; grip release = automatic loss. Both are Celtic-origin folk wrestling; both feature at Highland Games events. Backhold is Scottish + North English; Cornish is southwestern English.
Sources & provenance
- Scottish Wrestling Bond— SWB
- Wikipedia — Scottish backhold— Wikipedia