I m told that this was originally as a form of crowd control, in times when the sport was at its most popular. I can t say I ve ever seen that, but the onlookers certainly become animated when two or more sticklers raise their stick aloft to indicate a victory has just been achieved. This is to prevent an opponent from gaining an early advantage by getting a quick free hold on the jacket and effecting an unexpected throw. My guess is that this ritual was introduced after the first time a throw called the flying mare was effected. The handshake communicates to each wrestler that the other is ready to commence.
Wrestling always starts by getting into a hitch .
That is to say each wrestler takes a firm hold of the other s jacket at the left shoulder and right underarm. As we ve already seen you must first shake hands, get in a hitch and not wrestle at all on the ground. As with other styles of wrestling, the aim in the Cornish manner is to defeat your opponent. To do this you must either back your man or effect a win over him by points. A back is scored when a man has been picked up and dropped flat on his back so that at least three of his four pins hit the ground simultaneously.