Team List

* New Cap

Iain Robertson

Compared to many of the team, Iain came late to fullbore shooting.  The first visit to Bisley was for the RAF Skill-at-Arms meeting in 1978.  In amongst all the machine-guns and pistols, there was a Target Rifle match, and the ‘expert’ handed Iain an L39 with the words “treat it like an overgrown .22”.  One fat lip later and having kept the score literally on the back of a fag packet found in the firing point ditch, Iain was hooked.  After 10 years of practice with the RAF Target Rifle Club, Iain made his first appearance for Scotland in the 1988 National Match.   About the same time the RAF started Iain on international touring with visits to Australia, Kenya, Germany and Jersey.   

Chris Hockley toured South Africa with GB in 1993, and decided on a rerun for the RAF in 1994.  The team was fairly successful in shooting and hugely successful in socialising with Iain being an enthusiast for both.  So much so that he was ill-advised enough to volunteer as manager for the RAFs second tour in 1996, and again for the 1998 tour.  That tour opened with a stay in Potchefstroom for the Northwest Bisley, and one warm evening Iain went for a stroll round a moonlit lake with a gorgeous girl called Karen. Iain and Karen were married in 1999 and have returned to South Africa to shoot almost every year since, sometimes as individuals but also with teams from Scotland, Ireland and the RAF.  Iain and Karen travelled together on Iain’s first GB tour, to Canada in 2002.  Having been left behind for Iain’s second GB tour to Kenya and Namibia, and thus robbed of a chance to see a leopard in the wild, Karen decided that Iain would only go on accompanied tours.  She also decided that Iain needed organising, and is travelling as Team Manager.

Despite having been to South Africa on at least 15 occasions, Iain is having kittens at the prospect of leading GB.  If the kittens turn out to be leopard cubs, that will at least keep Karen happy.

Alwyn McLean

Alwyn is a retired Regular Army infantry Major who has transferred into the Reserve Forces and works on semi-permanent basis as the Training Major of a Medical Regiment based  in Northern Ireland.  He also dabbles in farming, light engineering and gunsmithing.

Alwyn has previously shot service rifle for the British Army and was on the GB Service Rifle team that toured South Africa in 1994.  He won the Queen's Medal in 1996 prompting his return to target rifle shooting in 1997.  This is his fourth GB tour having previously toured to New Zealand, Canada and the USA. This will be his seventh shooting visit to South Africa and he was last in South Africa as Vice-Captain of the Ireland team in 2009.   He was the fullbore coach for the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team to Delhi in 2010, is Captain of the Territorial Army Target Rifle Team, Captain of the Ireland Mackinnon Team and is the touring Armourer for the Athelings team each year to Canada.

Alwyn is married to Diane and they have two children, Keri and James.  He is a keen all round sportsman.  His greatest sporting moment was captaining the winning Ireland team in the National Match at Bisley in 2002.

David Crispin

David works for an American IT company as a Technical Account Manager specialising in Network Attached Storage. He has never been to South Africa before and is really looking forward to experiencing many new things. It's hard to believe, looking at the very youthful picture, that he will celebrate his 50th birthday while on tour. Hopefully, he'll still be able to walk, unaided, to the firing point and even lift a few weighty beers to commemorate his half century.

This is David's third GB tour after New Zealand in 2010 and Canada last year. He spends a lot of time at Bisley as Chairman of the Surrey Rifle Association and is very proud of the recent work done by a very active committee. His other interest is flying light aircraft. David has a Private Pilot's Licence and flies a single engine Piper Archer from Fairoaks airport in Surrey on hamburger runs to the Isle of Wight.

David Calvert

David started fullbore target rifle shooting in Northern Ireland at Campbell College School, Belfast in 1965. His first international team experience followed three years later as a member of the Ireland National Match team. His first Great Britain team representation was the tour to Canada in 1975, with his next GB tour 16 years later as a member of the Palma team to the USA in 1992. Having “sorted out how to balance work and shooting”, he has toured with GB teams most years since.  He has shot competitively on five continents, touring with GB, Ireland, the Royal Air Force and Northern Ireland, representing the latter in the past nine Commonwealth Games.

It is, however, South Africa that holds a special place in his heart, and the country that he has toured to most frequently, participating in the South African Championships every year since 1998, after first visiting with the Protea Match winning RAF team in 1996. He has enjoyed some individual success too, winning the State President’s Trophy on three occasions and the South African Individual Open Championship eight times, including six consecutive victories during the last decade.  What keeps him coming back? “It is combination of things: the high quality early season competition; the interesting and challenging winds; the warm and sunny weather at the end of a UK winter; but, most importantly, it is the warm welcome, hospitality and sportsmanship of our South African hosts”.

Back in the UK, David is currently a part-time flying instructor with Cambridge University Air Squadron as a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. His main activity interests, in addition to shooting and flying, include golf (a set of clubs now left permanently in Bloemfontein), skiing, scuba diving and fishing.

Gary Alexander

Gary Alexander is an optometrist and company director of Specsavers Opticians in Newbury. Having started shooting at the Royal School Dungannon (Northern Ireland) his first visit to England was at the age of 13 to shoot the Imperial Meeting at Bisley and his attendance has been uninterrupted since. 
Touring and team shooting is much loved and with six GB tours and many more with Ireland, he has covered five continents and four countries within Africa. This has accumulated some practice as both coach and shooter and fond memories of the National and Elcho matches with Ireland as well as Kolapore, Protea, America and New Zealand matches with GB. 


Gary also enjoys game shooting and with the passing on of his beloved Springer Spaniels finds his hands full training his partner Zoe in the etiquette of the field. 
Training the Wiltshire Army Cadets, scuba diving and planning the "Fullbore World Tour" for 2013 seems to leave little free time.

On this seventh visit to South Africa, Gary is very much looking forward to renewing old acquaintances and seeing new parts of this beautiful country, not forgetting the red wine and red meats yet to be enjoyed.

Jonny Borland

Jonny started shooting at Dollar Academy in 2001, and first discovered the wonderful world of Bisley that same year. Since then, he has shot for the 2007 World Championship winning GB Under 25 team, and was placed seventh individually in the Under 25 World Long Range Championships in Canada . . . a mere six places behind fellow handsome teammate (and Scot) Peter Seebohm. A record breaking NRA tour followed in 2010, as did a veritable romp into the Queen’s Final.

Jonny has represented Scotland since 2002, and in 2011 helped them retain the National for the first time since the early 20th century. One of three athletes funded by sportscotland to travel to the World Championships in Brisbane, Jonny is also training in the Scotland High Performance Squad towards the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. This is his first GB cap and second tour to South Africa, where he hopes to continue to be unbeaten in all team matches, and with any luck catch a Super Rugby game as well as vast quantities of steak.

Away from shooting, Jonny works in private equity for SL Capital Partners in Edinburgh. He can usually be found on the golf course, rowing a boat, lifting something heavy, doing something dangerous on the side of a mountain, or failing those: standing outside Domino’s Pizza waiting for it to open.

James Bullock

Simon Carson

Simon started shooting in his last year at Campbell College, Belfast, and went to Bisley with the school that July. Since then he has improved very slowly. He joined Comber Rifle Club and has been attending Bisley regularly since. Although his main interest is fullbore target rifle he did go away from this for several years to concentrate on match rifle and now shoots both disciplines with a little smallbore in the winter. He has shot for Ireland in the Elcho, National and Mackinnon and won the Irish Open in 2010. He has toured with Ireland teams to Canada and South Africa.

Outside shooting he worked for a computer firm for 20 years in Human Resources and is now an independent HR Consultant specialising in Employee Relations. When not on the range he enjoys playing golf.

Chris Claridge

This is Chris’s first GB cap and he is looking forward to the challenge and excitement of shooting in South Africa again. Chris was an Atheling many years ago, he represented England in the National Match as a reserve and has shot for Sussex.

After joining the Army in 1982, overseas postings prevented any regular appearances at Bisley and, following a long absence from target rifle, Chris returned to the fold in 1999 and has spent the years since trying to build on those early signs of promise. He has shot for the British Army and Combined Services regularly, visited the Channel Islands with the NRA Team and twice shot in South Africa with the Army Team.

Outside shooting Chris devotes as much time as he can to renovating his recently purchased cottage in Gloucestershire. He is working for the Ministry of Defence in Bath but is planning to leave the Forces soon to take his chances working in the civilian world. 

Gareth Davies

Gareth’s shooting career began six years ago, after a rugby injury, when he was told by Matthew Purdy (in an effort to get him off the sidelines of the rugby pitch!) to try shooting. He then spent five years under the leadership of Freddie Grounds with Gresham’s Rifle Team, spending his final year as their fullbore captain and main coach. He now studies Civil Engineering at the University of Warwick.

Gareth’s international fullbore debut was in 2008, when he was the youngest person to shoot for the England National Team (achieving sixth highest score in the process). Since then, he has attended all the junior tours to Jersey, Canada and South Africa with the UKCRT, BCRT and the GBU19s respectively. He has also toured to Trinidad and Jamaica with Gresham’s. Gareth is currently a member of the 2011 GBU25 World Championship Team but has never been on a senior tour, so is enjoying absorbing the advice and experiences from his old wrinkly teammates!

In his free time, Gareth is a keen percussionist who regularly attends public jazz, funk and latin sessions. He is also a member of the university Musical Theatre Society - tour song requests may be granted, but only for a small fee!

Gareth looks forward to returning to South Africa and to rekindling old friendships he made there. He is also eagerly anticipating the inevitable tan and pigging out on South Africa’s AMAZING food!

Steve East

Steve started shooting in the 1970s with .303s and .22 rifles at his local rifle club with limited success.

Joining the RAF Steve improved his skills and started a long career of shooting Service Rifle and Pistol and is fortunate to have represented the RAF in these disciplines both at home and overseas.  Shooting target rifle did not happen until the early 1990s but when it did, Steve was hooked with the whole Bisley experience.  During the 1996 Imperial Meeting Steve won the Tyro Grand Aggregate, narrowly beating another team member, a certain Mick Silver. Target rifle is now firmly in Steve’s blood; he has achieved team success in representing the RAF and Combined Services as well as the Royal County of Berkshire.  In 2011 Steve was selected to shoot for England in the National Match.

Now retired from the RAF Steve works for one of the largest Rail Companies in England as a train technician.

This will be Steve’s seventh visit to the South African Championships and is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with both the shooters and the wine!

When not shooting TR, Steve is often found at Bisley shooting his .303s or touring Europe on his motorcycles.

Colin Johnston

Colin began target rifle shooting at Belfast Royal Academy in 1978 and his first international team experience followed in 1980 with Ireland in the National and Mackinnon Matches and then with the Athelings in 1981. He has captained his school, University of St Andrews, Territorial Army and NRA teams and is a regular member of the Ulster, Ireland National and Ireland Mackinnon teams.

CJ (as he is widely known) has toured Canada, New Zealand, Germany and the Channel Islands and this is his second tour with a GB team. Team shooting is CJ’s favourite but as an individual he has managed to accumulate a bag of Queen's and St George's Final badges and the odd pot or two over the years.

When not on the range CJ is kept busy as Group Chief Risk Officer for a FTSE 100 Financial Services Firm and occasionally helping his wife Caroline run around after their three young sons, Tom, Henry and Freddie who are already Bisley regulars. Sometimes he even finds time for game shooting and stalking.

Neil Moxon

Neil started shooting at school in the early 1970s and competed in his first Imperial Meeting in 1984 finishing on the Grand Aggregate board.  A near continuous string of Meeting appearances started five years later and he has now represented the RAF in 24 Inter-Service Matches, captaining the last 15. Neil has been a frequent team member of his adopted county of Wiltshire but has only managed to represent England once, in the Mackinnon!

When away from the ranges Neil works as a flying instructor in the RAF and supports Julie in running her business.

Neil has toured to Canada with GB twice and from 1994 has been a frequent visitor to South Africa with the RAF, competing in ten SABU championships. He has many fantastic memories from the Bloemfontein Ranges but would like to repeat his one experience of winning the Protea Match. 

Julie Ouston

Julie started shooting at school when she moved to Epsom College for her A levels. Despite not being a ‘natural’ she thoroughly enjoyed the sport, and continued to shoot with Cambridge University and the Old Epsomians. She improved, and in time became Captain of both fullbore teams - the first time a woman has held either post.

After University Julie remained an active competitor at Bisley and in 1994 was selected for the NRA Team to the Channel Islands. The following year Julie made the England National team and in 1996 was selected for Mick Barr’s Great Britain team to Canada.

She continues to represent her county, Hertfordshire on a regular basis, and now (as a result of being Neil’s partner) also shoots for the RAF Target Rifle Club, and has been fortunate to be able to compete in a number of different countries with the RAF including the Channel Islands, South Africa and New Zealand.

Julie first shot in South Africa in 2000 and is really looking forward to her ninth visit to this fantastic country (if she can count correctly!)

Away from shooting, Julie is a veterinary surgeon, and having initially spent time in small animal practice, is now Director of her own company specialising in veterinary nurse training, which has just celebrated its 10th year in business.

Nigel Penn

Nigel first started shooting small-bore at prep school in about 1962 and graduated to fullbore at Bedford School in 1967 first attending Bisley in 1969 and never looking back. Nigel was part of the winning England National Team in 2000 and has visited South Africa once before with England in 2004. He is very much looking forward to the challenge of the General De Wet Rifle Ranges again.

In 2003 Nigel was Captain of the successful NRA team to Jersey and Guernsey. He has previously toured with Great Britain twice, namely to the West Indies in 1986 and 2006, the latter as Adjutant. He is now looking for tips from our skipper, Iain Robertson, as he has been appointed Captain of the GB Rifle Team to the West Indies 2013. Nigel has a small collection of Queen's and St George's badges. He lives near Cambridge and when not shooting (or otherwise absent from gardening duty with Sarah) works for a property company in London, and supports Northampton Saints and England Rugby Football Union Teams.

Peter Seebohm

Peter started .22 small-bore shooting at St Albans School as a part of the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award scheme; he then continued at Oundle School pursuing the gold award. At Oundle he was introduced to 7.62 fullbore rifle. 

At Cambridge University he found the Rifle Association and stumbled across an excellent group of friends who have provided years of competition, entertainment and support. Epitomised by his shooting CV on tour in 2007 the important things in Peter’s life are:  1) CURA, 2) Study, 3) Girlfriend. Things have changed since graduation: 1) CURA, 2) Fiancee, 3) Work. Peter has been strictly informed that by September it must be 1) Wife, 2) CURA, 3) Work, but the jury is out.

In 2007 Peter shot his first Elcho, first National and toured with the victorious GB U25 team to Canada, winning U25 team and individual Golds at the World Championships. On tour he met a fellow Scot, a man with an appetite only matched by his immense good character, Jonny Borland; the one piece of advice I have for fellow team mates on this tour is not to ask Jonny to share his food.

In 2008 Peter toured in Matt Charlton’s NRA team to the Channel Islands with Ben Stevens, a rival from Oxford and great friend. We have often shot against each other; now we get the opportunity to shoot together.

Peter trained as an accountant with Simmons Gainsford LLP, who have provided an excellent training programme with a breadth of experience and exposure to clients. Living and working in London, he is looking forward to representing GB in South Africa and winning.

Rick Shouler

Rick started rifle shooting at Oakham School 20 years ago. A key Nottinghamshire team shooter and coach since 1996, Rick has also represented the NRA and Great Britain Under 25s three times in the Channel Isles. In 2002, he toured as part of the Great Britain U25 team to Canada, top scoring within the team in the Grand Aggregate. Rick has represented England in the National three times and Mackinnon twice. Richard also won the Champion of Champions match in 2004. This will be Rick’s fourth Great Britain tour of which the third to South Africa.

In 2008, Rick was a member of Steven Thomas's GB tour of South Africa; was part of the winning teams in the two big matches and individually won the Free State Orange Championship and the Free State Open Trophy. He also won the Corporation and Monday Aggregate that same year during the Imperial Meeting. Rick also has a collection of Queen's badges and St George's badges.

Rick has up until recently been working for Walkers Crisps which has taken a toll on his diet but a move to Jaguar Land Rover will, he hopes, resolve this.

Rick is married to Izzy, has a son Samuel and another child on the way. In his spare time Rick likes clay pigeon shooting, graphic design, scuba diving and has found a new love attempting to grow vegetables!

Mick Silver

Mick spent 43 years in uniform in the RAF Regiment; he is now semi retired and working in security at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Mick has previously shot Service Rifle and Pistol representing both the RAF and GB teams and is a previous Queen's Medal winner in 1992. Although he has always dabbled in Target Rifle he only took it up seriously in the early 1990s and since then has won the Wimbledon and Donegall trophies at Bisley.  He shoots .22” in the winter to county standard.

Mick has been lucky enough to have toured the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa where some of you may remember the snake that turned out to be a frog! This will be Mick’s seventh visit to South Africa and he is looking forward to seeing old friends (maybe even the frog) and making new ones. 

Ben Stevens

Ben started shooting with his CCF at school at the age of 14. He went on to Oxford University, but it took him at least a year to find the rifle club there. When he did, he found fullbore shooting to be much more enjoyable than the small-bore kind, possibly due to the proliferation of bars on Bisley Camp. Ben entered his first Imperial Meeting in 2002, and climbed roughly 200 places in the Grand every year for a number of years, which only goes to show how low he started! 

Ben has represented Oxford University, London County, and toured to the Channel Islands in 2008 with Matt Charlton's NRA team. The team won both matches against Guernsey and Jersey, but Ben missed out on the celebrations due to a bout of gastroenteritis.

Being English, Ben has managed to be selected for his first GB tour before shooting for his country, and is looking forward to going to South Africa at least as much for the food and wine as for the shooting.

Jon Underwood

Lauren Crowson

Lauren joined the Sedbergh School shooting team in 2006 and became Captain in her last year. Lauren was selected as an Atheling in 2010 and was then further selected to shoot in a GB Under 25 match while on the Athelings tour and subsequently achieved top score.

Lauren represented the GB Under 19s against South Africa in 2011. She currently shoots for Yorkshire and has competed in the Bisley Queen's Final twice.

Lauren is currently studying business management in her first year at Lancaster University. In her spare time she enjoys music, singing, playing the violin and the piano plus the occasional clay shooting match with her father where there is serious competition!

This will be Lauren's second tour to South Africa; after her success in the GB Under 19s last year she is immensely looking forward to her first tour with the senior team and the huge experience that she will gain from it.