News
Featured Team Members
Nick Tremlett
GM SB
Nick started shooting before most of this team were born, and first competed at international level in 1976. Dabbling in both Target Rifle and Match Rifle, Nick has won the H.M. Queen’s Prize and the Hopton, and a few other trophies along the way. He was Captain of the undefeated GB team to South Africa in 2017, a tour during which he also won the State President prize for the 2nd time.
2024 will be Nick’s eighth visit to Bloemfontein, and he was a member of the last GB Palma team to compete there, in 1999, along with six other members of the current team.
He has a fascination in long range ballistics and has played an instrumental role in the development of the GB team’s ammunition for this Palma tour; creating a load to overcome the particular ballistic challenges presented by a combination of Bloemfontein’s altitude and high daytime temperatures.
Matthew Button
SB
Matthew started shooting at the age of 14 as part of his Duke of Edinburgh’s award, following his father and grandfather into the sport. He continued shooting through school (winning the Ashburton with Oakham) and while studying medicine at London University. During this time he managed to combine his overseas medical elective with the 1995 Championships in New Zealand.
Since qualifying his surgical training at times limited options for shooting and touring. He now works as a Vascular Surgeon in Brighton and is encouraging the next generation into the sport! He has managed to take part in the Imperial Meeting in some form each year and has competed as part of GB and England tours to Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya and Namibia. Including returning to New Zealand after 24 years for the last Palma Match.
Under 25s
Henry Waldern
Henry first began shooting smallbore in 2014. In 2018 as part of Charterhouse CCF he transitioned to fullbore, competed in his first Imperial Meeting and has stayed ever since.
After school, he moved on to captain Exeter University Rifle Club, where he has just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physics and is now staying on for a Masters in Financial Mathematics.
This will be Henry’s first tour as both a team member and Adjutant, and hopes to put his experiences from individual and University shooting to good use. He has enjoyed a steep learning curve over the last five years, representing England in the National Match twice along the way. He hopes to build on his success for the future, beginning with the World Championships in 2024.
Under 21s
Rory Mace
Rory began shooting smallbore in 2017 before progressing to fullbore with Bradfield College a year later. He was lucky to be part of the winning Ashburton team in 2022 and shoots for Hampshire county. In 2021, Rory was selected to tour Jersey with the UK Cadets and also with the Athelings for their tour to York and Liverpool.
Individually, Rory’s achievements include reaching the St George’s Final in 2022 and 2023, and being the youngest finalist in the H.M. King’s Prize in 2023, finishing in 15th place. This tour will be his first opportunity to shoot outside the British Isles. He is very much looking forward to the challenge of shooting in Bloemfontein and meeting members of the global Target Rifle community.
Away from the range, Rory is studying Design at Loughborough University. He enjoys climbing, mountain biking, and building and flying drones.
Veterans
David Richards
GM SC
David is no stranger to the General De Wet ranges in South Africa, having toured there on three previous occasions, including in the Palma year of 1999. He is also familiar with the Veterans having been a member of the team to the last World Championships in New Zealand in 2019. David has toured many times with GB and England and has been lucky enough to have had some success over the years, including shooting and coaching in many GB teams at home, and abroad and winning the H.M. Queen’s Prize when he was MUCH younger…in 1984.
Apart from Target Rifle, David also shoots smallbore and stalks deer. He has run a charcuterie business for several years and is married to Karen who is back home looking after the dogs.
Richard Hirst
Richard is a retired Patternmaker, apprenticed in Halifax and then Bradford. Returning to Halifax, he started as a labourer, ending up as Foundry Manager. His other skills include engraver, french polisher, theatrical prop designer/builder, panel beater, engine builder and chauffeur. His hobbies are shooting, classic cars and motorcycles.
Richard started shooting smallbore at the age of 12, attained three Junior Badges at Bisley in 1972-74, a Mastershot Badge in 1975 and an Experts badge in 1977.
Richard’s expertise in shooting has come to the fore in recent years, including winning the Yorkshire Championship in 2017 and 2023 and the Daily Telegraph in 2020. He has toured with England to the West Indies and to South Africa with last year’s GB Veterans. He is very much looking forward to returning to South Africa for the World Championships.
Tour Information
Captain’s Foreword
