News
Day 24 – The Return Home
Day 23 – Recovery
Day 22 – Palma Match Day 2
Featured Team Members
Seth Dowley
Seth started shooting in 2008 at Cheltenham College. During Ashburtons, Athelings and early tours, he found he particularly enjoyed the wind coaching side of team matches. As a result he has gone on to coach his county, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as England in the National and Mackinnon, and GB in Canada and South Africa. This will be his ninth overseas tour having been fortunate enough to tour with cadet teams, GB U25s and GB.
He attended the last two World Championships in the USA and New Zealand as an U25 and is thrilled to be going this time with the Palma team. He is looking forward to catching up with overseas friends and building on foundations from the 2023 tour.
Away from the ranges, Seth works as an investment adviser for charities, corporates, and private clients and keeps fit with running, hiking and squash.
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
Miles Horton-Baker
Miles started shooting in the cadet force at RGS Guildford aged 14 and had his first taste of touring with the Athelings to Canada in 2018, where he shot the America Match for GB U25. 2019 saw him both captain the RGS team to an historic Ashburton victory and earn his first National and Mackinnon caps for Wales.
In the last 2 years Miles has captained Durham University Rifle Club, shot for Yorkshire county, toured Scotland and South Africa with GB U25, and been fortunate enough to train as part of the senior GB Palma Squad.
Away from shooting Miles works as a Graduate Surveyor at Savills primarily conducting loan security valuations for development finance institutions as well as providing development agency and consultancy advice to public and private sector clients. He also enjoys getting out with his camera and the odd game of golf, when time permits!
Under 21s
Daisy Armstrong
Daisy began shooting at Sedbergh School aged 14 and had a good first Imperial Meeting, winning the Alexandra. She then went on to be Captain in her final year of school.
Daisy quickly fell in love with team shooting and had her first taste of this while touring Jersey with the UKCRT in 2018, followed by Canada with the Athelings. She was looking forward to going to South Africa with the GB U19s but sadly the COVID-19 pandemic prevented that so instead toured to Blair Atholl in Scotland the following year.
Daisy is currently studying Food Business Management and Marketing at Newcastle University. After her studies, she hopes to travel New Zealand and Australia. Away from shooting, Daisy enjoys spending time on the farm and beaches in Northumberland and seeing friends in Newcastle. She is very much looking forward to travelling to South Africa with the GB U21 team.
Veterans
David Calvert
GM3 SB3 SC2 SM
Bloemfontein is arguably David’s second ‘shooting home’, having competed in all 25 SA Open Championships held there. His first shooting visit to South Africa was to Kimberley in 1996, when his RAF Club team won the Protea Match and he won his first of eight SA Open Championships.
David has represented GB on more than 50 occasions and has toured with GB, Ireland and RAF Club teams to 35 shooting venues in 20 countries across six continents. Individual Target Rifle achievements include four Gold Medals for Northern Ireland over 11 consecutive Commonwealth Games, and three Gold Medals in the H.M. Queen’s Prize. David has also represented GB in Match Rifle, Smallbore Rifle and Service Rifle.
Away from shooting, his interests and activities include family, golf, occasional skiing and scuba diving, and flying as a part-time instructor pilot in the RAF Reserve.
Chris Weeden
SM
Chris’s principal club has been NLRC for the past 34 years, where he is now President. He shoots for and captains the county of Kent and has represented England in the National Match, and GB in the Kolapore and Australia matches. Chris has toured with GB to Canada, (including as Captain in 2017), West Indies and Zimbabwe & South Africa. This will be his first GB Veterans World Championships.
At Bisley, he has five Grand Aggregate crosses and has shot in 16 Sovereign’s Finals. In 2023, he won the Silver Medal, winning the second stage of the H.M. King’s Prize, after a tie shoot. When not shooting, he currently helps the NHS to achieve their IT Goals, to assist in patient care.
Living in an Old Rectory, with wife Jules, gives him the opportunity to hone his carpentry and DIY skills. He has three children and four grandchildren…who keeps him young, but tired.
Tour Information
Captain’s Foreword
