The Royal Air Force Target Rifle Club is embarking on its most ambitious tour since undertaking its first major overseas visit to Australia in 1988. That visit set the trend for what has been a most successful overseas touring programme, including visits to Kenya, Hong Kong, Namibia, Zimbabwe and, more recently, regular tours to South Africa. However, the ambition to return to the antipodes has been ever present and the prospect of competing on what is known to be a most challenging range at Trentham in New Zealand has been a long held ambition for the Club.

I am aware that organizing a tour of this scale requires a considerable amount of hard work, but the opportunity to compete in the New Zealand Championships - and to forge new friendships - is second to none and well worth all the effort.  The 2009 team is particularly strong, including a former Queen’s Prize winner, two Commonwealth Games medal winners and many Great Britain shots.  I am, however, especially pleased to see that it also contains some of our younger less experienced competitors, who I am sure will gain invaluable experience of international competition. Indeed, much of the success of the Royal Air Force Target Rifle Team over recent years has been down to the skills and knowledge gained on overseas tours.

  I am sure that the 2009 team, under the leadership of the Captain, Flight Lieutenant Neil Moxon, will receive a warm welcome in New Zealand. On behalf of all  the men and women in the Royal Air Force, we wish the Team the very best of luck and look forward to welcoming many of their New Zealand counterparts to Bisley in the future.