**STOP PRESS**
**England Full Bore Rifle Team to South Africa and Kenya, 2021**
The English XX Council have finally lost their marbles and honoured me with Captaincy of the next England Touring team to South Africa and Kenya in 2021.
**Yes, you read it correctly! Now pick your jaw up off the floor, read on and apply**
Fear not! For I have an extremely strong, talented and efficient management team to keep the Tour (and Captain) on track, with the incredibly skilled and reliable Martin Liversage as Adjutant and charmingly accomplished Phil Chapman-Sheath as Vice-Captain.
Beating the South Africans on their home turf (and taking revenge for that World Cup Final defeat!) will not be easy. However, that is our aim (pun intended). And I hope that we can also have a lot of fun on the way. One of the key drivers in Kenya is to help promote and support target shooting over there. So, it is my intention to take a team comprising a mixture of experience combined with the exuberance of youth required to be successful.
Exact tour dates are still tbc, but there is the possibility of an optional shoot in Cape Town the weekend before the main South African Bisley in Bloemfontein, which will be 19-27 March. From there we will fly to Kenya for a little R&R and then further competition on 3-4 April, returning home on 5/6th April. Partners will be most welcome to join the team in Kenya. Those wishing to travel out early for Cape Town would leave on or around 12th March. Those only able to shoot the main events in Bloemfontein and Kenya would fly out on 17th March. Total cost of the tour is likely to be £4000 - £4500, hopefully offset with funding activities.
My expectation of all applicants is for a full commitment to the main shooting events in both Bloemfontein and Kenya, whilst Cape Town would be an optional extra. Easter is early in 2021 (Sunday April 4th), so this means allowing 12/13 days holiday for the main tour or 15/16 days for the optional shoot in Cape Town. I also expect full commitment to 3 training weekends, dates likely to be 4/5 April 2020, 3/4 October 2020 and 27/28 Feb 2021.
I invite applications from full members of the English XX to be submitted via email to tour2021@englishtwenty.org.uk by 31st January 2020. Include a short shooting CV outlining what you are proud of achieving, teams you have shot on and indicate whether you are applying as a coach, shooter or both. Please also include your NRA TRID.
There are numerous team jobs that contribute to a successful tour ranging from baggage master to chief diarist, tour brochure to finance officer, transport manager etc. Please indicate what other skills you can bring to the team and what team job or jobs you would like to take on to ensure the smooth running and success of the tour.
Finally, ensure you include your contact number, email as well as club and County.
I intend to select the team by end of February 2020, which will give us a year to raise funds and hone our team drills.
Andy Barnes
Captain, England to South Africa 2021. ...
