04 July 2013

Shooting star on target for celebratory event

Peter Wilson MBE - the shooting star will open the 25th Anniversary GWCT Scottish Game Fair. Picture courtesy of Rosemary WilsonOfficially opening the 25th Anniversary GWCT Scottish Game Fair on Friday, July 5 will be clay shooting star Peter Wilson MBE who claimed an Olympic gold medal in 2012 for double trap shooting. The opening will begin with Peter releasing 2,500 (biodegradable) balloons in the main ring before everyone is invited to the Anniversary marquee to enjoy the party atmosphere with refreshments, live music and reminisce about Fairs gone by.

Peter has been a member of GWCT for many years and was delighted to have been asked to open the event which is a firm favourite on the Scottish summer social calendar. Throughout the day he will be hosting a junior clay coaching session, visiting trade stands, taking part in the new gnat shoot as well as enjoying the friendly, lively atmosphere of the Fair.

Peter’s biographical details

The moment Peter Wilson fell to his knees after becoming Olympic Champion is etched on people’s memories as an iconic moment of London 2012 winning Great Britain's first Olympic shooting medal for 12 years.
Peter’s journey to the top began trouble-free when six years ago the teenage Wilson discovered the double trap and within months he was Great Britain's junior champion, training at the Southern Counties shooting range. Fast forward four years and Peter became one of 49 aspiring athletes to lose their funding, and he was forced to seek work as a waiter at his local pub. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, as part of Great Britain's Olympic Ambition Programme, a chance meeting with Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, a member of the ruling family of Dubai and double trap gold medallist at Athens in 2004, led to Ahmed agreeing to coach Peter for free.

Peter, the son of a Dorset farmer, and a Dubai Prince may seem like an unlikely pairing; however the Dorset marksman quickly rose to world number one in the double trap rankings in August 2011 after a superb season in which he won gold at the World Cup circuit. He collected team silver in the European Championships, along with Sydney gold medallist Richard Faulds and Steven Walton, and set a new world record in the double trap with a remarkable score of 198 out of 200 gaining quota spots for the British team for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

At 25 years old, Peter was the youngest competitor for the Olympics in the men’s double trap event. The 6ft 6in Olympian is not a difficult man to spot and his enthusiasm is infectious.

Peter’s medal moment: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19101187

Peter’s 1st interview following his win: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19097017

Come to the Fair

The GWCT’s Scottish Fair is being held on Friday 5, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7th July 2013 and is being held in the stately grounds of Scone Palace on the banks of the River Tay in Perthshire.

You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and engage with our online magazine on Flipboard – we want to see your pictures, films and comments from the weekend using #ScottishGameFair

A 10% discount is available for tickets booked online and to take advantage of this special offer visit the Fair’s website: www.scottishfair.com. A family ticket booked online is £34 while the gate price is £38. Individual adult tickets are £16 online and £18 at the gate.

END

Caption: Peter Wilson MBE - the shooting star will open the 25th Anniversary GWCT Scottish Game Fair. Picture courtesy of Rosemary Wilson.


Notes to editors

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is an independent wildlife conservation charity which carries out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.

For information, contact:

Playfair Walker
Telephone: 0131 445 5570
Email: richard@playfairwalker.com