I'm like a child at Christmas right now. I really am.

It's that time of year again and I can literally hear Oxfordshire calling me as I toss and turn in my sleep.
(I really should see someone about that actually).

Unless you've been living in a cave for the past year, you'll know that it's the CLA Game Fair later this week, three solid days of country sports, country people and country pomp and ceremony. Marvelous.

This year's event is particularly significant for me. The CLA Game Fair of 2006 at Broadlands was my first, having only been with the magazine for 10 days and when I arrived at the fair car park I was shaking like a leaf - would I be expected to know the sport inside out - what if someone had a question I couldn't answer?!

People seemed to be swarming like bees around the Shooting Gazette stand as I approached and I knew that I had to show everyone that the new boy could hold his own. I did, I think, and it was an experience which has stayed with me even two years on when so much has happened, both in our office and the countryside community.

I tried game, held and fired a gun, and even tried sloe gin, all for the first time at the fair - and I probably learned more about fieldsports in those three days than I had ever known before. If only those sceptical about our sport went to the CLA for one day - I wonder how they would view it then.

I was devastated when I found out that the 2007 event was cancelled, but that's all in the past now - the best thing we can do is to go head first into the 2008 fair at the magnificent Blenheim Palace, spend a bit of money, meet old friends and of course make new ones.

Everyone at Shooting Gazette is looking forward to meeting you, the reader, so if you get a chance come along to our stand on Gunmakers' Row and say hello. There is a great subscription offer to be had, so you'll definately go home with a lot more than you bargained for!

A word to the wise - if for whatever reason you or any of your friends come across a Nintendo Wii in the future, avoid it at all costs for the following two reasons:

1.
Whilst the graphics are comparable to something from an Atari ST, the bowling game is addictive and you'll think nothing of waving the white remote control around the living room and later at the television, then get really annoyed with yourself because you couldn't achieve the 7/10 split and thus lose to your five-year-old nephew. Still, you’ll be able to throw the remote at the gang of roughs who have gathered outside your window to laugh and point at your inexcusable antics.

2.
The clay shooting game in the Olympic option is about as close to the real thing as covering yourself in spinach, walking into the sea at Skegness wearing a tiara and holding a Cornetto above your head and then shouting 'I'm the Statue of Liberty!" at the bemused elderly swimmers.

Thank you, but I prefer my sports a little more old fashioned. Now, where’s my Game Boy?

(I'm 3 under on Mario Golf with two holes to play)

Remember back in the 1980s when Question of Sport was fresh and original?

No?

Well, anyway, there was a round where you had to fill in the names of sportsmen and sportswomen whose surname was linked by a certain theme - cakes, fish, bathroom tools etc.

We had a brainstorm in the office and came up with our own list of people whose surnames are linked by shooting - feel free to add your own examples - they can be as tenuous as you like!

Football

Bryan GUNN (Norwich City)
Paul BRACEWELL (Newcastle United)
Nicky BUTT (Newcastle United)
Scott PARTRIDGE (Cardiff City)
Brian STOCK (Doncaster Rovers)
Tony BIRD (Swansea City)
Bobby MOORE (West Ham United)
Tony WOODCOCK (Arsenal)
Shaun TEALE (Aston Villa)
Ruel FOX (Norwich City)

Rugby Union

Dusty HARE (Leicester)


Are there any more?