As I write the British Olympic Team has won another clutch of medals at the Beijing Olympics. There will probably be some more in the bag by the time I have finished.

It was a shame about the shooting team not getting any medals, but they tried their best and that's all you can do. Roll on London 2012 and hopefully we can use our home advantage to get us a couple of golds. If only our shooting team was allowed to train in this country...

The success of the British team has been unparralled and unexpected but the British public's response has been slightly more predictable, ranging from calls for Rebecca Adlington to be made a Dame to callers to radio shows airing their disgust at people making such a hoo-ha of Britain actually winning something for a change. They obviously don't follow cricket, football or rugby!

There was also the claim that clay shooting is the preserve of independent school pupils, but let's not get started on that one.

We now have a golden opportunity to get our children away from the TV screen and out trying all of the sports they have seen us competing in this summer. You can see the irony there, but any government minister looking for a way to get the kids up and out and burning all that energy need look no further than Beijing as their inspiration.

Well done Team GB - keep it up!

1.
Drink a lot more water.
(Consider renting a water cannon for weekend).

2.
Not be tight and spend that £15 on a pair of Purdey socks.
(I was never going to spend that on sweets was I? Actually thinking about it I should have bought more water).

3.
Not be envious at Claire Zambuni's various sporting escapades.
(Remembering at all times to develop office plot to steal her Purdey Sporter and continually forget to give it back).

4.
Meet even more readers. It was great to meet so many and find out their thoughts on the magazine.

5.
Supply the Irish gundog team with three parcels of the magazine, rather than this year's two.
(You can never have too many issues of the Shooting Gazette after all).

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!