![Mark Firth: The Rural Roots of Olympic Glory With a Side of Old-Fashioned Manners [3 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/57f327ee-71cd-11ef-80db-838727ef01b1/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Mark Firth: The Rural Roots of Olympic Glory With a Side of Old-Fashioned Manners [3 min listen]")
Mark Firth: The Rural Roots of Olympic Glory With a Side of Old-Fashioned Manners [3 min listen]
Description
How Olympic history should never forget it's rural roots, integrity, or the source of so many of our medallists
24 years ago, I experienced a wonderful example of good manners - and all about a sporting event taking place the other side of the world.
As Chairman of the Campaign for Shooting, I had been approached by Ian Coley, the Alex Ferguson of the British Olympic Clay Team, for sponsorship to rent the team an Australian base where they could quietly prepare for the Sydney Olympics, without any outside brouhaha.
The young star of the team was Richard Faulds, who, to our great delight, went on to clinch gold. I had been watching on TV, very pleased at our investment of a few (very few) thousand pounds. Before Desmond Lynam (or whoever - that was probably a wee bit early in the morning for Des’s carefully manicured coiffure) announced the medal ceremony, my mobile rang. Bloody hell, I thought, I hope they’re not going to take long else I’ll miss the national anthem. Turns out it was Richard ringing to thank me. Wow! Now that sort of thoughtfulness was extraordinary then and maybe even rarer now. I do hope not.
Anyhow, moving forward 24 years to another Brit, Nathan Hales, winning Trap gold and I am tempted to reflect on the connections between the British countryside (and, frankly country sports of all sorts) and Olympic success.
![Charlie Jacoby: Might Hunters and Hawkers be a Protected Group Under the Equality Act? [6 min Listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/52b8cf7c-71cd-11ef-80db-6b93291c7df9/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Charlie Jacoby: Might Hunters and Hawkers be a Protected Group Under the Equality Act? [6 min Listen]")
![Charlie Flindt - Tigger the Terracan: From Farm Workhorse to Retirement Riddle [11 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/531eba30-71cd-11ef-80db-731d8fffe435/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Charlie Flindt - Tigger the Terracan: From Farm Workhorse to Retirement Riddle [11 min listen]")
![Camilla Swift - A Year in the Life of a Huntsman - and a foxhound [8 min listen]](https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/a0/ce/4e/a0ce4ee4-92cd-e59e-3a05-511934f0e1ec/mza_16314786733766356659.png/400x400bb.jpg "Camilla Swift - A Year in the Life of a Huntsman - and a foxhound [8 min listen]")
![Simon Reinhold - Into the Wild: Quail Hunts, Verdant Valleys, and Hidden Graves [7 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/53cb4ac0-71cd-11ef-80db-bf7c86814d5c/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Simon Reinhold - Into the Wild: Quail Hunts, Verdant Valleys, and Hidden Graves [7 min listen]")
![Patrick Laurie - The Glorious Twelfth - the new season is here [8 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/542c78f4-71cd-11ef-80db-a7485c3cbbc1/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Patrick Laurie - The Glorious Twelfth - the new season is here [8 min listen]")
![Richard Negus: Crafting a Future - The Need for Rural Apprenticeships [9 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/548da1f6-71cd-11ef-80db-0fba5ddf6f85/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Richard Negus: Crafting a Future - The Need for Rural Apprenticeships [9 min listen]")
![Jonathan Young - My Bid for Olympic Gold [7 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/54ebd6e0-71cd-11ef-80db-87effe7de814/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Jonathan Young - My Bid for Olympic Gold [7 min listen]")
![Andy Ford: A Rum Diary (or Why Cricket and Fishing are the Same) [21 min listent]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/55c4dd1e-71cd-11ef-80db-6b5dc32d1271/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Andy Ford: A Rum Diary (or Why Cricket and Fishing are the Same) [21 min listent]")
![Emily Graham: Stories from the Moors - the Good, the Bad, and the Fluffy [10 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/56260cec-71cd-11ef-80db-8f39b5b2dbe7/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Emily Graham: Stories from the Moors - the Good, the Bad, and the Fluffy [10 min listen]")
![Owen Williams: Give power back to farmers - the solution to Britain's nature and climate crises [16 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/56b45272-71cd-11ef-80db-9bb4da4d77c9/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Owen Williams: Give power back to farmers - the solution to Britain's nature and climate crises [16 min listen]")
![Pete McLeod: Ghillies vs Fishing Guides - Deciphering Roles [9 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/572b3112-71cd-11ef-80db-776fa6afd18f/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Pete McLeod: Ghillies vs Fishing Guides - Deciphering Roles [9 min listen]")
![Ian Coghill: Rewilding - a Great Tool but a Dangerous Religion [20 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/5792d79a-71cd-11ef-80db-c71f95d0e3c9/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Ian Coghill: Rewilding - a Great Tool but a Dangerous Religion [20 min listen]")
![Francis Fulford: Revolutionising House Building - Timber Frame vs Traditional Methods [7 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/5855fd88-71cd-11ef-80db-232c34aea1f2/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Francis Fulford: Revolutionising House Building - Timber Frame vs Traditional Methods [7 min listen]")
![Giles Catchpole: Decoying Pigeons Sucks - Here's Why [9 min listen]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/58b65868-71cd-11ef-80db-071992f55ca4/image/6670f6c0dc591862ad0d7390b7266467.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress "Giles Catchpole: Decoying Pigeons Sucks - Here's Why [9 min listen]")
United States
