![Matt Foster, Tim Booth, Nick McRae and Jock Foster will represent Australia. Picture supplied. Matt Foster, Tim Booth, Nick McRae and Jock Foster will represent Australia. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/T7RGn6Wqupu9DPpBgesVjF/54218285-17a4-447c-8f52-279e2d8796e6.JPG/r0_376_4032_2643_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Having one person chosen to represent Australia is an incredible feat in itself but four from the one club is unheard of.
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But that's what Armidale Rifle Club's Matt and Jock Foster, Nik McRae and Tim Booth have done.
The four will represent Australia in New Zealand for a trans-Tasman Test in January 2024.
"We have been very fortunate to have four from our club selected," Matt Foster said.
The quartet will shoot in F [field] Class where the equipment shooters use is basically open for their choosing.
"F open, the one we shoot, is open calibre, open trigger weight, open stock, pretty much you can have anything you want which sounds pretty cool until you realise everyone is chasing the latest equipment," Foster said.
"It becomes a bit of an arms race but it is the most competitive in the country, that division."
The Armidale four earned selection in the Australian squad through nominations and then their rankings from competitions are assessed.
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They also perform in front of selectors at big events such as the King's Shoots, held in every state.
Then, in October, they have another pressure test with a trial in Brisbane.
"Everyone can shoot when you get to that level but they want to see how you shoot in a team environment because you are shooting as part of a team," Foster said.
"You get the team dynamics, how you perform under extreme pressure instead of a little bit of pressure because the results are obviously more magnified than a club shoot, there's a lot more at stake."
Pressure is something they're used to.
They put it on each other every week at club shoots.
"We are extremely competitive on weekends," Foster said.
"There would be a couple of clubs around Queensland or the Hunter Valley that would stick with us but we have a very, very competitive core of F open shooters.
"So winning at Armidale every weekend is like winning a major shoot.
"We rib each other pretty hard, turn the pressure up and we always want to win."
Aside from the benefits of shooting under pressure weekly, the high quality across the board means they can "critique each other".
They can also pass on valuable information and resources to other members of the Armidale Rifle Club to make them "stronger" as a whole.
No doubt their camaraderie and familiarity will come in handy when representing the country.
It is the first time any of the four have worn the green and gold.
And for the father-son Foster duo, it is extra special to go along together.
"It makes it really special to do it with your son," Matt said.
"He is one of my best mates.
"We are very competitive between each other, we push each other hard which is awesome but it is tremendous to do it with one of your own."
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