Anyone else from the USA attending?
From the video CCHunter put together on last years meet it looks to be a good time.
I'll be heading over. Curious if anyone else is going?

I'd sure like to go, but it isn't going to happen---I just bought tickets for my family to go on their yearly Sweden jaunt to spend 1/2 the summer with the in-laws--have fun--tell Christer and Owe howdy for me when you see them---chris

quote:

Originally posted by csutton7:
I'd sure like to go, but it isn't going to happen---I just bought tickets for my family to go on their yearly Sweden jaunt to spend 1/2 the summer with the in-laws--have fun--tell Christer and Owe howdy for me when you see them---chris

Chris, I will surely do that.
best regards,

Is there a date set for this meeting ?

This is a picture of Marterius and I from the last BIG bore meeting.



And one of me shooting Christers (CChunter) .470 NE



And the single malt table at Christers place



Cheers,

André

Andre,

Full day 29:th of April to full day 1:st
of May, regular schedule will be half day 29:th and full day 30:th

Hope to see you there. It looked like you guys had a blast the last time.
I am looking forward to it.

I was visiting cchunter today, and we were discussing arrangements. As Carmelo said, the official dates for the Scandinavian Big Bore meeting will be half day 29:th and full day 30:th. For the shooting the official dates, cchunter is trying to find some sponsors. It looks good but I will not spoil his fun by posting something ahead. He is currently trying to find as good a range as possible for the shooting - there are some options and things to look into. As soon as he know, he will post an invitation here; hopefully this week.

As there will be sponsors involved, cchunter are reluctant to call it an AR arrangement, since we have not got a clearing from Saeed. I got the impression that Saeed is away, but that of course does not chage anyting in these matters.

I will alert cchunter about this thread. It is his show, I am more in it as general pain in the a**, popping ideas that cchunter have to deal with.

Regards,
Martin

Before wednesday there will be an invitation out. but as earlier said in this thread half day 29:th and full day 30:th of April will be the official program, however long distance visitors will be taken care of from at least morning of the 29:th of April until the 1:st of may. Airport pickups will be arranged as well as meeting people arriwing by bus or train. We will help you to find accomodation and travel plans.

Please respond with your interest as soon as possible. And André, we dont accept no as an answer. Also we really like to see Some more danish, norweigan and finish people as well as a lot of Swedes.

I already has some interesting things set up and there will be more.

So far we have confirmations from three continents....

Welcome

Sounds like fun.. Where in Sweeden will it take place?

Niels

Niels

Base camp will be in Kinna about 40 km south east from Landvetter Airport Gothenburg.

If you arrive from Jylland (ferry Fredrikshamn- Gothenburg)or Varberg (ferry Grenae) it's less than an hour away. If you arrive the southern way you will have maximum three hours drive from Oresunds bridge.

I hope to see you here.

Christer

I will not be able to attend. My wife is due 6th of May and I will stay by her side and support her I am having a baby girl I will make her the next Karen Blixen or Natasha Illum Berg

Natasha Illum Berg Danish PH in Tanzania

I am sorry Christer and Martin had I known the date of the meeting 9 months in advance I would have planed it differently.

Cheers,

André

quote:

Originally posted by JefferyDenmark:
Natasha Illum Berg Danish PH in Tanzania

André,

I remeber that there was an interesting article about her in a Norwegian newpaper a while ago. I think her boyfriend was recenty murdered (a year or 2 ago?).

Can you tell us anything about her? Does she have a website?

Erik, she has written a book about her lover's death and her grief, in English called "Tea on the Blue Sofa". I think it was more then two years ago.

Her first book, on her time as apprentice PH, is not translated to English but avaliable in Danish and Swedish, called "Floder av Röd Jord".

By the way Erik, any chance that you will visit the Big Bore meeting in Sweden? I think we will have a really good time.

Regards,
Martin

Erik

The murder of Tonio Trzebinski took place more then 3 years ago.
We had a good thread about her some time ago.
Ray and Alf knows all about her.







This is the story from the Guardian

White mischief

The murder of Tonio Trzebinski, a wealthy white Kenyan, bears striking similarities to the now infamous shooting of Lord Erroll in 1941. But was this a crime of passion too - or just a bungled carjacking? James Astill reports

Friday November 2, 2001
The Guardian

Two weeks ago, Tonio Trzebinski, a white Kenyan and a philanderer, was shot dead in his car. He was murdered outside the gates of the house of a woman rumoured to be his lover, only a few weeks after his wife had left him. Sixty years ago, just a mile from this spot, Lord Erroll, a white Kenyan, and a rather more prolific philanderer, was shot dead in his car, after a furious row with his mistress. And, by strange chance, Trzebinski's mother - also, by coincidence, named Errol - recently wrote a book about that first infamous "Happy Valley" murder (immortalised in White Mischief, a film starring Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance).
Within minutes of 41-year-old Trzebinski's death - delivered by one neat shot to the heart - rumours were running out of control in Nairobi's white suburbs. The police did nothing to quell them. This did not bear the hallmarks of a bungled carjacking - an everyday hazard in Nairobi. The car was of a type unpopular with thieves; the murder scene was an unlikely one for such a crime; and Trzebinski's body was found with £180 on it and a Rolex watch. Police considered a love triangle intrigue a more probable explanation. There was also talk of a drugs killing. Nothing was being ruled out.

Erroll made Kenya famous for murder. And this latest killing inevitably invites comparison with his death in 1941 (which was never solved, and still obsesses Kenya to this day) - though there are profound differences. Josslyn Victor Hay was 22nd Earl of Erroll and hereditary high constable of Scotland - the second highest-ranking Scotsman after King George VI. This time the key players are not aristocrats, but they are perhaps more glamorous than Erroll's middle-aged friends. Trzebinski, whose Polish grandfather arrived in Kenya penniless after the second world war, was a fanatical surfer, a big game fisherman and an artist, with a mop of ringlets and a muscular physique.

Erroll was killed after a very public affair with Diana, wife of Sir Jock Delves Broughton (later tried for his murder, but acquitted). On the night he was killed, Trzebinski was visiting Natasha Illum Berg - blonde, beautiful and a professional hunter. The pair lived near each other in Karen, the exclusive, mainly white suburb built on Karen Blixen's doomed coffee estate (made famous by another film, Out of Africa, starring Meryl Streep).

Trzebinski and his wife Anna (nee Cunningham Reid; a distant relative of the Delamere family, Kenya's colonial pioneers) had argued over his friendship with the 30-year-old Swede a few weeks before - she then left to spend time alone in Arizona. "They were both talented, good-looking, smart, madly in love but just couldn't find a way to live together," says one of their closest friends. "The plan was for him to leave Anna, for a trial separation, to see where things went from there."

On his last evening, Trzebinski took his children, Stas, nine, and Lana, eight, to meet friends at a Japanese restaurant. After going home to put them to bed, he drove round to Illum Berg's house in his wife's white Alpha Romeo, with a tray of sushi on the back seat.

Erroll's body was discovered in the front of his car. He had been killed by a single bullet which entered just below his ear.

According to police reports, at around 9.15pm on October 16, Illum Berg's nightwatchman recognised the sound of Tzrebinski's car approaching and opened the gates. But it stopped short. Almost immediately, there was a single shot and a choked scream. After a short pause, there came the sound of a car being revved furiously; and then cutting out. A second car then accelerated up the dirt track to the main road. One minute later, armed guards from a private security firm, alerted by the watchman's alarm, arrived. This was around four minutes after the shot was fired. They found Tzrebinski's car facing away from the house. The keys had been flung five metres in front, and his body was lying 10m behind. The knees of his blue jeans were stained red with dirt as if he had been dragged. But nothing had been taken, except possibly his mobile phone.

Trzebinski had a small group of particular friends; most, like him, white, male and successful. They took charge after his killing, retrieving the body from the dilapidated city mortuary (minus its shoes), and sending the children to friends in Mombasa. They instructed the police not to speak to the press.

The body was embalmed and lay in state for four days in a tent filled with flowers and jasmine candles, pitched on the Trzebinski grounds - part of a wooded giraffe sanctuary - with 150 selected guests in attendance. The body was cremated at sunset on an open pyre overlooking the Rift Valley. Friends put his surfing shorts, motorbike crash helmet, a painting and photographs among the cedar poles, and topped the pyre with one of his surf boards. They read poetry, sang and gave eulogies - while guards barred the way to journalists and unwanted guests. Finally, Trzebinski's son and closest friends set the pyre alight with flaming torches. Illum Berg, who was not invited, flew past twice in a light aircraft.

The secrecy surrounding these extraordinary scenes was entirely alien to most Africans, who regard funerals as a community affair. Perhaps this led police and local journalists to the conclusion that Trzebinski's friends had something to hide. "Never have I encountered such hostility," says Stephen Muiruri, senior crime reporter at the Daily Nation newspaper. "These people have a criminal mentality - they don't want anyone to know what they are doing."

It hasn't helped that the victim was not popular with everyone in Karen. With Nairobi a bothersome 30-minute drive away, gossip has become something of an occupation in the area - the suburb's nickname is Karen-ation Street. Trze binski and his friends, all outdoor types - devotees of safari, shooting and fishing - despised this society. In turn, it despised them. "Tonio was arrogant and rude. What with the women and all the drugs... nobody is very sorry he's dead," says one resident.

The police believe the murder was premeditated. According to Dr OA Kirasi Olumbe, who carried out the postmortem, Trzebinski was shot at the wheel, with his arms by his sides, and with the pistol or revolver pressed tight against him. "Carjackers only shoot if there is a panic situation," he says. "Here there was no evidence of a struggle."

But Tzrebinski's friends claim - rightly or wrongly - that a bungled robbery is the only likely explanation. First, they say, there was no jealous lover. Despite the row with his wife, they say Trzebinski's relationship with Illum Berg was not sexual. (She is taking legal advice in response to claims to the contrary.) And in spite of many lurid rumours, they claim Tzrebinski was a very modest womaniser: one well-publicised affair with a neighbour was his only transgression in 11 years of marriage. "I know that Tonio was not having an affair with Natasha at the time of his death," says one close friend. "He wanted to make his marriage work and above all he absolutely loved his kids." Meanwhile, Illum Berg's British fiancé, Sebastian Willis-Fleming, had been out of Kenya for three and a half months with a UN peacekeeping team in Nigeria.

Equally absurd, say these friends, is a rumour that Tzrebinski was killed over a drugs debt. "In the past we'd dabbled in everything, like everyone else," says one friend. "But he'd been clean for weeks when he died - he'd refused a glass of saki that night." Moreover, Tzrebinski was not short of cash. He had a furniture workshop employing 15 craftsmen; and forthcoming painting exhibitions in Houston, London and the aouth of France. His career, for which he had trained at the Slade school of art, had taken off.

Some accuse the police of branding Tzrebinski's murder a strictly white intrigue in order to avoid having to solve it - or admit to the nightmarish level of crime in Nairobi. Certainly, if human passions have not changed since Erroll's day, Nairobi has. The city sees 50 to 60 carjackings and up to 70 firearm deaths each week. Hiding behind razor wire and costly private security firms, Karen's residents tend to escape relatively unscathed. But the threat of violent crime is there, even at the most serene of times: Karen is currently plagued by a "Sunday lunch gang", so-named after the timing of their burglaries.

And, of course, a bungled carjacking cannot be ruled out. Unlikely cars are sometimes targeted to be used in further robberies and abandoned. It is also hard to explain why his body was dragged from the car unless his killer wanted to make off with it; or why the car had been turned around. Perhaps a man tried to steal it but gave up when he realised it was a notorious staller and difficult to restart. Perhaps the keys were thrown down in disgust. Perhaps it was by then too late to steal anything from the body. The police have yet to explain these oddities. But whatever his friends may think, it is too soon to rule out something more sinister. Tzrebinski's family have hired Greg Love, a private detective, to work alongside the police. "There is no firm indication of whether this was a vengeful hit or a bungled car-jacking," he says. "I have no gut feeling."

John Lee, the undertaker who embalmed Tzrebinski (and considered him a friend), hesitates to push a lurid murder theory. "But among us white Kenyans, who have lived our lives, day-to-day with all the carjacking and crime, this one doesn't quite ring true."



Cheers,

André

Andre,

Fascinating story. I love the descriptions: He was a "philanderer", at least he was not "a more proliphic philanderer". With regard to the potential tie to drugs, "he has been clean for weeks". Specifically liked the description of Trzebinski as a "very modest womaniser". This guy sounds like he was something else!

On a different subject, in reviewing the photos you posted earlier, do you always shoot with your eyes closed??

The picture of me shooting is taken right after I fired the 470 NE, you can see the smote from the barrel. It is what Saeed calls a controled flinch I do nit my target most of the time
When shooting the big bores I think that most people close their eyes after the big bang.
When I shoot 9mm pistol and smaller rifles I do not close my eyes.
With my .375 H&H I do.

Cheers,

André

quote:

When I shoot 9mm pistol and smaller rifles I do not close my eyes.
With my .375 H&H I do.

André,

My wife devoloped this habit last year after not having shot for so long while we were in africa. Even I had it a little too. After spending a day of loading each others guns, with a dummy round (or 2) in the magazine, the eyeclosing stopped. The dummy round could of course be the first shot, or any of the other 3 following shots. Not knowing, and then getting a "click" made the eye closing very obvious to her (and me) as the shooter, and "cured" the problem. Naturally you can't do this by yourself, but give it a try next time your out shooting with a buddy.

I am planning on showing up this time!

I'll bring along my 458 and lots of ammo in case that's allowed. A very poor substitute for Andre's lovely 500 Jeffery, but then again - we always have Christer's mighty 470NE

Damn Andre, I was about to buy a ticket when I saw Natasha Illum Berg was going to be there but no she isn't !

I believe "Tea on the Blue Sofa" is the first book . I have a copy but have not read it yet as the subject matter isn't something I usually read.

The second book "Rivers of Red Earth" has been picked up by an English publisher but nothing released yet last time I looked. Maybe soon. We should all email them to urge them on!



***

That "Guardian" story does not ring true and sounds like a typical beat up by a Fleet Street newspaper. For example it mentions the suburb of "Karen" is a whitey rich suburb, yet when I was there I din't spot a single white, but many hundreds of black Kenyans. "Karen-ation" sounds like a Fleet Street BS line to add "colour". Interesting the article also mentions no one was talking to media. When that happens these bS jounalists just make things up.

Must read the book!

Have fun everyone shooting in Sweden.

quote:

I believe "Tea on the Blue Sofa" is the first book . I have a copy but have not read it yet as the subject matter isn't something I usually read.

No, "Rivers of Red Earth" came in 1999 while "Tea..." came in 2004.

Actually, a third book by her hand is in press, with the title "So Wanton A God":

A new novel by the author of the international best-sellers Rivers of Red Earth and Tea on the Blue Sofa. A Spanish bullfighter is standing at a crossroads in his life: a career whose end is drawing near, and a problematic love affair. In existential desperation, he decides to seek the ultimate challenge – a single combat with an African buffalo.

Regards,
Martin

Erik I am talking about closing my eyes after the shoot. Not before.
If you can shoot my .500 Jeffery without closing your eyes after the BOOM then I will buy you a drink.

Cheers,

André

André, I wonder if I have some pictures from before your shoot... No, you tell the truth, had you closed you eyes before the shot, I would surely have take a picture of that, and I have not.

I my very, very best wishes for you and your wife! Delightful news about you expecting a baby!

Regards,
Martin

quote:

Originally posted by JefferyDenmark:
Erik I am talking about closing my eyes after the shoot. Not before.

So am I!

I didn't think you closed your eyes before the shot!!! Even my wife has never done that. I'm talking about the split second after the shot.

I can't say when it comes to the 500 Jeffery, as I haven't shot one. But hopefully we will get to shoot together one day, and I'll give it a try.

Martin, I wasn't aware that you are a Big Bore guy?

Rikard,
I am not, I have only shot André's 500 Jeffery and cchunter's 470 NE and a couple of 375 H&H. My own biggest gun is just a 338 WM.

Regards,
Martin

Martin,

I saw the video when you shot those big guns. Your hat practically flew right off!

Impressive stuff! Too bad André isn't joining this year.

quote:

I saw the video when you shot those big guns. Your hat practically flew right off!

Could not have been me, I did not wear a hat!

/Martin

Martin, you were such a fine and utter gentleman at the Robsoft meeting. I really don't believe these manners of yours.

Surely you must be more of a gentleman at the Scandinavian Big Bore Meeting? Or else I will be most disappointed in you...

The new forum capabilities with the smilies and all SUCK by the way!!!

By this I mean the zero option to "preview your post"...

I really want to preview my post before releasing it to the world.

Erik

I am sure that our swords will cross oner day. Then you can shoot the 119grn of N140 from Finland.
535 grn at 2400 fps like Mark likes to put it
Even with the controled flinch I put 10 shoots in a 7 cm patern standing at 100 m with sticks.
Good enough for my hunting needs.

Cheers,

André

With your eyes opened or closed?? Good group either way!!

quote:

Martin, you were such a fine and utter gentleman at the Robsoft meeting. I really don't believe these manners of yours.

Surely you must be more of a gentleman at the Scandinavian Big Bore Meeting? Or else I will be most disappointed in you...

Rikard,
I can not promise being a gentleman att the big bore meeting, but I promise to do my best not to be the big bore!

Regards,
Martin