GEORGE Barton is hoping a new specially-made grip, a new orange strip on his sights and some “strange” training drills might lift him to Olympic success in Beijing next month.

The Tamworth turf farmer is the guest of honour at a special luncheon today to help raise funds for his four-year campaign to reach the 2008 Olympics.

An Athens Olympian in 2004, Barton is hoping to finish much higher than his 23rd in Greece.

“It was very disappointing,” Barton said yesterday while completing some media duties for local television stations and The Leader.

“Beijing will be tough but the tougher the better for me.”

A new specially-made pistol grip on his $10,000 Beretta D10 gun isn’t the only addition.

He also added an orange strip at the end of the barrel when shooting in the recent World Cup test event in Beijing.

He finished fifth in that test event to boost his confidence.

While in Darwin at a recent training camp, his coach had him doing “all sorts of strange stuff”.

“It was an awesome training camp,” he said.

“The locals really went out of their way to help me out,” he said.

“I did some different stuff. It kept me entertained.”

While he’s off to another two -day camp in Darwin tomorrow before returning home for a day, he jets out for Beijing early next week.

One person who believes Barton will come back with Olympic gold is Calala butcher Peter McWilliams.

He bought a “corporate shooting day” with Barton at a recent all-day auction on a local radio station.

McWilliams, who runs the McWilliams Quality Meats shop at Calala, paid $3050 for the chance to have a day out with Barton on the local Tamworth Clay Target Club range at Loomberah.

“It’s great to be involved,” McWilliams said.

“And it will seem cheap when he brings home the gold medal.”

McWilliams isn’t a shooter and hasn’t shot before.

“But I’m about to learn. It was great to hear him speak today about Beijing, just great having an Olympian here in Tamworth.”

Barton is looking forward to the day withMcWilliams and whoever he wants to bring along.

He’s also keen to farewell “everyone” at today’s luncheon.

“It should be a lot of fun,” he said of a day where he will answer any questions and give an insight of what it has taken just to reach Beijing.

“A lot of people don’t realise what it’s taken the last three years to get here,” he said.

o See page 29 for more on the luncheon