Grace and Chloe vie for All-Ireland glory

YOUNG Dunmanway farmer Grace O’Donovan (12) will compete in the All Ireland finals in Co Limerick this weekend. Grace farms with her parents Derry and Sandra on their dairy farm at Togher.

When she was eight years old, Grace brought her calf Luna to Dunmanway Show – the start of Grace’s showing career. Grace shows Belgian blues for Tim, Daniel and Denise O’Donovan of Gortnamuckla, Dunmanway and limousins for Ian Santry from Castlehaven.

They have travelled all over Ireland and Grace has won many prizes, including the hotly contested Young Stockperson of the Year title at Kildysart Agricultural Show in Co Clare, which was a qualifier for this weekend’s final in Cappamore, Co Limerick.

Chloe Hegarty (11) from Currevreeda, Bandon has been showing cattle since she was just three years old and this weekend she will be also featuring at the All Ireland finals in Co Limerick.

Chloe, along with her parents Dave and Iris, lives on a dairy farm with charolais, Belgian blue and limousin pedigree and commercial cattle. 

Chloe Hegarty who is competiting in this weekend's cattle showing finals.

She won the qualifier at Dunmanway Agricultural Show but this weekend will be Chloe’s second time making it to the finals, having been placed fifth in last year’s competition. 

She also took first place in the Young Handlers class at this year’s Cork Summer show. 

Sponsored by FBD and the Irish Farmers Journal, the finals are presented by the Irish Shows Association comprising three categories, junior (age 8-12), intermediate (age 13-17) and senior (age 18-25). The competition will be judged on the handler’s ability to handle and present the animal in the show ring, their general knowledge about the animal, including its breeding and feeding.