There are three age categories, junior, intermediate and senior. Junior is for entries aged between eight and 12 years old on 1 August 2021 (entry numbers 1-12). Intermediate is for entries aged between 13 and 17 years old on 1 August 2021 (Entry numbers 13-28). Juniors for entries aged between 18 and 25 years old on 1 August 2021 (Entry numbers 29-39)

Henry Gunn.

1 Henry Gunn, eight, Co Roscommon

I had started showing some quiet calves in 2019 before COVID-19. We have mainly pedigree Limousin cattle on the farm and some pedigree Shorthorns. I like showing as I can learn about training and leading cattle and how to get them ready for shows. I also get to travel around the country and meet plenty of people, old friends and new friends from different counties.

Rachel Dockery.

2 Rachel Dockery, nine, Co Offaly

We breed Angus and Shorthorn cattle. We go to loads of shows every year. I love going to the shows and getting the cattle ready and winning prizes with the calves. This will be my first year showing and I’m looking forward to the final in Tullamore.

Rachel Smyth.

3 Rachel Smyth, 10, Co Meath

I lived on a farm all my life. I helped a lot on the farm last year during the lockdown and since then have wanted to train and show a calf. I help my dad with calving, tagging, and dehorning. We have only started training Lilly, my show calf in the last couple of weeks. So, this is my first time ever showing a calf.

Nicole Hargroves.

4 Nicole Hargroves, 10, Co Laois

On our farm we have both cattle and sheep. Since I was knee high, I had an interest in farming. The first show that I attempted to lead a calf was in April 2014, I was heading on for four years of age I remember thinking that day I would love someday to have my own calf to show and look after.

Olivia O Mahony.

5 Olivia O’Mahony, 10, Co Cork

I love animals. I have always enjoyed working with animals. I enjoy interacting and training the animals. I love handling and interacting with them. I am a natural carer for animals.

Gary Mulligan.

6 Gary Mulligan, 12, Co Galway

I always had a great interest in cattle since I was very young. I got a heifer that was different from the rest, and I decided to train her. After I got my first win in the young handlers, I really got into showing cattle and I love doing it.

Tara Drumm.

7 Tara Drumm, 12, Co Westmeath

I really enjoy farming; I love the cattle. I got interested in cows because I grew up with them on our farm. I love the breeding end of it when it comes to the cows. I love choosing the bulls to serve them with. We use 50% AI on our farm. I aim for docility, replacement index and easy calving. I got interested in showing cattle because my Mam shows pedigree Herefords. I love getting the cattle ready for the show, the washing, blow-drying, and grooming.

Colm Sheahan.

8 Colm Sheahan, 12, Co Offaly

I love looking at, working with, and talking about good cattle. I got my first pedigree Limousin heifer this year and can’t wait for shows to start again to start showing her calves. Every Thursday I look forward to the pedigree section of the Irish Farmer’s Journal.

Peter Smyth.

9 Peter Smyth, 12, Co Meath

We have a suckler herd at home and I have been helping on the farm since I was two. I have seen show cattle at the Ploughing and other shows before, but it isn’t something that we have ever done. My calf Bruno is a Limousin-cross bull, and he was born on our own farm in April. We’ve had great craic trying to train him. I have been watching YouTube videos to get tips on how to show calves properly.

Hannah Gunn.

10 Hannah Gunn, 13, Co Roscommon

I help on my uncle’s pedigree Limousin farm. I help feeding the cattle and moving them for dosing and testing. I like helping with the young calves. I have my own dairy-cross yearling heifer and I hope to use her as a recipient later in the year. I am showing a roan pedigree Shorthorn calf called Ovaun Rosanna.

Sally Towey.

11 Sally Towey, 13, Co Roscommon

Growing up it was mostly sheep we farmed. I had no experience in showing cattle. I attended my first local show when I was eight and loved the day out with my friends. The following year I was introduced to the youngstock competition by the Maxwell Brothers. It was then I had the bug! My highlight to date was winning the young stockperson championship at the Royal Meath Show.

Raymond Dockery.

12 Raymond Dockery, 13, Co Offaly

We have Angus and Shorthorn cattle. I got started with showing cattle when I was young, and I have loved it ever since. I have gone to a good few YDPs, and they are a great way of learning how to prepare my calf for the show and it helped me understand how to pick out a good calf for the shows. I love going to the shows because they are fun, and I like getting prizes. I will keep showing and hope someday I can show cattle of my own.

Jason Dockery.

13 Jason Dockery, 13, Co Offaly

We breed Angus and Shorthorns. I became interested in leading through my older brothers. I decided to start as it is something new to learn and fun. It’s also exciting to go around the country leading cattle at different shows.

John O'Mahony.

14 John O’Mahony, 13, Co Cork

I have always had an interest in animals. Since the calves came along, I have enjoyed training and interacting with them. I get great satisfaction from training them.

Nichola Mulligan.

15 Nichola Mulligan, 14, Co Galway

I took interest in showing cattle when I saw what could be done with them at a few agricultural shows. I really loved it when I walked my first heifer and that was when I started doing my first young handlers. I had a lot of brilliant achievements with my heifer Suzie.

Jack O’Meara.

16 Jack O’Meara, 14, Co Offaly

My brother and I have always been interested in farming and are very fortunate to have cattle and the freedom of fields around us. Grandad has taught us a great deal of farming life and its daily chores. Our interest in showing cattle has come from our neighbour, who has brought us to many shows and has given us great advice and knowledge.

Lucy Murray.

17 Lucy Murray, 14, Co Cork

My interest in cattle began when I was very small as they have always been around me on the family farm. On the farm we breed pedigree Angus cattle. When we would bring cattle to shows and sales I would help with the preparation and handling of them from a young age. I like showing as it’s a great way to showcase the hard work that goes into breeding and training the cattle on our farm and it’s also a great hobby for myself and my family.

Aiden Moran.

18 Aiden Moran, 15, Co Sligo

I always had an interest in cattle ever since a young age, but in 2014 we went to buy a stock bull at the Christmas Cracker Sale. After we bought the bull, I went down the pedigree Charolais route and bought my first cow in 2016. Going to the shows with them is good craic and I enjoy competing with other people with cattle.

Ronan Dockery.

19 Ronan Dockery, 15, Co Offaly

I have been involved in leading cattle since I was eight or nine through the YDP. My Daddy always showed cattle and he got me involved. I have attended many workshops during the years and have learned a lot about showing cattle and preparing cattle for the shows. I now do my own clipping and grooming, and halter train my calves. I have a great interest and will keep showing and love all the buzz around it.

Elisa Drumm.

20 Elisa Drumm, 15, Co Westmeath

When I was younger, I liked spending time with all types of animals on our farm. When we were going to a show, I helped wash, brush, and dry our Hereford cattle. They are extremely easy to handle thanks to their docility. I like going to shows because I get to go to new places, meet new people and I love getting up early in the morning on show day.

Brodie Molloy.

21 Brodie Molloy, 15, Co Louth

On the farm we keep about 12 pedigree Limousin cows and a few commercial cows. I always look forward to when the cows are calving to see if there is anything good enough for showing. Our first show of the year is Dundalk Show, and you soon find out if you have anything good enough for showing or not as there are lots of top showmen in the northeast. I’m really looking forward to getting back showing.

Leah Staunton.

22 Leah Staunton, 16, Co Mayo

I started showing our livestock when I was eight years old, winning numerous competitions along the way. I love showing livestock because I get to showcase the calves that we produce on our own farm. It also enables me to test my ability against other leading young handlers across the country. I also continue to learn a lot from interacting with likeminded people my age and always appreciate the advice I receive from the experts in our field.

Aisling Burke.

23 Aisling Burke, 16, Co Limerick

I grew up on a beef and dairy farm and had an interest in cattle from a young age. When my sister and brother were younger, they spent the summers showing cattle with my Dad, and it was always something I wanted to do. I just love showing cattle. It’s a brilliant hobby, you learn so many important life skills – and it’s a fantastic way of meeting and making friends from near and far. I’m very proud to be part of this lovely community.

Adrian Dockery.

24 Adrian Dockery, 16, Co Offaly

I have been showing calves at shows for about 10 years now. I show mainly Angus and often Shorthorns. My favourite show is Iverk as it’s a big YDP event with very stiff competition. I really like the preparation work and being able to clip, groom and even judge animals easily at shows is a great skill to have in farming.

Evan Gunn.

25 Evan Gunn, 16, Co Roscommon

I am from Elphin, Co Roscommon, and I help my uncle on his suckler farm. I have a couple of my own cattle on the farm and sold my first bull earlier this year in the Limousin premier sale. I am active in the Limousin Young Members Association and have been showing calves at local shows for the last six years. It is a great interest, and you get to travel, meet all sorts of interesting people and make new friends.

Dylan Docker.

26 Dylan Dockery, 17, Co Offaly

We breed Angus cattle and a few Shorthorns. I became interested in showing cattle through my Dad and I have been showing cattle at many different shows throughout the country since. I have won many prizes and met a lot of people through showing. I like going to the shows because it is a fun day out. Showing is a good way to learn about cattle and how to handle cattle.

Aine Brady.

27 Aine Brady, 18, Co Cavan

Raised on a beef and sheep farm, I enjoy helping out on the family farm and love the sense of escape from reality farming gives me. I followed my older sister in showing cattle. I enjoy the atmosphere on the show days as well as meeting people with the same passion from all over Ireland.

Kirstin Cronin.

28 Kirstin Cronin, 18, Co Roscommon

I live on a farm that has a huge interest in showing cattle. From a young age I have enjoyed watching the young handler classes at shows and started competing at about 10 years old. I enjoy the shows and the friendly competition and while it’s nice to win I’ve learned from showing that it’s also very important to be a good loser. I feel it’s very important to help fellow competitors in the ring as you never know when you might need a friend and a helping hand yourself.

Aidan Kinahan.

29 Aidan Kinahan, 18, Co Limerick

Breeding and showing cattle has been in my family for generations and is a huge passion of mine. I began showing at eight, with my first experience being a young handlers’ class in Rathdowney Show in 2011. My competitive nature and love of animals meant I was hooked immediately. I didn’t place that day but thankfully I’ve come a long way since then. I’m in the process of establishing my own pedigree Limousin herd.

Maria Cronin.

30 Maria Cronin, 18, Co Cork

When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I dreamed of being able to lead in the show ring. The first time I held a halter was at the Bonny Baby Spring Fair in Rathdowny, Co Laois. From then on it was like a drug, I was instantly hooked. It’s not all about winning, you make friends for life from all different parts of Ireland. Everyone is willing to help each other to showcase our animals to the best of all our abilities.

Jack Cronin.

31 Jack Cronin, 18, Co Roscommon

I got interested in cattle from a young age. I was brought up around showing cattle. I love working with quality cattle and I’m interested in cattle genetics. Showing cattle is also a great way to make new friends and I’ve made a good few new friends over the years that I’ve been showing cattle.

Sean Callan.

32 Sean Callan, 19, Co Monaghan

Going to the local agricultural show in Castleblayney when I was a child started my love for showing cattle. As I got older and started to show my own pedigree Simmentals at both local and national level, I quickly realised there was no better feeling then walking around the ring with your favourite animal and claiming a rosette if it’s your lucky day.

Katie Brady.

33 Katie Brady, 20, Co Cavan

I couldn’t imagine my life without showing cattle. I say I would be fairly bored. I have had so many amazing memories made from many a weekend in Tullamore Mart to walking Herefords around a show ring in New Zealand. But this is nothing compared to the bonds I have make both with people and animals.

Neil Twomey.

34 Neil Twomey, 21, Co Cork

I grew up on a farm split between milking and a pedigree Angus herd. I purchased my first Hereford at the age of 16 and built up a herd of 11 as of now. I saw showing as a way to try make a name for myself as a new breeder and to showcase the stock I’m breeding. Having no shows for the last year has been difficult, so I’ve been taking every opportunity to show off and advertise the Ringfort 1 herd.

Conor Maher.

35 Conor Maher, 21, Co Tipperary

I started showing when I was 15 years old. I won the Senior Simmental Handlers class in 2017 and have been reserve in both 2018 and 2019. There is great enjoyment in preparing an animal and helping it reach its full potential both in presenting the animal, through clipping and soaping their hair to adding width and clean lines while also handling them to the best of your ability so they attract the eye of the judge.

Conor Murphy.

36 Conor Murphy, 22, Co Carlow

I grew up on a family farm and have always had a love for cattle. “I’d be a drover not a driver”, started showing when I was nine in Tinahely Show with my uncle and grandparents and went to every show with them for the summers until I bought my first Shorthorn heifer Raheenaderagh Ruby out of my confirmation money. I love showing and meeting new people seeing new cattle – it’s like an addiction.

Catherine Smyth.

37 Catherine Smyth, 22, Co Meath

2008 was the first season I showed cattle myself. I participated in young handler events and completed the show season on a high when my heifer calf was crowned supreme Hereford champion at the Royal Meath Show, Trim. My family have been breeding Herefords under the Ardmulchan prefix since 1933. I have taken part in various youth programmes such as the Aberdeen Angus YDP, Irish Limousin YMA and the Next Gen Herefords.

Elanor Reilly.

38 Elanor Reilly, 22, Co Cavan

From growing up on a suckler farm I’ve always had a great interest in farming and soon after showing cattle for a neighbour from a very young age I immediately caught interest in it. Over the years I’ve found many friends through showing, had great experiences, and made brilliant memories. Putting the hours in training cattle and coming home from a show after winning a prize can be very rewarding and a great feeling.

Eoin Lynch.

39 Eoin Lynch, 25, Co Cork

I was born and raised on the family farm in Bantry, west Cork, and was always roped into doing jobs from as far back as I can remember. Having developed a love for cattle from a young age my father introduced me to leading his pedigree Herefords in the show ring. Throughout the years I have progressed my way up the ranks and more importantly I have made some great friends from the within the showing community.