Virginia farmer Ollie Stanley and his son Jason

A passion born from winning

Ollie Stanley has got the winning habit; a habit that he’s nurtured over half a century.
Since 1966 he’s been making his way to the Virginia Show with the hope of claiming a first place, and for most of those 49 years he’s come home smiling, with a red rosette or two to show for his efforts. Having had his interest in agricultural shows piqued in Virginia he has travelled to shows across the country to feed his insatiable desire to compete and win.
“I’ve a garage full of rosettes,” he says. “I’d have near 3,000 I’d say.”
Amongst his sensational haul are three All Ireland titles, but the Show that ignited his passion for Agricultural Shows remains special for Ollie.
“I show all over Ireland, I was in Tinahely on Monday, and I was at another the week before but there’s nothing like getting the red rosette in Virginia - there’s something about it. I look at it actually as one of the top shows in Ireland for a one day. The atmosphere in Virginia’s something else - it’s electric!”
Maybe it was that electric atmosphere which spooked his first entry - a goose in the fowl competition - and left Ollie rosette-less on his Show debút as a ten-year-old from Munterconnaught up at the Show with his older brothers.
“The biggest day in your life was Virginia Show at that time,” says Ollie, who now lives in Carnaross.
“I remember,” he begins with a chuckle, “a goose got loose on me and I had to look for him through the woods - so I think I was third or fourth maybe highly commended.
Whilst he didn’t win that year, he didn’t have long to wait and he loved it.
“It was a great buzz, it was like winning the lottery. You got a little card at that time for first second or third - you felt on top of the world to get it.”
“It’s been in my blood all my life, I can’t get out of it anyway”.
With the passing years he graduated from fowl to sheep and since 1970 has focused exclusively on cattle.
“I like crossing, mostly blue charolais cross or a limousin blue cross.”
Despite his incredible record or wins, there’s one rosette that’s somehow eluded Ollie’s garage.
“I’ve failed to get the one at Oldcastle, and I’m trying for the last 27 or 28 years, and I was reserve three or four times. That’s one of my aims, is to get that one.
This year he’ll enter four or five classes, but the title he’s most eager to recapture is the Liffey Meats Champion Beef Bullock with a prize worth €2,000.
“I’m after winning that three or four times in Virginia and I love that,” he enthused.
However, you sense he’ll enjoy the day whether it’s his or a rival’s bullock a stockjudge gives the nod to.
“The atmosphere for the week or two before hand. When you go in and look at all the exhibits, it’s rural Ireland at it’s best, that’s my honest opinion.”
It seems his success is down to continuous preparation, and he always has an eye out for a potential champion, buying “one or two every year”.
“I like to see it in the field if I can,” he explains, “and I like to buy it in the field if I can, but it doesn’t always work out that way.”
“From when Virginia Show is over you are getting ready for the next year. It’s 365 day job - if you want to be at the top you have to have them right. You’ll only get out what you put into it, but yeah I love it.”
Looking ahead to this year’s event, is he confident of doing well?
“I’ve a young bullock this year, I’ve brought him to four or five of the All Irelands, and he was reserve in one and fourth in another. I reckon Liffey is the one I’m looking for again, it’s a nice young tight bullock so I’m in there with a shout anyway.”