‘I love showing animals’

The Anglo-Celt recently paid a visit to 11-year-old James Junior Farrelly from Castlerahan, one of the younger participants of the 83rd Virginia Show.

Outside their home on a sunny Friday afternoon, James is down at the farm tacking up his new horse Candy to bring her out to the field. His three siblings and two of their friends are enjoying the sunshine while playing with a pet lamb, three goats and their dog.

No stranger to showing animals, this will be James’ fifth year entering Virginia Show. He first started, at just seven, when he entered their pet goat Daisy as a kid, and she placed fourth.

“The first year we showed her, she was very good,” James recalls.

“After that, I wanted to keep going and do more.”

Over the years, James has mainly shown animals belonging to his grandfather, Jim George Farrelly, who has been involved with the show for decades.

James' parents Paul and Louise moved back home from Dublin to live beside Jim George around five years ago.

James and his sister, Ella-Mae and twin brothers Evan and Ronan have been taking part in Virginia Show since they moved here. Ella-Mae will be showing her pet lamb Cucumber this year.

James has shown donkeys, as well as goats, pet lambs and rams in Virginia. For three years in a row, he won with donkeys, and he has also won with pet lambs and rams.

“I love showing animals,” James enthuses.

“I love it because everybody gets involved, the whole family is around. It’s really fun.”

“This year, it will be different because I have Candy.”

After doing a horse riding camp last year, James was eager to buy a horse.

He bought 10-year-old Candy with his own money last December. He had bought suck calves, two black whiteheads for €45 each, “just before the prices soared”, and later sold them for €1800 and €1900.

“That left me with just enough to buy Candy,” explains the entrepreneurial James.

Candy hadn’t been used for seven months so he had to send her to Ryefield riding school in nearby Oldcastle to rebreak her. She was there for six months until she returned home last month.

“She’s always great,” James praises Candy.

The soon-to-be 12 year old will be busy at this year’s show as he is also showing his goat Daisy again. Last year, Daisy was awarded Champion Milk Goat. Either his friend or his cousin will be showing another donkey.

“I’ll be doing Candy, giving her to Daddy, and then I’ll be running over to grab the donkey off grandad, and then give the donkey back to grandad, then I’m going to get up on Candy again in another class,” James says excitedly.

James is grateful for his friends' help. Caolan helps with Candy a couple of times each week and Fionn helped him with the donkeys last year. Fionn is the grandson of Virginia Show President Mary Gaynor.

James’ brother Evan also has a big interest in animals and is a big support as he helps him with Candy everyday.

James has been horse riding since he was eight years old, and his brother Ronan also does lessons.

He particularly enjoys hunt chasing, which they do at his riding school - this has become “more fun” since he got Candy. He wishes they still did showjumping competitions in Virginia.

“Jumping is what I love,” James says. His mother Louise tells this newspaper that he likely inherited this love for showjumping from his aunts Alma and Elaine.

In the leadup to Virginia Show, they walk the animals around their shed for a couple of weeks to get them used to handling.

“Now, they’re generally very quiet,” James assures, and that this is a precaution to make sure they “don’t run away on the day or anything like that.”

For James, the “brilliant” Virginia Show is something he looks forward to every year.

“I like that it’s so big, it’s great craic with all my friends walking around,” says James.

“The rides are good fun too.”

“I can’t wait this year to show Candy. I hope I do well.”