For Mary Barber, her passion for the cattle industry is something she truly loves. She was born into it, a purebred Hereford cattle operation in Channing, Texas that has been a part of her family’s business for 115 years
“I knew I was passionate about cattle as soon as I was old enough to get out of our back yard and walk a very short distance to a calf pen,” said Barber. “I was fascinated and spent many hours watching, playing, and riding. I didn’t think I would ever get old enough to have my own ‘show calf.’”
Barber does what she does because she truly LOVES cattle and everyone associated with them-there are none better, she said.
“Being a part of the cattle industry has given me the opportunity to live a dream,” said Barber. “It has been beyond an amazingly incredible ride! At the very beginning, most people assumed women didn’t know anything about cattle—and probably would not be interested in learning. Lucky for me, my husband, Dale, was not one of those! Even though I had grown up around cattle—I quickly discovered I had a lot to learn. Dale was a very patient and thorough teacher. He had grown up on a commercial cattle ranch in the Hill Country—is an excellent horseman as well as a veterinarian. We have so enjoyed doing all this as a team.”
Where Barber is today may even surpass the objectives, she had set a very long time ago. Early on, it was tough to stay in the cattle business- cattle were our solitary business. We [Dale and I] both had an ideal cow/bull in mind-however it has taken a lot of years to arrive at this point, she said.
“I have always enjoyed working with the show cattle—halter breaking, washing, feeding—whatever,” said Barber. “When our kids started showing—Dale hauled them in the winter and I stayed home and took care of things. Then in the summer, I hauled them and Dale stayed home. We didn’t have any hired help –so whoever stayed home did the feeding, pasture checking, calving, AI ing, doctoring. We have had several Denver champions that I bred their mother’s through AI. Someone recently made a comment about someone having a lot of years AI ing cows—and I was shocked to think that I have been doing it twice that long. Guess that is what happens when you are older than dirt. However, I still AI cows—I’m always there—and I pen them on a really good cow horse. Don’t think you ever get too old to do that.”
Not only did Barber win Best of the Barns Show Mom of the Year but in 1982 Barber was named the very first Outstanding Hereford Woman by the American Hereford Auxiliary and in 1993 she was voted at the National Western Stock Show Hereford Herdsman of the Year.
“I’m very honored and humbled to be voted Best of the Barns Show Mom,” said Barber. “Most of my happiest moments have been in a show barn—sometimes just at home—sometimes at a cattle show. Every one of my kids, as well as my oldest grandchildren, share the same love and passion for cattle. I am beyond blessed to have been able to live the life that I have, doing what I love so much.”
If you have read the blog post written by Ranch House Designs “So Which Stock Show Mom Are You?” One of the mom’s that is described is written about Mary Barber.
“My advice to any show mom would be ‘don’t blink’,” Barber said. “Good times fly by way too fast. Help and support your kids in any way you can. Showing cattle and caring for them teaches life skills that stay with kids for a lifetime. They learn so much responsibility and self-respect and make friends with the best people anywhere. They may not end up raising cattle for a career—but the work ethic they learned showing cattle will help them succeed anywhere they go.”