A beekeeper with no farm background just revolutionized elite cattle care over night at dairy shows, the night shift, redefining what dairy excellence looks like.

The barn at Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair falls into that peculiar stillness that only comes after midnight. Most exhibitors have long since retreated to their hotels, leaving behind the gentle sounds of cattle settling into their straw beds. But in the Kingsway Farms string, a young man from North Carolina moves through the shadows with the quiet intensity of someone who understands that greatness is often built in the margins – in those overlooked hours when everyone else is sleeping.

Chandler Barber sweeps the floor for what might be the dozenth time tonight, his movements deliberate and practiced. Every few minutes, he pauses to check on the animals, speaking softly to a restless heifer or adjusting a fan that’s been running too cold. “Keep going, girls,” he murmurs, his voice carrying that particular tenderness reserved for those who truly understand the weight of responsibility resting on their shoulders.

It’s 3 AM, and most people would be fighting to stay awake. But Chandler is dancing – actually dancing – to the rock music streaming through his earbuds, transforming what could be a lonely, grinding shift into something that looks almost joyful. He’s shaking out straw, organizing equipment, and ensuring that when the day crew arrives in a few hours, everything will be pristine, professional, and ready for the business of showing cattle at the highest level.

This is the night shift – the invisible foundation upon which the entire show cattle industry rests. At just 19 years old, Chandler Barber has become its most passionate evangelist and first-ever recognized champion.

The Unlikely Journey from Hives to Herds

If you had told Chandler Barber five years ago that he would become the first-ever Night Man of the Year at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair – one of North America’s most prestigious cattle shows – he would have looked at you with genuine confusion.

“What’s a cow show?” he might have asked, his attention focused instead on the wooden frames filled with hexagonal cells and the constant hum of 100,000 bees working in perfect harmony.

Chandler’s story begins not in the traditional dairy show heartland of Wisconsin, Quebec, or Ontario but in Statesville, North Carolina, where, at age 13, he watched in awe as his neighbor’s tree became the center of a biblical swarm of bees. When Thomas Batty arrived to collect the swarm – climbing the tree in nothing but jeans and a long-sleeved shirt – young Chandler witnessed something that would shape his understanding of fearlessness and dedication.

“He took that branch and shook them all down right into the box, put the lid on them, climbed down, didn’t even get stung,” Chandler recalls, his voice still carrying traces of that original wonder. “I was like, what?”

Thomas became his first mentor, teaching him the mechanics of beekeeping and the philosophy that would later define his approach to everything: respect the creatures in your care, understand their needs, and never be afraid of hard work. Under Batty’s guidance, Chandler learned to work hives without a suit, using only a smoker and hive tool, taking as many as 60 stings in a single day during the honey season.

“The first thing he said to me after I got stung in the ear was ‘don’t be such a pansy, shake it off, let’s keep going,'” Chandler remembers with a laugh that suggests he’s grateful for that early lesson in resilience.

From Vigilance to Progression

The transition from bees to cattle wasn’t as unlikely as it might seem. Working with Thomas taught him vigilance – the need to monitor every detail, from the number of eggs in each cell to the honey border patterns that indicated hive health. “You pay attention to every detail,” he explains. “Cows, I think, just the same way. Because not only are you vigilant about every little thing, cows are… cows can tell when something’s changed”.

This attention to detail would prove crucial when Craig Connolly, a former commercial beekeeper, introduced Chandler to Charlie Payne, a retired organic dairy farmer in Harmony, North Carolina. Charlie kept a single Jersey cow as a “little souvenir” of his dairy days – a cow whose udder had been destroyed by coliform mastitis but who had survived and now lived peacefully in his pasture.

When Chandler looked at her one day and saw potential, asking if they could breed her to get a show animal, Charlie’s casual “yeah, I’m not doing nothing else with her” opened a door that would change everything.

The Night That Changed Everything

The calf that came from that breeding wasn’t much to look at. “She wasn’t too pretty,” Chandler admits, “but she was mine.” When they took her to the North Carolina State Fair, she placed second in her class – respectable but not the highlight of Chandler’s experience.

The real revelation came after dark.

As Chandler worked to keep his heifer clean and comfortable through the night, other exhibitors began to notice. First, Brittco Farms, then Deer View Jerseys, and then Cherub Jerseys asked if he could help with their strings, too. By the end of that first night, he cared for nine strings and earned nearly $900.

“It was insane,” he says, the memory still carrying the electric shock of possibility. “That really struck my love for night shifting.”

This wasn’t just about money, though the financial opportunity was eye-opening for a young man without a traditional farm background. It was about discovering a calling that seemed to match his temperament and skills perfectly. The attention to detail learned from beekeeping, the patience to work through the night, and the understanding that small creatures depend entirely on your vigilance translated perfectly to the world of show cattle.

Among those first strings was Deer View Jerseys, owned by Wayne Lutz, a legendary figure in the Jersey world who was responsible for breeding Valson, the bull that made Spritz, the 97-point Jersey that became an industry icon. Wayne became another mentor, and though he has since passed away, his influence on Chandler’s approach to animal care remains profound.

Mastering the Science of Overnight Progression

Walk into any barn at 2 AM during a major cattle show, and you’ll witness what most people think is simple maintenance: someone distributing hay to hungry animals. But watch Chandler work, and you’ll see something far more sophisticated – the practical application of what industry professionals now recognize as cutting-edge cattle conditioning.

“I like to go in a bell curve when I’m feeding,” Chandler explains, moving methodically down the line of cattle, his experienced eye assessing each animal’s condition and appetite. On the first night, he observes each animal’s response to small amounts of hay, watching their bodies settle into the stressful environment of a major show. By the second night, he’s building their capacity, feeding more aggressively while rotating different types of forage. “Third day, depending on which show I’m at, I’m either feeling or continuously going.”

This isn’t theoretical knowledge – it’s practical expertise that produces measurable results. At the Northeast All Breed Spring Show, a red and white heifer under his care won JC Red as well as Reserve JC in the blacks. The success wasn’t accidental; it was the direct result of his systematic approach to maximizing each animal’s potential through careful nutrition management during the crucial nighttime hours.

Reading the Signs

But feeding is only part of the equation. Chandler has developed what industry professionals call “an eye for illness” – the ability to detect subtle changes in animal behavior that might signal health problems. He can spot trouble in how a cow’s ears feel when he checks them for temperature, in the smell or appearance of their manure, or in that indefinable “sick look” in their eyes.

“You can look in their eyes and say something’s not right,” he explains, “because you know how a cow will give you that sick look versus a healthy one that’s constantly looking around, constantly slurping up more hay.”

This vigilance becomes even more critical in challenging environments. Chandler learned to manipulate fans and ventilation systems to maintain optimal conditions at the Royal, where temperatures can plummet well below freezing. “You have to know when you want to cut the fans off and when you don’t because the barn can get kind of dusty, but as long as you keep some air moving through there… you can cut maybe one or two fans off, and then cut them back on, just to keep air moving, keep cows healthy, keep them eating, keep them looking healthy”.

The Facebook Post That Built a Career

By 2023, Chandler had built a reputation on the regional show circuit but was still relatively unknown on the national stage. That changed with a simple Facebook post in the “Fitter Friends” group chat hosted by KY Vision.

Looking for an opportunity to work at World Dairy Expo – the Olympics of dairy showing – Chandler posted: “Would anybody like a night man for Expo?”

Kyle Stockdale was the first to respond.

That connection led to Chandler’s first major show, working for a crew managed by Kyle and owned by Ryan Ferris. The experience was transformative, not just for the exposure but for the relationships built and the standard of work expected at that level. Kyle’s crew was focused on success for the children, showing the animals, and Chandler discovered the profound satisfaction that comes from contributing to those victories. “There’s just nothing like having a kid go to that ring with their animal, get success, and then having them flash that showtime smile at you after they get a medal. Absolutely unreal”.

But it was Kyle’s next call that truly changed Chandler’s trajectory. After the Expo, Kyle contacted him about an opportunity at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, working for Kingsway Farms – one of the most prestigious operations in the industry.

“Kyle called me and said, ‘Hey, you want to come to Royal?’ Like, yeah, for sure. ‘Kingsway wants you.’ Like, Kingsway? Who the heck is Kingsway?” Chandler laughs at the memory of his own ignorance. Without the weight of expectation or intimidation, he could simply focus on doing what he did best.

The Royal Treatment and Recognition Revolution

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair represents the pinnacle of livestock showing in Canada. For Chandler, arriving in Toronto in the middle of winter was like entering an alien world. “I was on the plane. I was looking outside. I was like, man, what is all that white stuff on the ground? I’m not used to this”. He had never seen snow or experienced cold that made him worry his “lips were going to fall off.”

But the physical discomfort paled in comparison to the pressure. This was Kingsway Farms – an operation known for producing 95-point cows, including legendary animals like Allie, Gummy Bear, and Arrangatang. The McMillan brothers, Ethan and Morgan, had built their reputation on excellence, and they were trusting their entire string to a young man from North Carolina who had been doing this seriously for just two years. (Read more: The Heart of Excellence: Getting to Know the Family Behind Kingsway Holsteins)

Building Excellence Through Details

Chandler’s response was to double down on everything that had made him successful. He arrived at the barn between 4 and 6 PM each day, socialized briefly with other crew members, and then threw himself into work with an intensity that bordered on the obsessive.

“I would constantly shake straw for them so it’d be ready in the morning. I would sweep the floors. I would clean the shoot, wrap up everybody’s cords, and just try to make the string look as pretty as possible while keeping the cows dandy,” he recalls.

His obsessive attention to cleanliness wasn’t just aesthetic – it was strategic. “My cows have to be spotless,” he says. “I can’t stand it when they have manure on them. It just messes with my mind”. This isn’t perfectionism for its own sake; it’s an understanding that every detail communicates professionalism to potential buyers walking through the barn.

The results spoke for themselves. Other exhibitors and industry professionals began to take notice of the young man who seemed to approach night shift work with a level of dedication and professionalism they had rarely seen. The animals looked exceptional on show day, and the level of organization and cleanliness in the Kingsway string became the talk of the barn.

Creating Recognition for the Invisible

The Night Man of the Year award was created specifically because of what people witnessed that week at the Royal. Industry leaders, including the McMillan brothers and other prominent exhibitors, were so impressed by Chandler’s work that they felt compelled to create formal recognition for a previously invisible role.

“That award meant the world to me,” Chandler says. “It really skyrocketed my career”.

But perhaps more meaningful than the award itself was what followed. Ethan McMillan approached Chandler as he was sweeping the floor with a push broom and asked him to come to the table.

“He said, ‘So Chandler, I really like how you work. How would you like to have a lifetime role as Kingsway night man?’ I was like, are you serious? Because I thought he was joking,” Chandler recalls. “He was like, ‘Yeah, I’m real. You want to be our lifetime night man for the Royal?'”

A lifetime contract. In an industry where relationships are often transactional and short-term, this represented something extraordinary – a recognition that Chandler had elevated night shift work from a necessary service to a specialized craft that directly contributes to an operation’s success and bottom line.

The Economics of Excellence

The business impact of quality night care extends far beyond clean animals and swept floors. In the high-stakes world of elite cattle showing, where a single class placing can determine an animal’s future value, overnight work directly affects an operation’s financial success.

“That little walk through the ring, that class that she’s in, could change her life forever,” Chandler explains. “If she pulls a medal and gets top 10, or gets top five, or even places first in her class, everybody will look at that animal differently from that moment on”.

The economic implications are significant. A heifer that places well at a major show like the Royal or World Dairy Expo can command premium prices for her offspring, genetics, and embryos. The careful feeding, monitoring, and conditioning during the night shift directly contribute to an animal’s performance in the show ring and to the operation’s financial returns.

This is why operations like Kingsway Farms are willing to offer lifetime contracts to exceptional night shift workers. The return on investment is measurable: better-conditioned animals perform better, better-performing animals generate more revenue, and operations that consistently produce winning cattle build reputations that command premium prices across their entire program.

Chandler understands this connection intimately. His work has contributed to success stories like the red and white heifer that won at the Northeast All Breed Spring Show – victories that translate directly into enhanced reputations and increased values for the animals he cares for. When he talks about treating cattle like “athletes” with “contracts with different AI companies,” he recognizes the economic reality that underlies the emotional connection.

The Competitive Edge and Industry Evolution

Chandler’s approach to night shift work is intensely competitive, driven by a philosophy that excellence requires constant effort to stay ahead of the competition. “I’ve always been competitive. I’ve always wanted to be the star out of the bunch,” he admits.

This competitiveness manifests in his approach to other night shift workers. “I will intentionally try harder to work than them just to take away their shine,” he says, acknowledging that “it’s not really a good thing” but explaining that “people are going to naturally move towards the person that works harder than the other as well as the person who gets better results.”

But this isn’t just ego – it’s professionalism applied to an industry where being good enough isn’t enough. His grandmother, who raised him, taught him to “always give it 100%”, and that philosophy has become the foundation of his professional approach.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Chandler’s success has had implications beyond his own career trajectory. His social media presence, particularly on Facebook’s “Fitter Friends” group, has helped change perceptions about night shift work throughout the industry. Through posts and stories, he’s demonstrated the skill required and the satisfaction of doing it well.

“I actually really want to inspire others because daytime is fun and all – yeah, you get to the party, yeah, you get to see your friends and whatnot – but fitting and night shifting are probably the two most important jobs in the barn,” he explains.

The recognition he’s received has also helped elevate the profile of night shift work throughout the industry. At the New York Spring Show, Chandler observed two young women working nights for Maple Down Farms – one about 20, the other about 12. “That 12-year-old was keeping up with the 20-year-old,” he recalls. “For how young she is, I think she’s going to be a great night woman one day.”

This represents exactly the kind of industry development Chandler hopes to foster. “Maybe I can spark a couple of people to get into it myself,” he says. “Like, that’d be pretty amazing to do. have someone say, what got you into night shift? Oh, yeah, I watched this kid do this and this work and I got inspired”.

The Philosophy of Service

What distinguishes Chandler’s work isn’t just technical competence – it’s his fundamental understanding of what the work represents and why it matters. When he talks about his role, he consistently frames it in terms of service: to the animals, the day crew, and the exhibitors who have trusted him with their most valuable livestock.

“It’s not about you, it’s about the animals you’re taking care of,” he explains. “What can you do to help that animal succeed on the shavings? How can you get that animal to grow rib? How can you get that animal to look better than the day before?”

This philosophy extends beyond individual animals to the entire operation. When Chandler works a string, he’s not just maintaining animals overnight – he’s actively contributing to their progression, building their capacity, and preparing them for peak performance. “The nightmare not only helps the cattle but also makes it easier for the day crew whenever they come in,” he notes.

Treating Athletes Like Professionals

Perhaps most importantly, Chandler has redefined how the industry thinks about showing cattle themselves. “I feel like if I was in a pack and I had someone taking care of me, I’d want the best care they can give me,” he explains. “After all, show cow is in their name, so I feel like we should treat them like the princesses they are.”

But his language goes beyond anthropomorphism to something more specific: “In my opinion, they are athletes. They have contracts with different companies like Sexed Semen Technologies and some other sire directories”. This framing – cattle as professional athletes with contracts and careers – represents a fundamental shift in how care providers approach their work.

Looking Forward: The Future of a Profession

Today, Chandler works 15-25 shows and sales per year, traveling from his home base in North Carolina to venues across the United States and Canada. He’s become a full-time night man, something he never could have imagined when he was getting stung by bees in his neighbor’s backyard.

His goals remain focused on continuous improvement and industry advancement. “I want to do the night shift. I want to do it full time one day if I can. And I just want to commit to that,” he says. But beyond personal success, he’s become an advocate for recognizing and developing the specialized skills that the industry needs.

“There’s a shortage” of people who can “do everything,” he notes, referring to the all-around cattle care professionals the industry requires. “We need more of those”.

Part of the solution, he believes, is helping people understand how important – and potentially rewarding – these roles can be. Through his work and his public presence, he’s demonstrated that careers in agricultural support roles can be both financially viable and professionally fulfilling.

The Continuing Revolution

His influence extends beyond individual career paths to broader industry evolution. The creation of the Night Man of the Year award represents formal recognition of work that was previously invisible but has always been essential. Young people are beginning to see night shift work as a legitimate career opportunity rather than just a way to make extra money at shows.

Chandler’s story also highlights the industry’s evolution from basic animal maintenance to sophisticated performance optimization. The “bell curve” feeding strategies, environmental management techniques, and behavioral monitoring he employs represent a professionalization of cattle care that mirrors trends throughout agriculture.

The Lasting Legacy

As night falls once again on barns across North America, Chandler Barber continues his work with the same quiet intensity we first witnessed at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. He moves through darkened spaces, speaking softly to the animals in his care, ensuring that every detail is perfect for the day ahead.

In an industry that often focuses on the visible moments – the show ring, the sales, the public recognition – Chandler has found purpose and success in the margins, proving that some of the most important work in agriculture happens when most people are sleeping. His journey from beekeeping to becoming the first Night Man of the Year illustrates how passion, opportunity, and a relentless work ethic can create success in unexpected ways.

“If you take care of them, they will take care of you,” he says about the animals he works with. “And I’m a firm believer in that.”

More importantly, his story shows how one person’s commitment to excellence can elevate an entire profession, creating recognition and opportunity for others while setting new standards for what’s possible in agricultural careers. Through his work, he’s demonstrated that caring for others – whether human or animal – remains agriculture’s highest calling and that those quiet hours when excellence is built through countless small acts of dedication continue to be where the industry’s future is truly shaped.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Non-traditional backgrounds can drive dairy innovation: Barber’s beekeeping experience taught him the vigilance and systematic animal monitoring that now commands $900/night rates – proving that transferable animal husbandry skills often outperform conventional dairy experience in specialized roles.
• Overnight animal progression directly impacts profitability: His “bell curve” feeding strategy and environmental management during night shifts contribute measurably to show-ring placings that can increase animal values by 300-500% and enhance breeding program genetics marketing.
• Professional cattle care creates competitive advantages: Kingsway Farms’ lifetime contract offer demonstrates how investing in specialized animal care expertise generates measurable ROI through improved animal performance, enhanced buyer impressions, and reduced day-crew labor costs.
• Industry skills shortages create premium opportunities: The dairy sector’s shortage of “jack-of-all-trades” professionals means operations willing to invest in comprehensive cattle care specialists can capture significant competitive advantages while command premium service rates in an underserved market.
• Systematic animal welfare drives economic returns: Barber’s philosophy of treating cattle as “athletes with contracts” reflects how professional-level animal care standards translate directly into improved feed conversion, reduced stress-related health costs, and enhanced reproductive performance across commercial operations.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The dairy industry’s most successful professionals aren’t always the ones who grew up milking cows – sometimes they’re the ones who understand that animal care excellence transcends traditional boundaries. Chandler Barber’s journey from North Carolina beekeeper to the first-ever Night Man of the Year at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair proves that specialized cattle care skills can command premium wages of $900 per night while revolutionizing how elite dairy operations approach animal management. His systematic “bell curve” feeding strategy and obsessive attention to detail helped animals achieve show-ring success that translates directly into enhanced genetics values and breeding program ROI. Working 15-25 shows annually Barber has demonstrated that professional-level night shift management can be the difference between good and exceptional animal performance – leading Kingsway Farms to offer him an unprecedented lifetime contract. His success challenges every dairy operation to reconsider whether they’re truly maximizing their animal care potential during those crucial overnight hours when feed conversion, rumination, and stress recovery determine tomorrow’s champions.

Learn More:

• 13 STEPS TO EXTREME COW COMFORT – For readers inspired by Chandler’s dedication, this article provides tactical strategies for improving animal welfare. It demonstrates how to implement practical changes in housing, bedding, and daily routines to boost comfort, health, and ultimately, productivity and profitability.
• DAIRY FARM LABOR – THE HIRING AND TRAINING CRISIS – This piece offers a strategic look at the labor shortage Chandler highlights. It explores the root causes of the crisis and reveals methods for attracting and retaining top talent, framing specialized roles like Chandler’s as a critical competitive advantage.
• THE FUTURE OF GENETICS – IS IT ALL ABOUT HEALTH AND EFFICIENCY? – Building on the idea that show success drives genetic value, this article looks to the future of dairy breeding. It examines the shift toward health and efficiency traits, providing an innovative perspective on long-term herd development and profitability.

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