FFA President Coghlan Mullen wins at Big E
Coghlan Mullen arrived in early October to show his hogs at the Big E in West Springfield, MA. His showed a hog named Amy, born in January 2026, of a hog breed he called “Spot,” and a mixed breed hog named Tammy.
“Amy is a Spotted Poland China but the breed is most commonly referred to as just ‘Spot’ by breeders and exhibitors,” said Mullen.
Tammy had already won Reserve Market Gilt at the Dutchess County Fair in late August in Rhinebeck, NY.
Mullen has been dutifully fulfilling his position first as vice-president and now president of his FFA chapter in 2026. A one-man-band, age 16, he runs his own Tiny Fields Farms in Pine Plains, NY, working mainly with dairy. He works hard promoting the FFA with positive results.
According to the National FFA Organization website, membership has been flourishing, with over 9,000 chapters and over 1.05 million student members living in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Mullen said he tries to advertise for his chapter and for his district using social media, on Instagram @pineplainsffa.students and on TikTok @pineplainsffa.
“A lot of people like our agricultural fair; we show cows in Pine Plains,” said Mullen at their Pine Plains FFA Ag Fair in mid-October.
Due to Mullen’s social media campaign, “interest is growing. There are 200 followers. That’s a lot, because I live in a rural area.”
Following up at the Big E, Mullen said, “I got Champion Spot with Amy, and then went on to win Grand Purebred Gilt with her, which is a great achievement for me. I also got fourth in my class for showmanship and also fourth in my Crossbred Gilt Class with Tammy.” He also earned second in his division for the Skillathon.
“This weekend is great but it is probably my last year doing pigs because I want to focus on growing my dairy herd.”
According to Mullen, the Skillathon doesn’t involve any pigs in the show ring. “It is a written test about pigs and concepts like health, vaccines, breeding, nutrition, biosecurity, et cetera. And then there is a second part that can include stations that cover topics like farrowing, cuts of meat, equipment identification, judging animals and more. It’s a knowledge-based contest that covers just about everything pigs,” he explained.
Mullen owns Registered Holstein cattle with a small herd of seven. “I’ve raised cattle that have been recognized statewide, called an All-New York award. I have also owned cattle that have been classified excellent (which means someone scored their body characteristics at 90 points or more).”
The Eastern States Exposition (ESE) that hosts the Big E is a nonprofit organization. According to a statement supplied by the ESE, the event has a ripple effect that “generates $1.2 billion in economic activity, supports thousands of jobs and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in personal income and gross regional product.”
Final attendance figures for the 17-day fair that commemorated America’s 250 anniversary were 1,273,109 people, with ticket sales from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and other countries including Canada, the UK, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Australia, Ireland, Sprain, France and India.
Mullen was one of the 5,245 exhibitors that attended the fair, eager to teach people about his hogs and spread the word about FFA.
For more information access, access thebige.com.
by Laura Rodley
