Written by Kinsey Gardner, TPPA Intern
In just three short years, Cole Farms has made a name in the show pig industry. Owned and operated by Troy Cole, his wife, Tiffani, and son, Hollis, Cole Farms is based out of La Coste, Texas. Currently, his operation runs about 23 sows focusing on spots, chesters, and crossbreds.
Not only is Troy and his family focusing on molding the next generation of agriculturists by producing competitive show pigs, but he has also kept with his family’s roots in farming, as that’s what Troy has shifted to as a full-time career. Troy spends his day-to-day life juggling his time between spending time with his family, farming, and raising show pigs.
Unlike some, Troy didn’t grow up with the same generational show pig background. He started showing in his junior year of high school when he caught a calf in the calf scramble at San Antonio, and only spent a couple of years showing at his county and San Antonio since it was so close to home. Though Troy didn’t have much experience in the show ring, it didn’t take him long to realize that he enjoyed getting to expand his network and connect with all of the people in the industry who had the same drive and interest that he did. Troy said he loves getting to meet people and to hear their stories of how they’re involved in the show pig industry.
“I grew a stronger appreciation for the Texas show pig industry since he had to plant his own roots and make the connections it would take to progress his own herd like he’d always dreamed of,” Cole said.
Troy’s competitive nature and love for the people in the industry didn’t stop after his senior year. Once his own show career had ended, he started helping families feed and manage projects. This led to him buying and trading pigs from all over the country. Upon graduating from high school, Troy decided he wanted to attend Blinn College and then enroll in the fire academy in College Station, but it didn’t take him long to realize that his true passion was in the livestock industry.
It wasn’t long after he had jumped back into the show pig industry that, long-time breeders and good friends, Jason and Luke Lindner, would take him under their wing and help him find the females it would take to create the firm foundation he was after.
“It’s never been easy,” Cole said. “With the help of good friends and the foundation of hard work that I had grown up knowing, it makes me want to push to even bigger heights as an operation.”
The first glimpse of success started with Cole Farms having the Reserve Champion Spot gilt at Fort Worth in 2023, as well as two CTBR Class Champions that year. In only three years of raising show pigs, Cole Farms has raised the Reserve Champion Spot barrow at San Antonio, the Reserve Champion Spot gilt at Texas’ Elite, as well as a class-winning Crossbred at Rodeo Austin in 2025.
Growing up just on the edge of San Antonio, the San Antonio Stockshow and Rodeo is practically in Troy’s backyard. Like every other breeder and show pig enthusiast, Troy had a goal that most never accomplish; he wanted to win the San Antonio Barrow Show. This industry takes more than just yourself to accomplish a goal of that size, and Troy trusted that plan when he purchased a special pig from S&K Show pigs to bring back to show at the biggest barrow show in the state.
With a keen eye and a family that trusted Troy’s guidance, he was able to see this lifelong dream come true. Troy assisted with the 2025 Grand Overall Barrow at San Antonio. Though it wasn’t with a barrow he raised, Troy had a huge hand in helping that barrow look the part come show day, and now has his eyes set on winning it again with one that he raised.
Cole Farms has built its herd around some of the most proven genetics in the business. Troy knew that he had to find the right sows to see the operation succeed, like he had set his goals to. Cole Farms started with a couple of sows, and it didn’t take them long to see that the genetics that they had spent time selecting would pay off. By combining this aspect with learning from successful breeders, they hope to encourage others to find a passion and to follow their dreams.
Troy and his family believe it is important to instill the values of hard work, perseverance, and the pursuit of finding a passion into the youth of Texas, as well as their own son, is what will continue the legacy that they are laying the foundation for. These exact values is what Cole Farms builds their reputation around. They know the importance of instilling these values into people and they do that in the presence of raising pigs.
The scope of Cole Farms is not done growing yet. Troy hopes to expand the number of sows run at the farm as well as add more breeds to the operation. Troy plans to continue to build around the genetics he started with, but also add in new genetics as the industry changes. The numbers aren’t set exactly on how big it will grow to in the future, but there will always be one thing that remains the same: Cole Farms is only as successful as the youth who buy into the program.
“We don’t do this solely to put our name out there or to feel the satisfaction of winning,” Cole said. “We do this to grow the next generation and to give them skills that will be useful well beyond the show ring. Seeing kids accomplish their dreams long after they’ve left our program and stepped into their lives after graduation is something that keeps me going each day.”
Troy believes that the showpig industry is not just about pushing your kids to be the best while they’re showing, but to take their motivation and excel in life once they’re done buying pigs. Troy has been able to play a small part in molding many kids’ passions thus far, and he plans to do that as long as he is able to. He wants to be a light to as many kids as possible and to give them advice, whether it be with general life ideas or advice if they want to come back and start raising their own showpigs. Troy leaned on long-time breeders and friends to create a dream and operation that he had always wanted. Troy plans to give back in that exact way because he knows that’s how this industry continues to thrive.
Creating a generation that cares for the agricultural society is what Cole Farms strives to do, whether it be with an exhibitor that purchases a pig from them, or any youth exhibitor they get to cross paths with to share their story. Cole Farms has started building a legacy with the pigs they’ve bred, but more importantly, the values that they hold true to will always stamp them as a farm that will leave an impact on the youth of Texas.