Published March 31st, 2026
BY CLAIRE DEIPARINE
Before the gates open at the fairgrounds and the show ring fills with spectators, Carmel High School freshman Warren Glass will have already spent months feeding, training and caring for the pigs he raises through the Carmel Valley 4-H Club, where he now serves as president.
Glass joined 4-H in 2021 and began showing pigs at local fairs that same year. His interest in livestock started even earlier, growing up in a family that raised chickens, goats and cows on their property about 15 miles from Carmel Valley Village in Jamesburg.
The Carmel Valley 4-H Club president with his Hampshire pig, John, whom he raised as a part of a livestock project. photo by TRICIA GLASS
What started as a love for animals has grown into a meaningful commitment that requires patience, responsibility and daily care.
“It’s a very rewarding experience,” the freshman says. “You learn how to be patient because you’re learning how to care for an animal.”
The national 4-H program focuses on youth development through hands-on, researched-based learning. Its name represents the organization’s four guiding values– Head, Heart, Health and Hands–and emphasizes leadership, service and practical skill building.
Glass has participated in several of these projects throughout his time with the club. In addition to raising pigs, he has also worked with chickens and dairy goats, gaining experience and knowledge on various other animals. Still, pigs have become his primary focus for shows.
Preparing a pig for exhibition requires months of steady work. In the months leading up to a fair, the student feeds and monitors his animal daily, makes sure to maintain proper living conditions and trains the pig for showing.
During show season, the dedicated freshman spends hours each day caring for the animals he plans to enter into the exhibition.
“I will spend nearly two hours tending to the pigs and other animals I will be exhibiting,” Glass says.
Training pigs for exhibition can also present challenges. Exhibitors must guide their animal around the ring while maintaining control and ensuring it has strong body composition, qualities judges consider during evaluation.
Freshman Warren Glass spends months caring for and training his pig John in preparation for show day, where he exhibits his animal for purchase. photo by TRICIA GLASS
“A challenge that I commonly run into is training the pig to walk in a certain direction and making sure the pig has good body composition,” Glass notes. “Both help you place higher at fair competitions.”
The CHS student has exhibited his animals at several regional fairs, including the Monterey County Fair, San Benito County Fair and Salinas Valley Fair. These events allow Glass and his fellow club members to present the animals they have raised while also gaining experience in public competition and putting into play what they have learned through instructional classes.
His dedication has also led to competitive success, including earning second place in a swine market class.
His most recent pig, a Hampshire named John, weighed 235 pounds when he was shown at last year’s exhibit. The freshman has also earned first place for breed standard in chicken exhibition for both Serama and Belgian Bearded Mille Fleur d’Uccle chickens for four consecutive years.
Behind the scenes, Glass also credits family for helping him in his success.
“The people that mainly help me when raising livestock are my mom and my sister,” he says. “They help me with the pig’s exercise, take videos of me practicing exhibition so I can see where I can improve and help me figure out the best feed for weight gain.”
Alongside his work with livestock, Glass has taken on multiple leadership roles within 4-H. Before becoming president this year, he served as a recreation officer, healthy living officer and club vice president. Each role provided opportunities to organize activities, help lead meetings and support other members.
Now as president, Glass works to guide the club and encourages participation among younger members.
“Warren is a fantastic role model, leader and always willing to lend a hand,” says his mother, Tricia, who leads the club alongside Richey Douglas.
For Warren Glass, raising pigs represents more than preparing animals for competition. It is a process that teaches patience, builds confidence and strengthens connection between hard work and achievement, all of which continue to shape his role as both a student and leader.
