Lauren Johnston takes Supreme Showmanship

Lauren Johnston receives her trophy after earning the 2014 Supreme Showmanship award at the Putnam County Fair Thursday night. (photo by KYLE HOLLINGER)

The focus and intensity of Lauren Johnston's gaze throughout the Supreme Showmanship competition Thursday night at the Putnam County Fair was unmistakable, as was her joy when she was named the 2014 Supreme Showmanship winner.

After a few tears and a lot of hugs, Johnston had big plans for her celebration.

"I'll tell you what, I'm going to go congratulate the other contestants and then I'm going to go get a two-dollar dairy shack milkshake," she said.

Lauren Johnston shares one of dozens of hugs with friends, family and 4-H members after receiving the Supreme Showmanship award Thursday. (photo by KYLE HOLLINGER)

The North Putnam High School junior is in her eighth year as a 4-H member and fondly remembered when her cousin Kyle Alcorn took home the award in 2008.

"I want this to be me some day," she remembered thinking at the event.

Daughter of Rick and Cammie Johnston, it was clear that family, friends and determination were key to her win; a fact that was quite apparent with the many large smiles, hugs and tears shed after the event.

4-H members show sheep as just one of six species shown in the Supreme Showmanship competition Thursday at the Putnam County Fair. (photo by KYLE HOLLINGER)

"I have a huge family and a lot of friends that have been family since day one," Johnston said.

She would like to thank her parents for "dealing with me on the early mornings," her aunts, the Poynter family, the Holsapple family and her grandmother "I wouldn't be anywhere without her, I can't thank her enough," Johnston said.

Also competing in the Supreme Showmanship eere Grant Colvin representing the swine barn; Lane Hacker representing the beef barn; Allison Bayless representing the goat barn; Corbin Judy representing the dairy barn and Jessica Hays representing the Horse and Pony barn.

(a photo gallery with prints available can be found HERE)

Past Supreme Showmanship winners:

2014: Lauren Johnston, Sheep

2013: Preston Porter, Dairy

2012: Emily Gilley, Horse & Pony

2011: Logan Pell, Horse & Pony

2010: Garrett Porter, Dairy

2009: Brock Jones, Sheep

2008: Kyle Alcorn, Beef

2007: Dakota Parent, Sheep

2006: Kalen Brattain, Swine

2005: Jordan Berry, Sheep

2004: Neal Knapp, Sheep

2003: Ashley Clifford, Beef

2002: Dustin Thornberg, Swine

2001: Rhonda Gottschalk, Beef

2000: Keri Jackson, Swine

1999: Tiffany Tippin, Beef

1998: Ryan Hendricks, Sheep

1997: Tammy Gottschalk, Swine

1996: Kyleen Jensen, Beef

1995: Paul Hodgen, Beef

1994: Sara Stanley, Beef

1993: Mike Jackson, Swine

1992: Robert Hodgen, Beef

1991: Jim Bowling, Swine

1990: Doug Parent, Beef

1989: Brent Branneman, Swine

1988: Jenny Merkel, Beef

1987: Jenny Jessup, Goat

1986: Jeff Stanley, Sheep

1985: Charles Poynter, Swine

1984: Tony Stanley, Beef

1983: Brian Williams, Beef

1982: Andy Beck, Beef

1981: Brad Davies, Swine

1980: Lisa Sutherlin, Horse & Pony

1979: Jeff Davies, Swine

1978: Jake Zaring, Beef

1977: Gary Williams, Beef

1976: Brad Cash, Dairy

1975: Jerry Torr, Beef

1974: Gordon Smith, Swine

1973: Phillip Fry, Swine

1972: Terry Tippin, Dairy

1971: David Bruner, Sheep

1970: Beverly Hurst, Sheep

1969: Steve Judy, Dairy

1968: Kent Brattain, Swine

1967: Ken Carrington, Beef

1966: Robert New, Sheep

1965: Ralph Fry, Dairy

1964: Keith Carrington, Beef

1963: Bill Judy, Dairy

1962: Noble New, Sheep

1961: Tommy Hendricks, Sheep

1960: Frank Hartman, Beef

1959: Ted Britton, Beef

1958: Neil Irwin, Swine

1957: Byron Gough, Beef

1956: Bowen Akers, Beef

1955: Charles Nicholson, Dairy

1954: Bernie Harris, Sheep

1953: Gordon Whitman, Beef

1952: Ken Torr, Beef