Miranda Lauchard won the 2018 King of the Ring showmanship competition at the Champaign County Fair on Thursday. The contest pits the top overall showmen from 11 species against each other, with contestants showing each of the animals and then being given an aggregate score.

Lauchard, a graduate of Mechanicsburg High School, was the swine Showman of Showmen and received an aggregate score of 223 points. Kyndall Metz (goat) was second with 182 points and Ally Cupps (dairy heifer) was third with 168.

Lauchard, in her last year of junior exhibiting, was emotional after her victory was announced.

“I’ve been trying to win the showmanship in the swine barn for three years now. I never would have expected that I’d win King of the Ring. I’ve always watched people before me compete and they get so excited to win. I’ve dreamt of this forever. It means a lot, since it’s my last year. I never would have expected this to happen,” Lauchard said.

Lauchard received one first-place score – in the swine. She also had two second-place and two third-place finishes to help propel her to victory. Metz received first-place scores in goats and beef steers, with a second-place in poultry. Cupps was first in dairy heifers, second in swine and second in llamas.

The showmanship winners are left learning a flurry of information, with some competitors given more time to prepare than others. The llamas’ Ashton Arnett, for example, had her show at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday and was left with just a couple of hours to learn about the other species once she knew she was in the contest.

“I was very lucky. I feel like I had a lot more time than a lot of the other species,” Lauchard said. “I tried to start right away and use every day diligently. I’ve got to give credit to Ashton, the llama person, who had like a couple of hours to learn. I tried to work with other people in the contest. I appreciate them because they were very helpful. We just kind of switched skills and taught each other. We all work together. It was very kind. We’re all busy, but we all made time to work with each other and teach each other.”

Miranda Lauchard, right, won the King of the Ring competition on Thursday, compiling an aggregate score of 223 points. A jubilant Hanna DeLong, left, congratulates the emotional Lauchard following the announcement.

https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2018/08/web1_LauchardKOR.jpgMiranda Lauchard, right, won the King of the Ring competition on Thursday, compiling an aggregate score of 223 points. A jubilant Hanna DeLong, left, congratulates the emotional Lauchard following the announcement. Justin Miller | Urbana Daily Citizen

Kyndall Metz shows a llama in the King of the Ring competition on Thursday. Metz finished in second place with 182 points, 41 fewer than winner Miranda Lauchard.

https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2018/08/web1_KyndallMetz-1.jpgKyndall Metz shows a llama in the King of the Ring competition on Thursday. Metz finished in second place with 182 points, 41 fewer than winner Miranda Lauchard. Justin Miller | Urbana Daily Citizen

Ally Cupps shows a chicken to the poultry judge during Thursday’s King of the Ring competition. Cupps finished third in the contest, which pits showmanship champions from each species against one another in a cross-species competition.

https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2018/08/web1_AllyCuppsB.jpgAlly Cupps shows a chicken to the poultry judge during Thursday’s King of the Ring competition. Cupps finished third in the contest, which pits showmanship champions from each species against one another in a cross-species competition. Justin Miller | Urbana Daily Citizen

Horse showman Jacquie Farmer presents herself and her assigned animal to the judge during Thursday’s King of the Ring showmanship competition. She received the first place score in the horse category.

https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2018/08/web1_JacquieFarmer-1.jpgHorse showman Jacquie Farmer presents herself and her assigned animal to the judge during Thursday’s King of the Ring showmanship competition. She received the first place score in the horse category. Justin Miller | Urbana Daily Citizen

Jack Harris ushers a pig into the show arena for Thursday’s King of the Ring. Harris, named 4-H Boy of the Year earlier in the week, was the poultry showmanship winner.

https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2018/08/web1_JackHarris.jpgJack Harris ushers a pig into the show arena for Thursday’s King of the Ring. Harris, named 4-H Boy of the Year earlier in the week, was the poultry showmanship winner. Justin Miller | Urbana Daily Citizen