ORLANDO, Fa. —It was like hitting a home run with the first swing from the batters’ box for an Illinois farm woman beginning her reign as Miss America Angus.

Lauren Wolter said her previous competitions mostly involved showing Angus beef cattle at local to national contests but wearing the Miss America Angus crown has been on her mind since grade school.

She was named the winner out of five finalists during the annual American Angus Association Awards Dinner and Reception in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 5.

“I was shocked. My mouth was open quite wide,” she said.

Wolter, 18, is a freshman at Kansas State University where she’s studying animal science.

She grew up in Aviston in the southwest part of the state on a cattle farm her parents grew from just one Angus beef cow when she was a toddler to more than 500 head presently.

Her father, Bradley, was chief executive officer of The Maschhoffs, a major provider of hogs to food providers like Hormel, until recently when he decided to join his wife, Kimberly, in working full time at the farm.

Originally, Lauren Wolter said her family acquired a few cows so she and her brother could grow up with livestock and show them in 4-H. A few years later, though, the herd starting growing rapidly.

“My dad is a very science minded guy so he decided we should get more than just show cows and turn it into a research project.  That’s how we got into the cattle business,” she said.

Wolter is now a trusted adviser for her father when they go out to choose which cows to purchase and take back to the farm.

“I’m probably his number one person to take with him if we’re going out to select new breeding females and decide what bulls we’re going to keep versus castrate,” she said.

Wolter said much of her childhood was spent preparing her cows for show, traveling long distances sometimes to cattle showing competitions and helping her family with the typical chores of a beef production operation.

“I’ve worked everything from head gate to pushing cattle through the tub,” she said.

Wolter said she began to get heavily involved with 4-H, FFA and other similar organizations like the Illinois Junior Angus Association after encouraged to do so by members of the National Junior Angus Association who saw her potential.

She was introduced to them during a contest when she was 8 years old.

She believes her heavy involvement at the local, state and national levels and her success in competitions big and small helped her build an resume strong enough to be chosen a finalist in the Miss America Angus contest and, ultimately, the winner.

“Because I had those experiences growing up this was always something I thought I would maybe try to do. Never thought that I would win or get to be in this capacity. I loved every minute of it,” she said.

Wolter also gave credit to Madison Butler, a Miss America Angus from 2015.

She met Butler while showing cattle at the national level for the first time when she was 10 and still considers her a role model from the kindness and inspiration she provided during their brief time together that summer weekend.

“I was absolutely enamored with Maddie. I stood right by her side most of the time,” Wolter said.

Wolter said she now looks forward to doing what Butler did for her probably without even knowing it. “That’s what I think is so cool about the position is you’re able to touch so many kids that you don’t even realize they’re looking up to you,” she said.

The finalists were scored based on their knowledge of the cattle industry, public speaking skills and other things like social etiquette.

Wolter will scale back on the number of classes she will take on campus next year because of her busy travel schedule to cattle and farm-to-table related events from coast to coast as Miss America Angus.

Her itinerary also includes a personal stop in January to play the piano in a scholarship competition at a winery in her hometown.

Wolter said she began taking piano lessons in second grade and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. In fact, the piano could be of help during what’s sounds like a very hectic year.

“I still like to play and stay up on it. That’s been a really huge stress reliever for me. It’s also something I just really enjoy,” she said.