Gymnast Honored in Butter

US Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson won a silver medal in the all-around competition yesterday in Beijing, but she has an even bigger honor awaiting her back in the States. Johnson's likeness is on display at the Iowa State Fair, carved in butter!

Butter Shawn Johnson will share the spotlight with the butter cow in the Agriculture Building Aug. 7-17. Butter sculptor Sarah Pratt of West Des Moines plans to incorporate a balance beam into Johnson’s pose, and possibly an American flag.

The butter cow is a tradition at the fair.

There has been an Iowa State Fair butter cow since the early 1900s, according to fair officials.

Johnson will join an elite butter list that includes Tiger Woods, Elvis, Grant Wood’s “American Gothic,” Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” actor John Wayne and country singer Garth Brooks.

Pratt said she and Iowa fair organizers discussed options such as Indiana Jones and the 50th anniversary of the Doctor Seuss classic “The Cat in the Hat” before picking Iowa’s 4-foot-81/4 Olympic favorite.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/SPORTS15/80701003/1001/NEWS -via YesButNoButYes