Ready for some good, old-fashioned fun?

Get ready for some good, old-fashioned country fun! The 2005 edition of the Red Willow County Fair is less than two weeks away, and -- as usual -- the schedule is packed with crowd-pleasing entertainment.

Beginning Wednesday, July 23, and lasting through Sunday, July 31, the fair will feature the return of popular events of the past -- including the rodeo and stock car races -- as well as several exciting new events.

Among the intriguing additions are the Wild Horse Race and the Business and Youth Steer Riding events which will conclude the fair Sunday night, July 31, in front of the grandstands.

Norm Timmerman, sponsor of the Sunday night show, is going to enter the steer riding event, and he is challenging businessmen and women to join him in competition for $500 in prize money. "The steers are in the 800-pound range," he said. "They'll run, skip and jump, and should give the riders -- and the crowd -- some thrills and spills."

To enter, all that's required is a call to the Fair Board office, 345-4650, between now and the fair.

With 11 days remaining before the fair begins, there's still time to enter other events. This includes the Colgate Country Showdown, the talent show sponsored by Coyote Country 105.3 on Thursday, July 28th. The deadline for entering the showdown is this coming Monday, July 18, at 5 p.m.

Entries also are still being accepted for the Agility Dog Show, which will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, the 28th; the Adams Bank & Trust Tractor Pedal Pull for kids, the afternoon of the 28th; the First Central Bank Mutton Busting Contest, at 4 p.m. Saturday, the 30th; the Southwest Implement Chore Relay, at 6 p.m. Saturday, the 30th; and the Tri-State Livestock Draft Horse competition, at 1 p.m. Sunday, the 31st.

These events, and many more, are the reasons that the Red Willow County Fair attracts such large turnouts of people. "During the five days of the fair, total attendance at the fair is estimated at 20,000 people," said Deb Lafferty, the fair manager. Watch the Gazette for more information on this year's fair.

"It's going to be quite a show," Lafferty said. "The theme is 'Blue Jeans and Country Dreams.' Linda Fagot, one of Linda Crandall's journalism students, came up with the art work, and we think it does a good job of explaining the popularity of the fair."