It will be a busy weekend at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds in Fredericksburg on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 8-9, when two days of live pari-mutuel horse racing are combined with a wine tasting and live-stock judging.

The gates open at 11 a.m. and post time is 1 p.m. for the live pari-mutuel racing on Saturday and Sunday.

" Texas Wines and Texas Winners" will take place on Saturday afternoon from 1-5 p.m. and live-stock judging is scheduled in the Show Barn on both Saturday and Sunday.

Admission to the grounds is $5 for adults, $1 for children six to 12 and free for children under six.

Sponsored by the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Association, the weekend is part of the 2009 summer season at the Gillespie County Fair Grounds.

For more information on any of the events, contact the Gillespie County Fair and Festivals Associa-tion at 830-997-2359 or visit their website at www.gillespiefair.com.

The Gillespie County Fair Grounds is located approximately two miles south of downtown Freder-icksburg on Texas Highway 16 South.

"Texas Wines and Texas Winners” will take place from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday in the fair grounds Exhibition Hall.

Wineries participating are: Messina Hof, Becker Vineyards, Fall Creek, Grape Creek, Chisholm Trail, Bell Mountain, Three Dudes, D’Vine Wine, Fredericksburg, and Llano Estacado.

As part of the event, winery representatives will be on hand to answer questions and several spe-cial sessions are planned, including food and wine pairings.

There will also be wine tastings and prize drawings, and wine will be sold by the bottle.Admission to the grounds is $5, and there is an additional charge for the wine tastings.

Quarter horses and thoroughbreds will again be featured in the live pari-mutuel races at the five-eighths mile oval at the Class III track on Saturday and Sunday. Post time both days is 1 p.m. Highlighting the live racing program on Saturday will be the 350-yard GCFA Maiden Classic while on Sunday will be the 350-yard GCFA Maiden Futurity.

The qualifiers for both races were determined during the Fredericksburg Texas Fest Race Meet on July 18-19.

Total purse for the GCFA Maiden Classic is $38,500 while the purse for the GCFA Maiden Futurity $25,800.

The racing program for Saturday also includes trials for the 330-yard GCFA 79 and Under Allowance. The finals for that race will be run on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Also on Saturday will be the 870-yard GCFA All Breeds Stakes. Trials will be run on Sunday for the Gillespie County Fair Futurity. The finals will be run on Sunday, Aug. 23.

Throughout the weekend, plenty of food and drink will be offered.

The 2009 racing season will conclude with two days of racing on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23, as part of the 121st Gillespie County Fair (Aug. 20-23).