In 2002, the Texas Heritage Award was presented to the Gillespie County Fair Association.

When Gillespie County Fair Ground's first pari-mutuel races left the starting gate on Memorial Day Weekend, 1990, it was a first for the county. But horse racing has always been a very important tradition in the county fairs here. It is the eighth longest running track in America.

The first county fair was held in 1881 on what had formerly been the old Fort Martin Scott outside Fredericksburg. The abandoned fort's parade grounds were dragged by logs for use as the first racetrack. For two years, sometime prior to 1892, when the fair was held at Fredericksburg's Central Park, the races were held just north of Main Street.

Next, the site referred to as the "old fair grounds", was purchased in 1892. Horse racing was held at this location for many years. Morris Ranch, which was in its heyday in the 1890's raising racehorses, built its own stables and tack room at this location.

Max Hirsch, nationally famous horse trainer and native of Fredericksburg got his start at Morris Ranch as an exercise boy and jockey. Max rode the ranch's horses in some of the races at Gillespie. In his career, he trained three Kentucky Derby winners, one of which captured the Triple Crown.

In 1976 the fair grounds moved to its new and current location on 90 acres just inside Fredericksburg city limits. Grand opening activities were held on a rainy fourth of July with other bicentennial activities.

In 1989 Gillespie County Fair was licensed for pari-mutuel horse racing. Today, fair directors, their families and volunteers, many of whom are the third and fourth generation descendents of the original fair directors, continue to run pari-mutuel horse races. It is estimated that Gillespie County Fair Directors and volunteers put in approximately 15,000 hours annually.

The purpose of the Fair Association is to encourage, instruct and promote education of the youth of Gillespie County, especially in the area of agriculture. To that end 403 Gillespie County seniors have received $210,000 in scholarships.

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