(1) Aaron Van DeKrol (center), 12, of Lynnville performs a magic act for the Bill Riley Talent Search at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday. Van DeKrol made it through the first round on Wednesday to compete on Saturday as a semi-finalist in front of a crowd of at least 2,000. Although he was not one of the six out of more than 35 semi-finalists to qualify for the Champion Show on Sunday, Van DeKrol is pre-qualified for next year’s Iowa State Fair; (2) Gavin Steenhoek, 5, of Prairie City attempts Mutton Bustin’ at the fair on Friday; (3) Tyler Espenscheid, of Monroe was awarded Reserve Champion Purebred Simmental Breeding Heifer during the 2012 4-H Breeding Beef Parade of Champions on Aug. 14; (4) Jack Smith of Prairie City works on a grain mill at the fair on Friday; (5) Hannah and Kate McCarthy of Prairie City pose with their award winning llamas on Sunday;

(6) Cornelia Engle, 15 months, of Mingo competes in the Diaper Derby at the fair on Friday; (7) Dick Lester, 95, of Colfax — a retired farmer from Colfax who is still going strong — entered the Mr. Legs contest on Aug. 18 and won in the oldest legs catagory.