COEUR d'ALENE - Ladies, grab your lassos. It's almost rodeo time.

Cowgirls At Heart, a women's rodeo clinic and fundraiser, is back for its second year as a North Idaho Fair and Rodeo event, and registration is now open.

"You don't have to like Western music to have a good time at this," said Mary Larson, one of the event organizers. "It gives you an opportunity to experience something in a different way."

The Aug. 27 event offers women an insider's look at what goes on behind the scenes at the rodeo, and a chance to learn the tricks of the trade from real cowboys, cowgirls, and other rodeo personalities.

Real rodeo riders will teach the ladies all about the seven featured events of professional rodeo - saddle bronc riding, bull riding, bareback riding, team roping, tie down roping, steer wrestling and barrel wrestling.

They'll learn about the rodeo horses themselves, what sets them apart from other equine, and the ladies will go behind the chutes with Mike Corey of Flying Diamond Rodeo to learn what happens there among the rough stock as the competition unfolds.

Knowing something about the hows and whys of the events and the animals enhances the rodeo-watching experience, Larson said.

"And every woman likes to see a cowboy in Wranglers," Larson said with a laugh.

For ladies whose dreams are about catching cows rather than milking them, there will be hands-on lessons in how to throw a rope.

The bucking machine will be up and running for those women who want to feel the rumble as they listen to the cowboys talk about the real high-adrenaline rodeo experience they keep coming back for.

Larson and the other organizers got the idea for Cowgirls at Heart after attending the Pendleton (Ore.) Round-Up a few years ago.

"We had a ball. We heard about a similar event in Montana called 'Chicks in Chaps,'" and thought, 'Why don't we do something like this?'" Larson said.

Last year's fair board didn't think they would be successful, but the Cowgirls organizers set their first year's goal for 100 ladies and carried on.

"One of the board members told us that if we got half that many, he'd eat his hat," Larson said.

Well, they had 50 ladies, half of 100, participate last year and are shooting for 100 again this year.

The funds raised by the event will be split between the Fair Foundation and local cancer charities as they were last year.

Cowgirls at Heart takes place on the Friday that falls during the Aug. 25-29 fair. The rodeo clinic begins at 2 p.m. and runs until the rodeo ends that evening. Dinner and entertainment are included, with a silent auction.

Participants must be between ages 21 and 65, and must register. Forms can be found online at www.northidahofair.com.

Tickets are $50 until Aug. 13 when early registration ends. After that, the cost is $60 and must be submitted at the fair office by Aug. 20.

Information: 765-4969