Cowboys, Cowgirls, Fast Horses, Bulls and Bucking Broncs are quite visible on Television and in the Movies; and now the sport derived from the Wild West will be omnipresent once again in North Bay, Ontario, Canada July 13th through 16th, 2006!

The third annual Rodeo in North Bay brings "Rodeo Fever" to the Town, with the launch of the "North Bay Western Festival 2006". Entertainment will be at all corners of the city for 4 straight days as the Festival unfolds in 2006.

Thursday Night:       brings a Texas Hold'em Tournament at Moose's Loose Change Lodge where fans get a chance to meet and greet the cowboys and cowgirls, win tickets to the rodeo, and help launch the North Bay Western Festival 2006.
Friday Night:            brings a parade through downtown including floats from different local merchants, clubs, Associations, Clowns, Cowboys and much more!
                                  plus the Rocking Horse Riding Association will be doing a free show at Memorial Gardens with fast-paced horse races and games
Saturday:                  brings a free pancake breakfast downtown, a DIA Sidewalk Sale, Farmer's Market, Trick Roping and Riding Demonstrations and much more!

Saturday and Sunday: Professional Rodeo with the North American Professional Cowboys Extreme Tour!

At Event 14 on the North American Professional Cowboys Extreme Tour, the Largest Rodeo Tour in Eastern Canada, Rodeo Fans will witness Live Bronc Riding, Barrel Racing and the World's Most Dangerous Event, Bull Riding and much more;all in the comfort of their hometown!

The North American Professional Cowboys North Bay Western Festival 2006 Professional Rodeo will feature World Champions, Reigning International Finals Rodeo Champions, Canadian Champions, a mix of Ontario Rodeo Champions and a number of up-and-coming superstars...totaling more contestants than ever before! These feature contestants include:

Roger Lacasse, Mirabel, QC: 2004 Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Bareback Bronc Riding Champion, 2004 and 2005 International Finals Rodeo Bareback Bronc Riding Champion 
Clint Smith, Pavillion, NY: 2005 NAPC Extreme Tour Year-end and Finals Bull Riding Champion
Cathy Grant, Granton, ON: 2006 International Finals Rodeo Barrel Racing Champion
Chad Alesky, Monroeton, PA: 2004 International Professional Rodeo Association World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider, 2001 International Professional Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year
Mike Johnson, Adair, OK: 2005 NAPC Extreme Tour Finals Champion Saddle Bronc Rider
Dean Dobinson, London, ON: Reigning 3-Time Ontario Rodeo Association Year-end Champion Saddle Bronc Rider (2003, 2004, 2005), and 2005 NAPC Extreme Tour Year-end Champion

The North American Professional Cowboys North Bay Western Festival 2006 will also feature the award winning animal superstars from the Rawhide Rodeo Company of Ontario, Canada and New York, USA. These feature animal athletes will include:

N35 Mardi Gras, Leicester, NY: 2006 International Professional Rodeo Association Saddle Bronc Horse of the Finals
159 Creep, Brantford, ON: The only bull to have obtained a 90+ point bull ride (out of a possible 100) so far this Millennium in Ontario, Canada
7 Hatdance, Brantford, ON: Mexican Fighting Bull crossed Brahma Bull that is unridden after 10 attempts in 2006!
3 Superstar, Brantford, ON: A Large Brindle Brahma Bull that is unridden after 9 attempts in 2006!
MK3 Wired, Brantford, ON: Tipping the scales at 1,945 pounds, this one ton bull stands almost 6' high and remains unridden after 7 attempts in 2006!

Contestants will travel from all across North America to North Bay, Ontario to earn points on the NAPC Extreme Tour, in effort to qualify for the "Biggest Finals on the Biggest Night of the Year", the NAPC Extreme Tour Finals December 30-31, 2006 in London, Ontario. Production of this event is provided by the Rawhide Rodeo Company, the only professionally endorsed production company in Eastern Canada.

Of the 10 different disciplines within the Professional Rodeo, the fan favourite Bull Riding will be the showcased event. Voted "The World's Most Dangerous Sport" by the American Sports Writers Guild for over a decade, Cowboys will try to ride one tonne Bucking Bulls for 8 seconds. Guaranteed Thrills and Spills, the roster of Bulls for the North Bay Western Festival 2006 Professional Rodeo will include several bulls that were un-ridden in 2005 and 2006, and number 159 Creep, the only bull to have obtained a 90+ point bull ride (out of a possible 100) so far this Millennium in Ontario, Canada.

Two Professional Rodeos sanctioned with the International Professional Rodeo Association and the Ontario Rodeo Association will take place indoors at Memorial Gardens, with performance 1 on Saturday, July 15th, 2006 and performance 2 on Sunday, July 16th, 2006. Doors open at 1pm both days, and the shows commence at 2:00pm sharp.

The Partner Charity for this event is the North Bay Professional Fire Fighters Association. Over the past two years, the NBPFFAhas used the Rodeo to raise over $6,000 for North Bay General Hospital's Burn Unit.

Honourary Chairman of the North Bay Western Festival 2006, Wendel Clark, formerly number 17 of the Toronto Maple Leafs, will be on hand to start the Rodeo Performances and sign autographs for special VIP's in attendance. Arguably one of the toughest hockey players in Toronto Maple Leafs History, Clark will also be paying homage to the rough and tough Bull Riders getting set to go toe-to-toe with a 1 Ton Brahma Bull.

Tickets are only $16.00 plus applicable taxes and are available at the gate or in advance by calling the NAPC Extreme Ticket Office at 1-866-51-RODEO (1-866-517-6336). Discounted group rates are also available;call now to see if you and your group qualify! For more information, be sure to visit: www.northbaywesternfestival.com