Calgary, Alberta, January 31, 2012 – The 2012 Calgary Boat and Sportsmen’s Show will open at 1:00 pm on Thursday, February 9th and remain open until 5:00 pm on Sunday, February 12^th at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park.
 
The Calgary Boat and Sportsmen’s Show is Southern Alberta’s Biggest Outdoor Show and will showcase over $16 million of marine products and accessories.  In addition to the large selection of boats there are boating accessories ranging from docks and buoys, water skis, wakeboards as well as fishing, camping, and hunting gear.
 
One of the highlights of the Show is the Fishing and Hunting Demonstration Pool and Seminar Stage. We have secured an impressive list of Canadian outdoorsmen and women to conduct seminars on a variety of hunting and fishing topics including  wildlife photography, taking the long shot, understanding whitetails and gearing up for the mountains, just to name a few. These seminars and presentations will be put on by renowned fishing and hunting experts and will run throughout the weekend.  The impressive line-up of presenters includes:
 
Brad Fenson is an avid outdoorsmen, outdoor writer, and photographer.  His love of hunting and fishing leads him a field over 100 days each year.  He has traveled across North America hunting and fishing field testing some of the latest and most advanced gear being introduced into the market.  Some of the products that Brad has field tested include muzzleloaders, archery products, ammunition and even optics. Brad is a regular columnist in Alberta Outdoorsman, Wildfowl, The Outdoor Edge and Field & Stream magazines, earning him over 36 national communication awards for his writing and photography.
 
Chris David, host of “The Hunting Chronicles” and recipient of the 2011 Impact Award given out this past August at the Grizzly Awards, is an active outfitter from Hinton, Alberta.  He is a successful tournament angler for both Walleye and Bass and has harvested numerous record book animals with both bow and rifle.
 
Claudio Ongaro is a fulltime waterfowl outfitter in the world famous prairie pothole region in Alberta and in the off season he outfits for trophy white tails and mule deer.  Claudio has recently launched his own YouTube Channel “A Guide’s Life” and currently has well over 3 million views.  An avid outdoorsman, Claudio has competed aggressively as a Walleye tournament angler.  As the Vice President of Chrono Manufacturing Ltd. he helped develop many well-accepted hunting products the likes of the Goose Chair, Stealth Blind and Deceptor Silhouette Decoys.  In addition, Claudio also writes feature articles for a number of prominent outdoor magazines.   His most recent accomplishment was being named one of Cabela’s Pro-Staff in July 2011.
 
Richard Mellon’s interest in the outdoors began as a child growing up in Northern Alberta; where hunting and fishing were a way of life.  He is the co-host and Executive Producer of Outdoor Quest TV; Canada’s longest running hunting show now its 12^th season.  Rich is a well-known firearm and reloading expert.  His affinity for long range shooting and accurate rifles is what sets him apart.  When he isn’t honing his skills on the range he is an active outdoor writer specializing in guns and ballistics.
 
Sandi Mellon is one of Canada’s premier women hunters.  Her love of the outdoors has taken her across North America, New Zealand and Africa.  She spends much of her time promoting women and families in the outdoors.  Sandi’s interest are wide spread by her love of outdoor gear has become a personal passion and she takes it upon herself to put them through their paces.
 
Southern Alberta native TJ Schwanky is the host of Outdoor Quest TV.  He is one of Canada’s most published outdoor writers and recently received top honours from the Outdoor Writers of Canada for his Spike Camp Musings column, titled Pack Dogs, in Alberta Outdoorsmen, Schwanky also took home second place honours in the Ducks Unlimited Wetlands Appreciation Award for a feature that appeared in Alberta Outdoorsmen and third place for a photo titled “Yukon Dreams.”  In addition, he is the celebrated award winning author of “Walleye Across the West, and has had a very successful career not only as a tournament Walleye angler but as a hunter as well.
 
As co-host of Outdoor Quest TV, Vanessa Harrop is a relative new comer to the hunting scene.  In the short seven years that she has been hunting she has taken over 50 big game animals including the elusive bighorn ram and most recently took a seven foot Grizzly bear at a mere 9 yards in the Yukon.  Her love of hunting has taken her across North America, Africa and New Zealand in search of big game.
 
“Our feature presenters are a very talented group of outdoorsmen and women who take great pride and pleasure in sharing their knowledge, expertise and experiences with those interested in the opportunity to listen and learn,” says Laurie Paetz, Show Manager, “the range of seminar topic is so diverse that show attendees are certain to find a topic of interest to them.”
 
On Friday, February 10^th show goers will have the unique opportunity to meet “The Real Mantracker”, Terry Grant.  He will be on-site from 5:00 to 8:00 pm to meet and great fans as well as sign autographs and pose for photos.
 
Honda is involved in this year’s show in a very hands-on way this year with the Honda ATV Demo Area.  If you are in the market for a new ATV take this unique opportunity to compare models and then turn the key and take your model of choice for a test drive on the outdoor track.  In addition Honda is catering to the younger crowd with the Honda Canada Junior Red Rider Club.  Youngsters 6-12 year old have the opportunity to receive riding instruction, gear up in the latest protective equipment and take to the track to practise what they learned.
 
On Saturday, February 11^th the Calgary Boat and Sportsmen’s Show plays host to one of the preliminary qualifying rounds for the 2012 Canadian Elk Calling Championships.  At 1:00, these skilled callers will take to the stage to demonstrate their talent in the hopes of making it to the finals which will be held on Sunday, March 18^th at the Edmonton Boat and Sportsmen’s Show at Expo Centre, Northlands.
 
There are numerous features geared to various members of the family including; The Kids Fishing Pond, The Birds of Prey presentation area, The “Fly Fishing Film”, the fly fishing casting pool and demonstration area, and the Alberta Hunter Education (AHEIA) interactive and educational displays and many adventure travel and tourism destinations.
 
Advance tickets are available at the Fishin’ Hole or present your WIN card at the door and receive $2.00 off the regular senior, adult or junior admission price.
 
One lucky person will walk away from the Show with Grand Prize of a “ $5000.00 Shop the Shop Sweepstakes”, so don’t miss your chance to enter to win.
 
What:  The 2012 Calgary Boat and Sportsmen’s Show
 
When:
Thursday, February 9^th – 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday, February 10^th – 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday, February 11^th – 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday, February 12^th – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
 
Where:  BMO Centre, Stampede Park
 
Details:
Family:  $34.00 (2 adults, 2 juniors)
Adults:  $13.00
Seniors (65+):  $9.00
Juniors:  $8.00
Children (Under the age of 6):  Free when accompanied by an adult
 
 
For More Information Please Contact:
Laurie Paetz
Show Manager
Phone:  403-245-9008  Cell: 403-888-6583
paetz@sportshows.ca
 
Jackie Jackson
Show Publicist
Phone:  403-238-3309  Cell:  403-614-6697
jjregency@shaw.ca
 
 
Complete show information is available at:  www.sportshows.ca
 
About CNSS:
CNSS is a non-profit corporation and the largest producer of boat, fishing, sportsmen’s, ski, outdoor and motorcycle shows in Canada. Through its family of shows, the corporation raises funds to ensure that generations of young Canadians can benefit from Canada’s outdoors. Since the first show held in 1948, more than $32 million has been committed to these causes.