The North Washington Rodeo kicked off Tuesday night with opening ceremonies and a taste of the action to come, including bucking bronco competition, bull riding, tie-down roping and other opening events. The rodeo runs through Saturday.

The North Washington Rodeo kicked off Tuesday, and promises a week full of bucking broncos and bulls, plenty of lassoes and barrels of rodeo clowns as the 60th annual event aims to raise tens of thousands of dollars for the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department.

“There will be different cowboys here every night,” said Wendy Hazlet, whose husband, Dave, is president of the event. “We've got cowboys coming from all over.”

Hazlet said the five-day event draws competitive riders from near and far to the nationally-recognized rodeo in northern Butler County — including riders from Oklahoma, Missouri, Wisconsin and even Australia. Additionally, she said there are several from Canada competing this year.

The event is sanctioned by the International Professional Rodeo Association and takes place nightly from Tuesday through Saturday at the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department Arena. Competitions feature bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, cowgirls' barrel racing, roping, bull riding and team roping.

One of the dozens of competitors this year, 18-year-old Colton Swearingen, has spent his whole life around rodeos and is looking forward to his final chance to get inside the arena before leaving for college next week. The North Washington Rodeo will be the New York native's last event before leaving for Southeastern Oklahoma State on a rodeo scholarship.

“It's one of the best ones in the Northeast,” Swearingen said of the Butler County event.

Hazlet said several local competitors also participate in the event from Harrisville, Butler, Karns City, Petrolia, West Sunbury, Slippery Rock and elsewhere. She said the event typically raises $30,000 to $40,000 to support the North Washington Volunteer Fire Department, and has even raised as much as $60,000.

WHAT: 60th Annual North Washington Rodeo to support North Washington Volunteer Fire DepartmentWHERE: North Washington VFD rodeo arena on Oneida Valley Road in North Washington TownshipWHEN: 8 p.m. nightly through Saturday. Gates open at 6 p.m.COST: Tickets are $16 for adults and $7 for children, ages 4 to 12.