JOHNSONVILLE BRAT-EATING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The Sheboygan Jaycees and Johnsonville Sausage have announced The Johnsonville Brat-Eating World Championship, an IFOCE-sanctioned competition to take place on August 6 as part of the annual Johnsonville Brat Days at the Kiwanis Park in Sheboygan, Wisc.

In addition to the world championship, which will feature top-ranked eaters, an amateur competition will feature Sheboygan’s best brat eaters. A total of $11,000 in prize money (with a $4,000 first prize) is on the line for the event.

“While our eaters have been competitively eating hot dogs for years, this will be their first speed-eating experience with bratwurst,” said David Baer, Director of Global Expansion for the International Federation of Competitive Eating. “Our eaters are excited to take part in the Johnsonville Brat-Eating World Championship and see how the brats stack up against the hot dog experience.”

Other highlights of the festival, which runs August 4-6, 2005, include:

· Rockers Night Ranger will be on-hand to headline the musical acts, performing on the main stage, Saturday, August 6 at XX p.m. · Author, television host and “grilling guru” Steven Raichlen will be on-hand sharing some of his best brat tips and tricks, along with other grilling knowledge · Festival favorites also return with the traditional and exotic brat creations, beer gardens, polka bands, stump fiddle contest and midway entertainment · Johnsonville’s massive Big Taste Grill, a converted semi truck sporting the world’s largest grill weighing in at 53,000 pounds and 65 feet long is able to cook 2,500 brats per hour

The first Brat Days festival was held in 1953 and has since provided brat lovers from all over the country with a one-of-a-kind brat experience. Brat Days is also the largest fundraiser for the Sheboygan Jaycees, having raised more than $150,000 over the last 10 years. Proceeds from the festival are returned to the community through organizations such as the Sheboygan Recreation Department, Above and Beyond Children’s Museum, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society.

Wisconsin-based Johnsonville Sausage is the number one national brand of brats, Italian sausage, smoked-cooked links and fresh breakfast sausage links. Johnsonville Sausage products are available in 39 countries including France, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong, China and the United States. Johnsonville employs 1,000 members. Each of them takes ownership of product quality to ensure the excellence and "Big Taste" of Johnsonville Sausage. Founded in 1945 by Ralph F. & Alice Stayer, the company remains privately owned today.