Saturday, March 22, 2008 brought the 42nd annual Governor's Frog Jump and International Egg Striking Contest, drawing thousands of people to downtown Springfield.
With the weather in the weeks leading up to the event causing much discussion; it is suggested that the weather contributed to a sharp decline in the number of frogs competing for the coveted Frog Jump title. Easter was so early this year, and it hasn't been warm enough at night for the frogs to come out.
An estimated 60 frogs and their handlers competed in yesterday's event, however in past years; the number of frogs has easily surpassed 100! What a spectacle!
In spite of the decline in the 2008 competitors -many didn't let the cool night temperatures stop them from finding the right frog to place in the contest, taking the top slots with three local frogs. The first place winner was 10-year-old Alex Strock's frog, Bull; he jumped 14 feet, 1 inch to claim the lead at the 42nd annual Governor's Frog Jump.
According to contest rules, once a frog is placed on the launch pad, the handler cannot touch it. Handlers can, however, do anything they wish -- spit, stomp the ground, clap -- to try and coax the frog into jumping three times. If it takes longer than 10 seconds for a frog to jump between passes, or if a handler touches it after it is placed on the pad, the amphibian is disqualified. The distance between the launch pad and the third frog jump is measured to determine the winner
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