Frog championship first prize $400

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32706, 8 September 1971, Page 18

Frog championship first prize $400

Interest in the first national frog-jumping championship at Bishopdale next month has increased sharply with the announcement that the first prize will be about $4OO cash and a trophy worth $2OO.

The prize will be greater than the first prize paid at the famous Calaveras championship in California. Organisers of the Bishopdale championships said that many people had already shown interest in the championship, and some had come to light with competitors.

Alistair Tomes, aged 15, of Tai Tapu, has been declared New Zealand’s first frog jumping "jockey.” Alistair arrived at Bishopdale yesterday with six frogs he said he had caught in a cave at the back of Tai Tapu. He declined to identify the cave but allowed his captives to go through a trial jumping routine. The best jump, which is three leaps, was about 72in. This is well short of the known records but is considered to be quite good so early in the seasoq. Frogs are now just emerging from their hibernation and are therefore not used to very much vigorous exercise. Alistair was paid $6 for his frogs, which will be nominated for the championships. Mrs W. T. Garlick, of Ashgove Terrace, said yesterday that there were frogs in a pond in her backyard. They would be entered if their jumping form came up to expectations. She said that her husband had caught the frogs at Waipara a few years ago and they had taken kindly to their new surroundings. The family cat enjoyed playing with them; and everyone knew when it had caught one .by the noise the frog made. The cat did not harm them.