The Huron Expositor, 1997-08-13, Page 35•
Bean Festival, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 1997 — Page 23A
F s still a hit
The Doctor Wallace Frog Jumping Contest returns
The hogs are back.';
While they may lagh the grace of
standa dbred coming out of the final
turn, these amphibians prove year
after year to be a crowd favorite.
The annual Doctor Wallace Frog
Jumping Contest will again be part
of the 32nd annual Zurich Bean
Festival.
A part of the Aug. 23 celebration
for over 20 years now, the event will
follow its traditional format, giving
these croakers a chance to distin-
guish themselves on the competitive
stage.
Local physician Dr. C. Wallace
instigated the contest around 1974 at
the suggestion of his daughter, who
had read about the events elsewhere.
Since then, the success of the event
has been unmatched.
"It's always been a success — real
good fun for the kids," he said last
year.
Wallace still takes an interest in the
frog jumping each year, but has said
"most of the hard work" such as frog
measuring (contestants are divided
into under -three-inch and over -three-
inch categories) is handled by
Richard and Brenda Schilbe.
Brenda said this year's event
promises the same excitement and
fun as the last 20 -odd years.
"A lot of people come out to
watch. It's very popular," she said.
"We get tons of kids."
And for an event that seems des-
tined for mayhem, Wallace is
amazed each year by the decorum of
the rather independent frogs.
"Occassionally the frogs get run-
ning around when they escape, if
you will, and get people excited," he
has pointed out.
The event will once again be held
in the parking lat at Erb's Country
Kitchen on Main Stree as it is turned
into a launch pad for the airborn
amphibians.
So, if you have an interest in
screaming at a frog until it jumps,
you are invited to pick out your
favorite frog and enter. Age is not an
issue.
A good deal of vocal exuberance is a definite plus when compet-
ing In the Doctor Wallace Frog Jumping Contest.
The rules are the same.
The first frog to cross the finish
line is the winner. The only hard and
fast rule is that coaches, owners and
enthusiastic spectators must not
touch the frogs during the race.
Verbal coaxing is the only assis-
tance allowed.
Cash prizes are up for grabs at the
event, but Wallace has his doubts
about the event stirring up much
interest with Vegas oddsmakers.
"They haven't got into any heavy
betting on it yet, as far as 1 can tell.
But who knows? That will be the
next thing," Wallace said last year.
The event is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Saturday. Regsitration is a half hour
before the first jump and will he
announced over the public address
system.