Angels Camp, CA…(Frogtown, USA)..Join the action at Frog Jump – Sign up now to form a Jump Start Team. “Be a Kid Again” is the theme for the 2019 Calaveras County Fair, where anyone can form a team to compete in the signature event – The International Jumping Frog Jubilee. The Jump Start Program encourages new participants by providing everything they need to compete as a team. For a fee of $75 each Jump Start Team of two to six people receives six frog competitors plus free admission to the fair the day they compete.

Past Frog Jump winners provide each team with instructions and coaching prior to their first round of competition. These new teams go through the preliminary rounds of competition alongside veteran frog jockeys from teams that have been competing for decades.

The Fair is May 16-19 at Frogtown in Angels Camp and boasts all the features of a traditional county fair – agriculture and livestock exhibits; carnival rides; rodeo; arts, crafts, floral and homemaking displays and a Destruction Derby. The International Jumping Frog Jubilee has been the center of attention for 91 years, with qualifying rounds the first three days and the Grand Finals on Sunday afternoon.

Everyone is trying to beat the World’s Record of 21 feet, 5 and ¾ inches, which was set in 1986 by the late Lee Giudici and his frog Rosie the Ribiter. His team of family and friends is among those who have been participating at Frog Jump for over 50 years. A $5,000 prize will be awarded if a new World’s Record is set this year. If not, the winning frog receives $750 and a large trophy.

The 2018 winner was Laura Kitchell of the Calaveras Frog Jockeys team. Last year’s fair was dedicated to this group of local frog enthusiasts and its next generation, The Foothill Froggers. Their teams have been competing for over 30 years and members have won the championship in 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Many of them serve as mentors to the Jump Start Program’s novice frog jockeys.

The volunteer Frog Jump Committee, which stages the event every year, initiated Jump Start in 2014 to encourage more people to get involved. Since then, several Jump Start frogs have advanced to the Grand Finals.

“Most of our frog jumping teams have competed for years,” explains Jump Start Coordinator Bob Lema. “We developed Jump Start because folks watching in the stands have always asked how they can get involved. Jump Start makes it easy. We hope to attract a new wave of frog jockeys who become just as enthusiastic as our veteran competitors.”

“Jump Start Teams should sign up in advance for two reasons,” he adds. “Team members get free admission to the Fair the day they compete and early registration will maximize timing for their training sessions.”
Fairgoers inspired by the jumping action on the Main Stage can form Jump Start Teams at the event on a first-come, first-jumped basis.

For complete Frog Jump details check out www.frogtown.org Use the Frog Jump link to learn everything you need to know about the event. Sign-up for Jump Start by contacting the Fairgrounds at 209-736-2561 or email info@frogtown.org. You can contact Jump Start Coordinator Bob Lema at robert.lema@gmail.com.