COLTON — Nikolas E. Jones had a surefire theory about the leaping ability of frogs.

"The bigger ones can jump further than the smaller ones," said Nikolas, a third-grader from Pulaski. "We have a big frog called 'Little Bobby' that can jump far."

His friends had several frogs of various sizes, each having a unique name, such as Komz, Lola and Big Bobby. They competed in the frog-jumping contest Saturday at the 25th annual Colton Country Day, with this year's theme being the "Year of the Frog."

Ariel Garvin, a third-grader at Colton-Pierrepont Central School, won the contest with Tigger. The small frog jumped 9 feet, 11 inches from the center of the ring. The 8-year-old seemed more interested in the first-place prize, a large basket of chocolates, than in grabbing the slimy frog after the event.

"It jumped good," she said. "But I want chocolate."

Nearly 50 competitors, some with parental help, spent time before the competition crawling around area creeks or swamps looking for the ideal jumping frog. A rule of the contest was frogs had to be returned to where they were captured.

The frogs were kept in buckets, coolers, a kitty litter pail and even a plastic gallon milk container while more than 100 spectators watched the contest on the front lawn of Zion Episcopal Church during a hot and humid day.

In competition, the frog is allowed to jump three times while the "frog trainer" yells, stomps his or her feet or taps the area just behind the frogs to spur them to leap. One contestant even used a large bird feather to entice a frog to jump. Measurements were taken by the quarter-inch.

Some of the amphibians seemed less than interested in complying. Others didn't want to stop jumping and proved difficult to catch. A few decided to take a few extra hops through the squeamish crowd as energetic children chased after them.

Fair organizer Cyndy Hennessy, wearing a light-green T-shirt designed by Colton-Pierrepont sixth-grader Sabrina Johnson for the event, couldn't have been more pleased with the attendance.

"We have had an excellent turnout for our silver anniversary," said Ms. Hennessy, noting the event's theme comes from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' designation to promote amphibian conservation.

The Colton Country Day also included children's games, a duck race, flea market and craft sales, a used-books sale, a chicken barbecue, live entertainment, an ice cream social and fireworks.