For 17-year-old Justin Keffeler, the Meade County Fair's watermelon eating contest is all about the bragging rights.

Keffeler, of Sturgis, won in his age category after eating seven pieces of watermelon in one minute, 30 seconds. But he was still "kinda disappointed" in how he did, as his record from two years ago is 20 pieces in three minutes.

"It's instinct, you just eat," he said.

Kids of all ages took part in events and contests at the Meade County Fairgrounds Monday afternoon. The games started at 2:30 p.m. with a frog-jumping contest, followed by a turtle race, then a watermelon-eating contest.

Six-year-old Nate Andersen's frog, "Godzilla" won his heat in the frog-jumping contest after leaping 29 inches. Nate said he caught his large frog in a dam Sunday morning and kept it in a plastic coffee container until the race.

"I just had to feed him a few grasshoppers, that's all," Nate said. "I just had to feed him and feed him and feed him."

Gayle Roth, a sponsor from First Western Bank, said there were 21 frog entrants. They were split into four groups: tiny, small, medium and large. Everybody got 50 cents for participating and the winner of each heat won a dollar. At the end, there was a "hop-off" between the winners of the four heats.

Nate's mom, Vonda Andersen, said it was his first time participating in the frog race and said he loved it. He caught about 20 grasshoppers in the garden and brought them along to feed to "Godzilla" while waiting for the race.

But Nate said he doesn't like to touch his frog, because "it's too scaly" and big, so he just put the grasshoppers through the holes in the top of the container.

"It's fun," Vonda Andersen said. "This is what the fair is all about."

Today at the Meade fair

The schedule for the Meade County Fair today, Tuesday, July 29, includes several judging events and a veterinarian, who will be available to health inspect livestock from 7:30 until 10 a.m.

Games and a round-robin showmanship contest will begin at 2 p.m., with exhibits released at 3 p.m. The fair will culminate with the Meade County 4-H livestock sale at 3:30 p.m., at the show arena.

The fair is at the Western Dakota Technical School and the Meade County Fair building on Highway 34 east of Sturgis.

For more information, call the Meade County Extension office at 347-2436.