WEIGHT PULLING
RULES
AMENDED APRIL 2012
Based on the September 1994 version of the "Weight
Pulling Rules" of the International Sled Dog Racing Association, Inc. The ISDRA has not
amended these rules up to and including January 1995.
Amended as per the "NZFSS Amendments to ISDRA Rules
and Procedures" document.
PART I - ENTRY RULES
A. ELIGIBILITY
1. ENTRIES
a. An entry for a weight pull shall be
submitted prior to the start of the pull, subject to deadlines as determined by
the weight pull organisation.
b. The weight pull organisation may reject
any entry for just cause.
c. The race-giving organisation shall
prohibit any person convicted of animal abuse or neglect at a misdemeanour or
greater level from participating in NZFSS sanctioned weight pulls.
2. DOGS
a. To qualify for a weight pulling contest,
the dog shall be at least one (1) year old.
b. No female in season shall be used in the
weight pull event or brought into the weight pull area.
1. The Chief Judge may check all bitches
to ascertain whether they are in heat or not.
3. DISEASE.
a. No dogs shall be brought from a kennel
where hepatitis, distemper, leptospirosis,
parvovirus, or any other contagious disease exists.
b. A person shall not bring equipment or
clothes to a contest which have come in contact with
any contagious disease.
4. PULLING CLASSES
a. 27kg (60
Pound) Class - all dogs weighing 27kg or less.
b. 36kg (80
Pound) Class - all dogs weighing more than 27kg, up to and including 36kg.
c. 50kg (110
Pound) Class - all dogs weighing more than 36kg, up to and including 50kg.
d. Unlimited Class - all dogs weighting
more than 50kg.
5. MEDICATIONS ADMINISTERED TO DOGS -
PROHIBITED DRUGS.
a. See the "NZFSS List of Forbidden
Substances and Methods for Dogs".
b. NZFSS will allow a positive test for
previously declared paraciticides in the test for
prohibited substances in sled dogs. It
is incumbent upon the driver/owner to declare all foreign substances used in
his/her sled dogs before testing occurs.
c. Whenever a specimen is requested for
testing, the owner or driver shall be present (or his/her representative) and
shall declare in writing to the sampling official all medications administered
to the dog(s) within 72 hours preceding the start of the event.
d. If an owner or handler refuses to allow
a sample to be collected from a dog, that dog shall be disqualified from the
event.
e. If a dog shows a positive test of a
prohibited drug, that dog is subject to disqualification, the decision to be
made following a hearing.
6. DRUG TESTING
a. If an organisation intends to test for
drugs, it shall declare so on the entry form.
It is recommended that the organisation use the NZFSS Drug Testing
Procedures.
b. The external use of DMSO and Topical Cortico-Steroids are limited to the use on feet only, in
ointments, and provided by a registered veterinarian.
c. Where testing is due to an appeal, the
person lodging the appeal shall be required to pay the costs at the time the
appeal is lodged eg $250 per dog.
Where the appeal is lodged against a team the decision as to which dogs
are tested rests with the person lodging the appeal.
PART II - PRE-CONTEST
A. PROCEDURES
1. Dog Weight Determination
a. All dogs shall be weighed prior to each
weight pull contest.
(1) The weigh-in shall be no more than one
day previous to the competition.
(2) All dog weights shall be recorded and
rounded off to the nearest 100g.
i. The Chief
Judge's decision shall determine disputed weights and shall be final.
2. Class Eligibility
a. A dog shall compete in the weight
pulling division determined by the pre-contest weigh-in.
b. The winner of the lower division shall
have the option, and with an additional entry fee and qualification
requirement, move into the next higher division.
(1) The winner of the lower division shall
be seeded on the higher division entry sheet in the last pulling position.
(2) A dog winning a lower division shall
have its winning weight and time officially recorded as a pull in the higher
class/division should the handler be taking the option of moving up a
class/division.
(3) A dog competing in a higher division
need not pull unless at the discretion of the handler.
(4) Dogs moving into a higher division
based on previous performances shall receive all benefits of any placing it has
earned in both its own and higher class, including purses, prizes, trophies and
points at NZFSS sanctioned events.
c. If no dog has qualified for the next
higher division, the dog winning the lower division shall not be allowed to
move up into a non-existent/non-competitive class to gain any benefits
previously offered in that division.
3. Qualifying
a. Each dog shall qualify prior to his/her
first contest and shall not need to
qualify again for the rest of their weightpull life,
unless they are hurt or do not pull for one or more seasons.
(1) No dog shall need to qualify any higher
than the following weights per class/division:
i. 113kg
(250 pounds) maximum for the 27kg (60 pound) class.
ii. 136kg (300
pounds) maximum for the 36kg (80 pound) class.
iii. 158kg (350
pounds) maximum for the 50kg (110 pound) class.
iv. 181kg (400
pounds) maximum for the over 50kg (110 pound) class.
b. If one dog qualifies for a particular
weight pulling division, that weight pulling division shall be accommodated as
a part of the weight pulling contest.
(1) If no dog qualifies in a particular
division, that class shall not be run.
c. Proof of prior qualification must have
details of the event at which it was gained.
These details must be signed by the events Chief Judge.
B. EQUIPMENT
1. Sleds
a. A sled shall be provided capable of
safely carrying a load of 1,200kg (2,700 pounds).
b. Two runners shall be 5 to 10cm (2 to 4
inches) wide, 2 to 3 meters (7 to 10 feet) long on the surface contacting a
level, smooth surface and reasonably curved at the front of the sled. The four (4) wheels on a wheeled sled shall
be 5 to 15cm (2 to 6 inches) wide, but no larger than a 15 inch car tyre.
c. Runner surfaces shall be shod with
plastic or similar material. Wheels
should have rubber tyres.
d. The sled shall be provided with an
adequate bridle and tugline of a total length so that
the point of the attachment to the dog's harness shall be 1.8 meters (6 feet)
from the sled.
2. Weighting Material
a. An adequate supply of pre-weighed, inert
material suitable for safe, stable stacking shall be provided.
3. Harnesses
a. Dogs shall be fitted with an adequate
freight-type harness.
4. Inspection
a. Prior to the dog's pull, it shall be
inspected by the Chief Judge to determine whether its harness is proper and
safe for the dog.
5. No shock absorbing device shall be
permitted.
C. PHYSICAL
AREA
1. Chute
a. All sanctioned pulls shall be held in a
single chute.
b. The weight pulling contest shall be in a
chute not less than 3 meters (10 feet) wide and not more than 4.5 meters (15
feet) wide.
c. The chute shall be open at both ends to
accommodate the sled and the pull.
d. The chute shall be no less than 12.2
meters (40 feet) long and not more than 18.3 meters (60 feet) long.
e. There shall be a physical barrier
separating the crowd from the pulling chute.
(1) The barrier shall be adequate to separate
the pull chute from the spectator area.
f. The weight pull chute shall be as level
and as hard-packed as snow conditions permit.
(1) If there is a perceptible slope, the
dogs will pull toward the higher end.
2. Pulling Surface
a. The pulling surface shall be uniform.
b. The dogs shall achieve traction on the
same surface as that on which the sled rides.
3. Holding Areas
a. Directly behind or adjacent to the
starting line of the pull chute, a holding area large enough to accommodate the
anticipated entries shall be provided.
(1) The holding area shall not be in front
of the chute finish line.
D. DRAWING
1. A drawing for each weight pull division
shall be conducted at the closing of entry acceptance for the purpose of
seeding entries.
a. If the owner or handler is present, that
person shall draw for their dogs seeding position.
b. In the absence of the owner or handler,
a designated proxy or the Chief Judge may draw for the dog's seeding position.
c. Late entries not included in the draw
shall be seeded at the head of the starting order.
PART III - THE CONTEST
A. SEQUENCE OF
CLASSES
1. All weight pull classes/divisions shall
be run concurrently.
2. Each class/division shall be brought
into competition at a determined weight interval.
B. REQUIRED
DISTANCE AND TIME LIMIT
1. The dog shall be required to pull the
load a marked and measured sixteen(16) feet (5
meters).
2. The dog shall be required to pull the
load within a 45 second time limit.
a. If a dog has begun a pull prior to his
time running out and the load is in continuous motion at the expiration of the
45 second time limit, it shall be allowed to complete the pull provided that
the load proceeds in a continuous motion.
b. The time marked on the score sheet shall
be that of the actual time required to make the pull (Times for pulls may be in
excess of 45 seconds under the above conditions).
3. A dog failing to complete the pull
within the 45 second time limit shall be allowed to attempt the same weight a
second time, after all contestants have pulled at that weight. The dog may not progress to a higher weight
unless the second attempt succeeds.
C. LOAD
INCREMENTS
1. Starting loads in each division shall be
light enough so that any qualified dog can readily move it with a modest
effort.
2. Increments shall be a minimum of 25kg
(55 pounds) up to a maximum of 50kg (110 pounds), as determined by the Chief
Judge.
3. The pull is complete when any part of
the sled breaks the plane of the finish line.
D. BREAK STARTING
THE SLED (SLEDGE)
1. The judge shall ensure that the sled is
not frozen down immediately prior to the dog being attached to the gangline of the sled before the start of each individual
pull.
a. The Sled Marshal shall be responsible to
have the sled broken loose from the pulling surface in a consistent manner for
all contestants.
b. On wet grass surfaces and if the Chief
Judge deems, the cart shall be loaded on a plywood surface.
E. POSITION
OF HANDLER
1. During the pull, the handler shall be in
one of two positions:
a. No further forward than the front of the
sled.
b. Beyond the
designated line 6 meters (20 feet) from the starting line.
2. The handler may not signify that he is
ready until he is in one of these positions.
F. START TIME
1. The timer shall start the pull with the
word "go" or its equivalent upon a "ready" sign from the
dog's handler.
a. No dog shall not be allowed to begin its
pull until it has been positioned with all four feet, either
standing, sitting or lying, at least 1.5 meters (5 feet) from the
starting line, directly in front of the sled.
b. If the dogs should attempt to leave the
chute, either by turning back and crossing the start line, or by attempting to
climb over the side barrier of the chute after the time has begun, it shall be
considered a tangle and be called tangle by the Chief Judge.
c. Should a dog commence the pull with a
running start, it shall be considered a tangle and be called tangle by the
Chief Judge. A running start shall be
when the dog starts from less than 1.4 meters from the front of the sled.
d. If the dog retreats beyond the front of
the sled, it shall be considered a tangle and be called tangle by the Chief
Judge.
G. TANGLES
1. If a dog becomes entangled in its
harness or lines so that injury to the dog may result if the pull continues,
the Chief Judge will call tangle.
2. Under any circumstances where a tangle
has been called, the following will occur:
a. The clock will be stopped but the clock
will not be reset.
b. The handler will untangle the dog from
its harness or lines.
c. The sled will be moved to the original
starting position.
d. The handler will return to the original
calling position and again resume giving commands to the dog.
3. If a dog should tangle a second time
during the same pull, the second tangle shall be ruled as an unsuccessful pull.
H. BROKEN
EQUIPMENT
1. If any part of the harness or other
equipment breaks, the contestant shall have another opportunity to pull the
same weight after repairs are made.
2. The handler may choose to accept this
interrupted pull as a pass if the pass does not give the contestant more than
two (2) consecutive passes.
I. PASSING
TURNS
1. Contestants may pass one or two turns at
a time.
a. No contestant shall pass more than two
successive turns without pulling.
2. The load shall not be lightened at any
time.
J. HANDLING
BAITING & TREATING
1. No physical handling of the dogs shall
be allowed after the dog is in the starting position except as it applies to
tangles.
2. An official may hold the dog in position
at the request of the handler until the handler signals the start of the pull.
a. Handling consists of anyone touching the
dog, its harness, the sled or any other part of the equipment or load once the
time/pull has begun.
3. Only one handler is allowed to
communicate with the dog, either with hand signals and/or voice commands from
the chute area or any location around the competing area.
4. No food, treat,
bait, noisemaker, muzzles or any other aid shall be permitted within the chute,
nor shall food or bait be permitted on the person of the handler at any time
during each individual pull.
5. Treating of
dogs shall be allowed in the holding area.
K. CONTROL OF
DOGS NOT ACTUALLY PULLING
1. During the weight pulling competition,
dogs awaiting their turns shall be held in an assigned area to the rear of the
pulling area.
2. No dogs, including those not scheduled
to compete, shall be allowed in the general area ahead of the starting line
except for that dog which is pulling.
3. All dog shall
be under the physical control, on lead, while in the pull area except for that
dog which is pulling.
4. Between pulls, dogs may be housed in
their vans in the holding area.
PART IV - CONDUCT
A. HANDLERS
1. All entrants shall be responsible for
the conduct of their dogs and handler during the contest.
2. Abusive or inhumane treatment of a dog
shall be prohibited and shall be cause for disqualification.
3. Unsportsmanlike conduct in the weight
pull area or on the weight pull course shall be cause for a warning or
disqualification after a hearing. This
is at the discretion of the Chief Judge.
B. DOGS
1. Unmanageable dogs shall be disqualified
from competition.
PART V - RULES VIOLATIONS
A. PROTESTS
AND HEARINGS
1. Any entrant wishing to protest any
violations of the rules shall do so immediately following the contest.
2. The protest may be verbal but shall be
followed by a written statement citing the circumstances and the particular
rule(s) involved to the Chief Judge within one(1) hour
of the end of the contest.
3. The individual who is being protested
shall be notified by the Chief Judge and a hearing shall be scheduled before a
decision is rendered.
B. DISCIPLINARY
ACTION
1. For violation of any NZFSS Weight Pull
rule, the Chief Judge shall either issue a verbal warning to the handler or
disqualify the handler and/or dog concerned from the event.
2. The decision of the Chief Judge shall be
final.
PART VI - DETERMINATION OF WINNERS
A. PLACINGS
1. The dog pulling the most weight in its
division is declared the winner.
a. Each successive dog pulling the next
highest weight shall be placed in the numbers two, three, etc., positions.
2. The winner of each weight pull class
shall be the dog which pulls the most weight in the allotted time (45 seconds).
a. The pull must be a completed pull
covering the entire sixteen(16) feet.
B. TIES
1. If two or more dogs pull the same weight
the same distance, or cannot move the weight at all, the dog with the fastest
time shall be declared the winner.
a. The dog with the second fastest time
shall be awarded second place, etc.
b. If one of the tie-placing dogs did not
pull (passed), the other dog shall be declared the winner.