A. ELIGIBILITY
1. All NKC
REGISTERED breeds are eligible.
2. All
dogs must be at least one (1) year of age and not more than 12 years of age
to compete in any NKCWPA event. The physical condition of the dog should
always be taken into consideration and the Chief Judge may disqualify any
dog they feel will be in danger of injury.
3. No bitch
in season shall be allowed to compete or allowed to be on the premises.
4. No
pregnant bitch shall be allowed to compete in a NKCWPA event.
5. For the
safety and protection of the dog, all dogs shall be fitted properly with a
weight pull type harness.
B. HANDLER CONDUCT AND CONTROL OF DOGS
All entrants shall be responsible
for the conduct of their dogs and handler before, during and after the
event. Vicious or unmanageable dogs shall be barred from competition.
Unsportsman like conduct toward animals, officials, handlers or spectators
will be cause for disciplinary action and/or disqualification. All dogs
shall be under physical control, on a short lead, while in the pull area,
except when hooked to the cart. All handlers shall be responsible for the
cleaning up after their own dogs. Abusive or inhumane treatment of a dog
shall be strictly prohibited and shall be cause for disqualification.
Abusive or inhumane behavior to be determined by the presiding judge.
C. WEIGHT CLASSES
All dogs weighing 35 pounds or less
All dogs weighing more than 35 pounds up to and including 60 pounds.
All dogs weighing more than 60 pounds up to and including 80 pounds.
All dogs weighing more than 80 pounds up to and including 100 pounds.
All dogs weighing more than 100 pounds up to and including 120 pounds.
All dogs weighing more than 120 pounds.
All weights shall be rounded off to the lowest whole pound.
Ø
EXAMPLE: A dog weighing 60 3/4 lbs. would be recorded as 60 lbs.
D. WEIGH-INS
All dogs shall be weighed prior to
each NKCWPA sanctioned weight pull (multiple or consecutive day pulls by the
same organization require only one weigh-in). All dogs must be weighed at
the pull site by a NKCWPA approved scale and supervised by the presiding
judge. All recorded dog weights shall be rounded to the lowest whole
pound. Dogs shall wear only a standard collar during weigh-in.
SECTION 5
- The Contest
A.
ORGANIZING CLUB OPTION
The organizing club has the option to run the weight pull event class by
class or in conjunction with another class or to run the event concurrently
(one class at a time).
B. COMPETING
IN HEAVIER WEIGHT CLASS
The dog that wins its weight class shall not be allowed to compete in the
next weight class. However the winning dog shall be allowed to pull as many
times as it wants to establish a top percentage pull. These percentage pulls
shall be at the established load increment or more.
C. PROCEDURE
OF THE WEIGHT PULL EVENT
1. Each dog
shall be required to pull a loaded cart a measured sixteen (16) feet within
60 seconds, the dog shall be allowed to complete the pull and the actual
time required to make the pull shall be recorded.
2. During
the pull the handler's feet may be no further forward than the front of the
cart when driving the dog, or their feet shall be behind the designated line
16 feet from the starting line when calling the dog. The handler shall not
touch the dog, equipment or pulling surface between the start and finish
line until the cart crosses the 16-foot line.
3.
Once the dog is in position in front of the cart and ready to pull, the
handler must attempt to cross the finish before instructing the dog to
pull. (No physical handling of the dog will be allowed. Handling consists
of anyone touching the dog, its harness, the sled, or any other part of the
equipment or load. The dog is considered to be in position when the handler
moves more than an arms length away from the dog.) If the dog pulls before
its instructed and as long as the handler hasn't touched the dog, and the
dog has successfully pulled the intended weight a distance of 16 feet it's
to be considered a "pull". In the case of a tangle or equipment failure the
judge will direct the handler to physically reposition the dog. Two tangles
during the same weight increment will result in a disqualification.
4. Only one
handler is allowed to communicate with the dog, either with hand signals and
or voice commands from the course area.
5. The
handler shall be allowed to position his/her dog anywhere between the wheels
in front of the starting line at the end of the extended tug line. The dog
shall be positioned with enough slack in the tug line to prevent the dog
from inadvertently moving the cart. There shall not be so much slack as to
allow a "sling shot start."
6. The
handler may pass one or two turns but must pull on the third turn. Once the
dog is hooked up to the cart the handler may not pass in that round except
as stated in Section 5 #11. (Dogs are no longer required to pull the
starting weight).
7. Starting
weights to be pulled shall not exceed:
Class Max. Wt.
35 lb 200 lbs.
60 lb 400 lbs.
80 lb 500 lbs.
100 lb 600 lbs.
120 lb 700 lbs.
UNL 800 lbs.
These weights are maximum starting
weights. If poor pulling conditions exist, the Chief Judge may adjust the
starting weights lower to match the conditions.
8. The time
will start once the handler is in the proper position and instructs the dog
to pull, or the dog starts to pull.
9. The
front wheels of the cart shall be positioned at the break line. The Chief
Judge shall then direct the following sequence:
A. The cart
to be positioned at the start line with the wheels perpendicular to the
start line.
B. The
pulling pad to be cleared (unless the handler requests assistance in hooking
up the dog).
C. The
handler to leave the on deck circle; hook up the dog and the pull to
commence.
11. The handler
has the option of having the cart placed anywhere on the starting line as
long as the wheels are perpendicular to the start line. The handler has the
option to reposition the cart one time. No test rolling of the cart shall be
allowed.
12. In the
event of a tangle, at the judges’ discretion the judge will stop the clock
and the handler must realign the dog and harness before the pull is resumed.
Two tangles on the same turn will constitute the dog's removal from the
competition.
13. If the cart
becomes stuck on a barrier of the pulling pad it shall be considered a
tangle. The clock would be stopped and the cart would then be freed of the
barrier at the point of which it was stuck. The dog would be allowed to
continue the pull with the remaining time left on the clock. Two tangles on
the barrier on the same turn shall constitute the dog's removal from the
competition.
14. Tangles are
called at the Chief Judge's discretion. The judge shall call a tangle only
if the dog or any of the equipment in use becomes entangled.
15. If any part
of the harness or other equipment breaks, the handler shall have 60 seconds
to repeat the pull after repairs. He/she may choose to accept this
interrupted pull as a pass.
16. Food,
treats or any type of bait, may only be given to the dogs pulling, after
they have pulled and have been removed from the pulling area. Handlers
shall not have food or bait on their person during the competition. Anyone
found having bait of any kind on his or her person will be swiftly removed
from competition and will receive no refund. No whips, pinch collars,
noisemakers or muzzles will be permitted at any time during competition.
17. No dogs,
including those not entered in competition shall be allowed in the area
ahead of the starting line, except the dog that is pulling. Spectators also
will not be allowed in the area ahead of the starting line.
18. There shall
be a marked "on deck" area behind, but near the starting end of the pull
chute. This marked area shall house only the next dog to pull.
19. Load
increments shall be determined by the Chief Judge and a simple majority of
the handlers. The Chief Judge shall recommend the load increments to the
handlers, considering the pulling conditions and the welfare of the dogs.
20. The dog
pulling the most weight in its class is declared the winner. Each successive
dog pulling a lower weight is placed second, third, etc. If two or more dogs
pull the same weight the required distance and can pull no more weight the
full distance, the winner is determined by the fastest time in the previous
pull.
21. If the dog
is competing for the best percentage pull, after all other dogs in the class
have been eliminated from the competition; the dog may continue to pull
heavier weights. The weight increments shall be at least the designated
increment but can be more.
SECTION
6
- Titles
A.
THE BASIS ON WHICH TITLES WILL BE AWARDED
In order for a weight pull to be recognized and
points recorded, it shall be the responsibility of the hosting organization
to properly report the weight pull results to the NKC
All dogs pulling 12 times
their body weight will be titled as Weight Pulling Dog I =WPT 1
All dogs
pulling 18 times their body weight will be titled as Weight Pulling Dog II =WPT
2
All dogs
pulling 23 times their body weight will be titled as Weight Pulling Dog III
=WPT 3
SECTION 7
- Reporting Results
All forms must be completed with appropriate signatures and postmarked no
later than 10 days following the event. All Weight Pulls must be video taped
and included with the paperwork.
Weight Pull Event results will be forwarded to:
The National Kennel Club
P.O. Box 331
Blaine, Tennessee 37709
