ALLERTON PARK

OUTDOOR AND INDOOR WEIGHT PULL

RULES

I. GENERAL

A. The pulling area must be at least 10 feet wide and 20 feet long with an open end toward which the pull is made. If there is any perceptible slope to the chute, the direction of the pull shall be towards the higher end. There shall be a physical barrier separating the crowd from the pulling area.

1. The outdoor area shall be as level and hard packed as conditions permit.

2. Indoors, the area shall be of dirt, sod, carpet or runner.

3. The dog does not need to achieve traction on the same surface as that on which the vehicle rides.

B. Three officials will supervise the event. One will be designated Chief Judge. A majority ruling will be the deciding factor.

C. All entrants are responsible for the conduct of their dogs and handlers before, during, and after the contest. Unsportsmanlike conduct in the weight pull area or on the weight pull course will result in disqualification.

D. All dogs shall be kept in a designated holding area behind the starting line while they are waiting to pull. No dog shall be allowed in the general area ahead of the starting line except for the dog that is pulling.

E. All dogs must be under physical control, on lead, except when hooked to the weight pull vehicle.

F. No female in season may be used in a weight pull or brought into the weight pull area. Other unentered dogs and family pets are also excluded.

G. No pregnant females shall be allowed to compete in the weight pull.

H. No dogs shall be brought from a kennel where Parvo, Brucellosis, Hepatitis, Distemper, Leptospirosis, or any other contagious canine disease exists, nor shall any equipment be brought from said kennel. In addition, all dogs brought to the event shall be vaccinated for canine infectious disease as advised by their veterinarian.

I. All persons, or dogs, capable of baiting the dog that is pulling must be no further forward among the spectators than the starting line. Any violation of this rule will result in the disqualification of the dog involved.

J. No handling or bait is to be allowed once a dog enters the pull area (as defined in section 1-A) and is hooked to the load. Handling is to consist of anyone touching the dog, his harness, the pulling vehicle, or any part of the equipment or load except chute officials who hook up the dog, stop the load after completion of the pull, or aide in the event of a tangle. A handler may touch his dog to reset the dog in the event of a tangle. Baiting consists of the use of anything to influence the dog other than hand signals or voice command. Dogs may be rewarded once they have left the pulling area and have returned to their crate or vehicle.

K. During the pull, the use of whips, noisemakers, leashes, muzzles, any form of baiting is prohibited.

L. This event is open to any Alaskan Malamute that is at least one year old. Weight pulls held at an event might be limited to Alaskan Malamutes or open to all breeds.

M. Entries close no less than ½ hour before the weigh-in starts.

N. No medication to stimulate the dog’s pulling ability shall be used.

O. The sponsoring club, or judge, may reject any entry for due cause.

P. Cruel or inhumane treatment of a dog is strictly prohibited and will be cause for disqualification.

II WEIGHT PULLING DIVISIONS

A. There shall be four divisions in the contest.

1. Dogs weighing 41 pounds up to and including 60 pounds.

2. Dogs weighing 61 pounds up to and including 80 pounds.

3. Dogs weighing 81 pounds up to and including 100 pounds.

4. Dogs weighing 100 pounds and over.

All weights shall be rounded down to the lowest whole pound. Example a dog weighing 80 ¾ pounds would be recorded as 80 pounds. Divisions 3 and 4 may be combined, but each dog’s weight must be recorded on the final report.

B. 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 continue pulling in order to compete for top percentage pulled or top weight pulled. These pulls shall be at the established increment or more.

III. EQUIPMENT

A. The dog must be fitted with an adequate freighting or weight pull harness which extends no more than 2 feet from the base of the dogs tail and is fitted with a spreader bar. The judge will determine whether or not the harness is safe for the dog. Dogs should wear a buckle or martingale type collar during competition. Prong/pinch collars or electric shock collars are not permitted. (slip collars are allowed). If any part of the harness or other equipment breaks, the contestant will have another chance at the same increment after repairs are made.

B. Carrying capacity of weight pull vehicles.

1. Sled should be capable of safely carrying a load of 2700 pounds

(a) Sled should have runners 2 to 4 inches wide and 7 to 10 feet long, curving at the front end in a reasonable manner for a sled.

(b) Report of the pull should indicate whether the runner’s were shod with steel or plastic.

2. A wheeled vehicle must be capable of safely carrying a load of 3,000 pounds.

(a) Wheeled vehicles can be of a three or four wheel design, with wheels in a fixed position so they track in a straight line.

(b) Report of the pull should indicate whether the vehicle was equipped with solid or pneumatic tires.

C. Tug Line:

1. Shall not exceed 6 feet in length when a sled is used, with minimum of 3 feet.

2. Shall not exceed 16 feet in length for a wheeled vehicle, with minimum of 6 feet.

3. No shock line is to be used as part of the tug line in weight pulling events.

D. An adequate supply of pre-weighed, inert material suitable for safe stable stacking shall be provided.

E. Provisions should be made for attachment of a 16-foot rope to the rear of the pulling vehicle for stopping the vehicle at the end of the pull and preventing injury to the pulling dog. The rope is then used to pull back the vehicle to the starting point, and can serve as an accurate measure of distance traveled by the vehicle.

IV THE CONTEST

A. All dogs shall be weighed prior to each weight pulling event (multiple or consecutive day pulls by the same organization require only one weigh-in unless the dog is within 2 pounds of a class division). All recorded dog weights shall be rounded to the lowest whole pound. Dog should be weighed with nothing on except a standard collar.

B. The starting weight in each division shall be at least 300 pounds, including the pulling vehicle. There shall be approximately 100-pound increments. This increment can be reduced or raised, if the majority of the handlers agree.

C. During each pulling effort, the handler must be in one of two positions:

(1) No further forward than the front of the pulling vehicle when the dog is driven from the rear.

(2) No closer than the dog’s finishing line if the dog is being called.

D. The finishing line is measured 16 feet from the front of the vehicle, and the pull is completed when the front of the vehicle reaches this line.

E. The timer starts the pull when the handler calls his dog or commands him to start.

F. The dog has 60 seconds to pull the weight 16 feet. If the weight is in motion when the time expires, the dog will be allowed to complete the pull without disqualification providing the weight has been in continuous motion. Unless the weight is pulled the full 16 feet the dog will not be credited for that pull.

G. The judges must make sure that the pulling vehicle is properly lined up before each pull and that the runners or wheels are not frozen or wedged.

H. In the event of a tangle, at the judges discretion the timer will stop the clock and the handler must realign the dog and harness before the pull is resumed. Two tangles on the same round will constitute the dogs removal from the competition.

I. Contestants may pass no more than two consecutive turns at a time. They may not request that the load be lightened at any time.

J. The judges may stop a pull at any time if it appears that the dog may injure itself.

K. The maximum load, including the vehicle’s weight, pulled by each dog the entire distance of 16 feet, together with the time required for the pull, will be recorded and reported. If two or more dogs pull the same maximum load, the fastest time determines the winner.

L. Weather conditions will be reported and should include the following:

(1) Temperature a start and end of contest.

(2) Snow conditions if applicable.

(3) Rain, sleet, or freezing rain, if applicable.

M. Type of surface on which the pull is made should be recorded.

N. For any infraction of these rules, the judges will impose a warning or disqualification.

O. Any person wishing to protest any violation of these rules must do so immediately. The protest may be verbal, but must be followed by a written statement citing the circumstances, and particular rule or rules involved within 20 minutes of the end of the contest. The individual against whom the protest is lodged shall be entitled to notification and a hearing before a decision is rendered.

P. The judge’s decisions are final.