RULES FOR THE 2006 NORTH DAKOTA WINTER SHOW HORSE PULL
1.The decision of the judges will be final.
2.A pull is considered a go round or weight class and consists of 3 command attempts. The judges will decide what is considered a command attempt and only give credit for inches pulled during the attempt.
3.The required distance to pull is 20 ft. A team must complete the pull to compete in the next round. The pulling lane will be 16 ft. wide marked by ropes. If a horse steps on or over a rope, the driver will lose that attempt.
4.The team will receive credit for all the inches they pull during an attempt as long as they do not foul. If they foul during an attempt, no credit will be given for that attempt and once the skid stops the judges will reset the measuring stakes accordingly.
5.A driver has three minutes from the time he enters the pulling lane to hook up and complete the pull. Within the three minutes, he may have three attempts to pull through the course.
6.A driver has the option to unhook and walk his team once during a pull. The pull must be completed on the next attempt, or the partial pull formula will apply.
7.There will be no abusive treatment of the horses. There will be no profane language, prods, or slapping used by the drivers or helpers.
8.After all the teams have pulled the course or have failed to pull the sled, more weight will be put on the sled, and the teams that pulled through the course will try to pull the sled through the course again. The team that pulls the highest percentage of weight compared to the teams weight will win.
9.The percentage of a completed pull is determined as follows:
skid weight / team weight = % of pull Ex. 5000 / 3300 = 151.52%
The increment used to figure partial pulls is arrived at by dividing the amount of added weight by the inches in a full pull. Ex. 800 lbs. / 240 inches = 3.3333333 Factor
The percentage of a partial pull is determined as follows:
factor x inches pulled + previous skid weight / team = Final %
Ex. 3.3333333 x 24 inches + 5000 / 3300 = 153.94%
10.All teams entered in this contest must weigh more than 2900 lbs. without harness. The teams must be weighed before the pull; all teams are weighed on the same scale. No substitutions after teams are weighed. If any lighter teams are accepted, their official weight is 2900 lbs.
11.Each team will have a number. There will be corresponding numbered areas in the arena where the team will stay when they are not being pulled.
12.A driver is allowed two hookers. Hookers must walk to the rear of the eveners while the team is pulling. They are not allowed to help urge the team.
13.No horse puller will be allowed to change drivers while he is participating in a contest unless he is sick or injured.
14.The course will be maintained as well as possible so all teams will have the same conditions for each go round.
15.No team of horses shall be tied together with ropes, neck yokes, extra straps, or anything other than lines while participating in a contest.
16.No person may administer a drug to a horse, either internally or externally, for the purpose of altering the performance of the horse in a pulling contest.
17. Each team will have the option 1 time during the contest to choose the direction they wish to pull the skid. If the judges rule that there is not sufficient room to complete the pull in that direction they may not allow the switch.