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MICHIGAN DYNAMOMETER ASSOCIATION ,INC. PULLING RULES revised and adopted April 12, 2003
JUDGES- The presiding judge will be the man in charge of the contest and also the man in charge of the machine ,plus others designated by the superintendent. Judges have full jurisdiction over all questions pertaining to interpretation of rules and their enforcement. They shall determine the winners and shall award prizes in accordance with the rules. Failure to comply with the directions of the judges shall result in immediate disqualification of a contestant. Horses or driver may be disqualified at any time by the judges , either for the violation of one or more rules , or because the contesting team's condition is such as to render it cruel or unadvisable to permit the horses to proceed. CLASSES FOR TEAMS Teams entered in the lightweight class must not weigh more than 3300 lb per team . The heavyweight class will be considered an open class. ENTRY OF TEAMS - Any team eligible to compete must be properly entered at such a time as specified by the fair association. WEIGHING TEAMS- Teams must be weighed on scales designated by the fair association and under the supervision of the superintendent in charge. Lightweight teams need not weigh at a second pull held within 24 hours ,providing it is the same team . Weigh slips from the Michigan Horsepullers Boat Assoc , and the Michigan Dynamometer Assoc only to be so honored. The dynamometer operator , Superintendent in charge ,and one of the board of directors will be in charge of the weighing . A director will stand on the scales and hold the team as they are being weighed . The director will mark the horses after weighing . Horses must be weighed on a loose lead. No lifting is permitted on the lead or otherwise . Horses will be weighed officially at a definite stated time . Teams must be weighed officially at least one hour before the contest is scheduled to begin . Exceptions to this rule may be made by those in charge due to emergency circumstances. In no instance will lightweight teams be officially weighed more than 3 hours ahead of the contest. Official scales may open for the taking of check weights on lightweights at least one hour prior to the time set for taking official weights. No check weights will be accepted as official weight . Both horses of the team must be at the scales together for official weight whenever possible. All teams will be officially weighed at the same location on the scales. A 20 lb allowance for halters and shoes will be allowed above the designated weight for a lightweight team . No string halters allowed. HELPERS FOR TEAMSTERS- No helper shall lead teams to the machine or at any time stand at their heads . Not more than two persons shall be on the lines when a team is driven up to the machine. Each team will be allowed two helpers on the eveners. When a horse steps out of a trace or when a trace comes unhooked , the driver will unhitch the team , make necessary repairs and return to the machine . It will count as one time away from the machine. At no time after a team is hitched to the machine shall helpers touch either of the horses . The person driving the team up to the machine may continue to hold the lines as long as he remains close to the machine and does nothing to interfere with or encourage the pulling of the horses. No jumping or standing on the steps will be allowed . All helpers must be behind the wheel , unless permission is given by the officials in charge. All officials shall rule strictly on the basis of public safety. PLACING OF TEAMS - A team shall be given a total of three trials to move any load the full distance, 27'6" . Teams failing to take the load the full distance are eliminated and placed on their best distance . In case of a tie on their best distance , their second best distance determines the placing. Teams must hitch to the machine and attempt to move it on their first or second trial in order to take a third trial . Teams must take two when at the machine unless so stated by the official in charge. A team may pass their hitch at any time during a contest. If two teams are left on the last load , both teams must hitch at least one time . The command to go must be given . Failure to comply with this rule places the team at the bottom of the class. The teamster has the privilege of placing the machine within the pulling court for his third trial . The teamster has the choice of spotting the truck for his third trial in the track being used for that load. Teams that are hard to hitch or handle may be required to take all trials on a load without being taken from the machine. One trial will be called against the team if they lunge away from the machine while being hitched three times. OWNERSHIP OF TEAMS - Split teams are allowed. Split teams may hook onto a record load and legally try to break it . A contestant must reside in the state of Michigan for at least 6 months before entering a state contest for Michigan teams only. UNMANAGEABLE AND RUNAWAY TEAMS- If any team becomes unmanageable or difficult to handle , and in the opinion of the judges becomes dangerous to the public , they will be disqualified and ordered to be taken from the field . If any team breaks away from the driver or helper it will be eliminated from the contest and also forfeits any premiums it might have earned up to that time. If a team runs away due to a breakdown , the team is placed at the bottom of the class and receives the premium allotted to that position. CHANGING OF DRIVERS- A change of drivers is permissible only when such a request is made by the owner of the team to the official in charge and such request is granted . A change of drivers will not be granted after the team fails to pull the load the full distance . Only one change of drivers per contest will be allowed. DRIVING- Driver must ride on and drive from the seat. Teams must be driven straight ahead. PROPER HARNESSING- Bridles used in a contest may be either open face or blind bridles, but no change therein may be made after the contest starts. Blinds on bridles must be up and cannot be dropped at any time. It will be permissible to change bits if necessary. Blindfolding a horse is not permitted . Horses must not be ties together by a neck yoke , straps ,ropes, or in any other way . They are to be tied together only by the regular lines used in driving . Spreaders ,rings, or other equipment that may slap or bounce while pulling must be removed. USE OF NARCOTICS- The use of stimulants ,narcotics, or any mechanical or electrical device in any form is strictly prohibited. No needles or syringes are allowed on the grounds unless they are used on a sick horse by a licensed veterinarian . Sick animals are not allowed to pull. MISCELLANEOUS- 1. You must have a fresh horse that did not pull in the previous contest to pull back in a second contest. 2. The weight on the machine must be within 400 lb of the record before a new record can be tied. 3. All team owners and/or drivers must be current Michigan Dynamometer Assoc. members in order to hitch to the machine. 4. Anyone caught doing any training on the fair grounds during the fair week , before or after the contest , shall be barred from M.D.A. pulls for one year. Determination of guilt shall be made by the M.D.A. board of directors. This board has the power to bar the trainer , driver, owner , and the team . 5. A two minute time limit will be allowed for the teamster to bring his team to the machine and to start his first trial . Then one minute before starting his second trial . The teamster will be allowed two minutes for his third trial. If a team has a major breakdown ,(i.e., tug, hame strap , or evener) , the clock will stop and time remaining will be allotted to the teamster to complete that trial . This rule will be in effect by the decision of the presiding judge or individual in charge and announced at the beginning of the contest. 6. In order for the Michigan Dynamometer Assoc to recognize a world record it must be set at a pull with state of Michigan aid available or a Michigan Dynamometer Association scheduled pull and the team will be tested for foreign substances within twelve hours by a veterinarian . If the team is found to be with a foreign substance or the owner / teamster refuses to have the team tested , the record will not be recognized. If the State of Michigan does the testing , they will impose the penalty . If the Michigan Dynamometer Assoc does the testing , the penalty will b e at the discretion of the board of directors. 7. In case of a major breakdown , (i.e. tug ,hame, hamestrap , or evener) , the team will leave the court and come in at the end of the round for their turn and pick up their proper place in the next round. 8. A lightweight team must be weighed within three hours of the beginning of a contest in order to establish a world record. 9. If a malfunction of the truck occurs after a team is hooked , the team is to receive that trial (3 attempts to hook ) over again . 10.Scales for lightweight teams to be closed one hour before contest is scheduled to begin . 11. Late arriving heavyweight teams must be at courtside , ready to hitch before the first official weight is completed. 12.If the contest is canceled , the fair /festival /event is to return entry fees if collected . Amount and time of payment of travel expense reimbursement to pullers shall be determined by the fair /festival/event management.
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