WISCONSIN HORSE PULLERS ASSOCIATION INC.

RULES

Revised January 2003

1. Four weight classes of horses; under 2800 lbs., under 3000 lbs., lightweights; over 300 lbs., and under 3200lbs., middleweights; 3200 lbs and over heavyweights.
   
   
2. Heading of horses is prohibited with the exception of a breakdown.
   
   
3. The required distance to pull is 27 1/2 '.
   
   
4. Any driver using profane language or slapping his horses or otherwise abusing his horse shall lose his pull. If he is called on his actions before or while participating in a contest three times , he will be disqualified by the judges.
   
   4A. At least one judge must be a member of the Association to judge a contest or the points will not count.
   
   
5. Each driver is entitled to 3 pulls . He has to pull when his turn comes up , if he fails to make the distance and wishes to have 3 pulls , he must leave his team hitched after pull No. 1 ,then try for pull No. 2 .If not successful , he must unhook and have the load spotted where he chooses for pull No. 3 at end of round. If he unhooks his team after pull No. 1 , he forfeits one pull.
   
   5A.If there is no tractor at the pull to spot the load , the driver takes all 3 pulls consecutively or the third pull at the end of the round.
   
   5B. In case of a breakdown, the clock will stop when it occurs , the teamster will come in at the end of round. The time will continue at that point.
   
   
6. Ropes will be laid down making a space of 16 ft wide to travel in for boat pulls and 20 ft wide to travel in for machine pulls. If a horse steps on or over a rope , the driver loses that one pull . If ropes are not used the points will not count.
   
   
7. A driver is allowed two helpers . Helpers must walk to the rear of the eveners while the team is pulling . Nor are they allowed to help urge the team in any way .
   
   7A. Evener helpers are not allowed to wave hands.
   
   7B.If helpers go ahead of the eveners he has to unhook and rehook again.
   
   
8. 2800 lb. horses ,lightweight horses , and middleweight horses must be weighed must be weighed-in at a pull will not have points count.
   
   8B.Weight slips will be accepted from teams weighed on that day that you pull and the next 2 days as listed on the newsletter schedules, you can move up a class if you weighed the day before.
   
   
9. No changing of bridles with the exception of a breakdown.
   
   
10. All drivers must be seated while the team is pulling or the pull will not count.
    
    
11. Omitted November 1989.
    
    
12. Any puller ,hooker or helper caught using a nail or other sharp object that will abuse or harm horses while participating in a contest shall be disqualified from that contest.
    
    
13. No horse puller will be allowed to change drivers while he is participating in a contest unless he is sick or injured.
    
    13A All pullers must be association members.
    
    13B All drivers regardless if from other associations , out  of  state, or age, must be members of the association to compete.
    
    13C To have book keeper at pulls check membership cards before drawing for position.
    
    
14. No team of horses shall be tied together with ropes , neck yokes or extra straps, or anything other than the lines while participating in a contest.
    
    
15. No one is allowed to lift up on halters or heads , or cheat in any way while weighing in for a contest, all teams to weigh at the time specified by the party sponsoring the contest, or you may be called back to the scale.
    
    15A To have a state wide uniform allowance of 20 pounds per team for halters and shoes in all classes.
    
    
16. Any driver who loses part of his load during a pull will not be held responsible.
    
    
17. Any driver that fails to get his team hooked in nine consecutive tries will be disqualified from the contest.
    
    17A  The driver must touch the lines in order to be fouled when the horses are being driven by another driver . He has nine tries or will be disqualified from the contest.
    
    
18. No control of a team , without the lines in the hands of the driver will be considered a runaway during a contest and will automatically be disqualified.
    
    18A If a driver drops a line or lines while hitched to the load he shall be given the distance , if he has no other fouls against him.
    
    18B When a team runs away , that team will drop to last place in the prize money .
    
    18C When a pair of horses are out of control , the judges make the decision to disqualify them.
    
    
19. Any single horse pulling in one class cannot be pulled in another class , prize money will be with held if so .
    
    19A Teamster who starts a contest with one team is to finish with same team .
    
    
20.  95.01 (1) 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 horse pulling contest. The exhibitor must submit his horses for examination by a licensed veterinarian designated by The Dept  of  Agriculture to determine the presence of drugs under sub. (1) Diuretic  (lasix) may be used after 1 hour wait . This is a required condition of participation in the contest.
    
    20A Both driver and horse or horses will be barred if caught with drugs for 1 year from the date he receives letter of such barring.
    
    20B Anyone checked and found to have drugs and not forfeiting prize money to the association will be barred for 2 years . Time limit on this is 30 days from the time he is notified by certified mail.
    
    20C All horses can be checked on the grounds anytime before or after a pull.
    
    20D Any man and horse or horses that are barred cannot participate hooking or they are not allowed in the pulling arena for 1 year.
    
    20E If drugs are confirmed , the driver will be held responsible for reimbursing the Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association for the cost of $1000 before the driver can compete in competition again.
    
    20F Refusal to test will automatically bar the horses and the driver for 1 year and will be fined $1000 and must be paid back before competing in competition again.
    
    20G If anyone is caught using a needle or syringe in the arena that puller will be disqualified from that pull that day and will not get any money.
    
    20H Both horses should be available in the designated area for the vets to check , set by the vet, and not to be put in the trailer until the vet is done.
    
    
21. Anyone pulling horses in Wisconsin is not allowed to use any device other than his original equipment on his team ; nothing sewn between the leather ; nothing wrapped around any strap on the harness. Any radio or remote controlled device is prohibited . If he is caught , he definitely  is disqualified from the contest and forbidden to pull for one or more years and will have to get his permit to pull in Wisconsin by a special meeting of the Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association.
    
    
22. Omitted
    
    
23. You cannot pull horses at a contest without blinds.
    
    
24. All pulls are to be made in the center of the ropes.
    
    
25. Anytime a driver , hooker or any other member pertaining to the team using any device on or around his horses is to be disqualified while participating in that contest
    
    
26. Once a horse puller's name is called , he has 3 minutes to start his pull . Pull No.2 has 2 minutes providing he does not unhook , to complete his pull . Pull No. 3 has 3 minutes to start his pull . If a horse steps on or over the tug , the puller must unhook , but the time will go on the same as any of the three pulls above.
    
    26A Switching sides is permitted . The 3 minutes time limit applies here also.
    
    
27. There will be no drinking until the meeting is over . Banquet held in November.
    
    
28. May 1st is the deadline for membership of any horse puller who is eligible for a trophy at the end of the season. All members are allowed to vote.
    
    
29. When bumping a load and moving it one (1) foot or more , it will be considered a pull , regardless if the driver has called on h ids team or whether he has the lines or not . This applies to the boat pulls only , not machine pulls.
    
    
30. If there are 2 teams that crossed the last load , both teams must hook to the next load to determine a winner. All other ties will be placed by their second best distance.
    
    

31. Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association will accept :
    
    A. Minnesota weight slips when pulls are listed in WHPA newsletter so that WHPA members can pull in Wisconsin the next day without weighing and the points will count.
    
    B. Illinois weight slips when pulls follow WHPA rules and are listed in WHPA newsletter so that WHPA members an pull in Wisconsin the next day without weighing and the points will count.
    
    
    
    
    TEAMSTER (DRIVER);
    
    
    1. Teamster must have membership paid by May 1st to qualify for points.
    
    2. A hitching fee of $30 will be collected by the association if a teamster is not a member before competing.
    
    3. The driver is allowed points only from one pair of horses in each class for their placing.
    
    4, No restrictions on whose horse you use , driver gets points not the team .
    
    5. Horses pulled in one class cannot come back in the next class and qualify for points , or for higher prize money than the teams listed for that class.
    
    6. Points cannot be transferred from one class to another.
    
    
    CONTEST QUALIFICATIONS (BOAT OR MACHINE)
    
    
    1. Contest to be held in Wisconsin and using Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association Rules.
    
    2. Contest advertised through the Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association.
    
    3. Point system contests held between May 1st to Oct 1st.
    
    4. At least one judge must be a member of Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association.
    
    5. Weigh-in time and place to be listed on schedule sheet and followed.
    
    
    
    YEAR END AWARDS:
    
    1. Awards will be given by the Wisconsin Horse Pullers Association to the top 3 teamsters in each class . In case of a tie there will be co-awards.
    
    2. The officers and directors will be in charge of the pull results that will qualify each teamster. Pull results will be published through the schedule mailings.

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