Keystoneinternational.state.pa.us

NEW for 2013!
Horses competing in the Pulling Contest must be Coggins test negative for Equine Infectious Anemia within one year of the opening date to enter the show. The Coggins test report must list each horse with accurate identification including age, color, sex and distinctive marks such a tattoo, snip, blaze, stocking, etc. Thirty days prior to the show a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection is required. A current rabies vaccination administered by a licensed veterinarian is recommended. Horses under the influence of drugs or medication, other than antibiotics or biologicals, shall not be entered into the contest. EQUIPOISE AND LASIX ARE NOT PERMITTED. Blood and/or urine samples collected to detect foreign substances will be submitted to the Equine Toxicology Test Center, West Chester, and subjected to those screening tests routinely employed to monitor racing horses. 1. WEIGHING: Horses must be weighed, with functional halters, the day of the contest beginning strictly at 3:00 p.m., and the scales
will not remain open for official weighing past 5:00 p.m. Teamsters are requested to keep their team in their stall until notified.
WEIGHT CLASSES:
7:00 p.m. Friday, October 4 – Lightweight Class – 3,325 pounds and under 7:00 p.m. Saturday, October 5 – Heavyweight Class – over 3,325 pounds 2. T eams will be permitted one official weight at the time called for official weighing. However, teams which weigh out of class will be permitted additional weighings. The last weighing prior to 5:00 p.m. will be the official weight. Teams must then enter the contest as they are weighed (with or without shoes.) Check weighing will be permitted on the morning of the contest. 3. A horse may compete in only one weight class. A decision on the part of the owner to move his team from the light class to the heavy class must be made before the completion of weigh-in. 5. WEIGHT SETTINGS: Experience has shown that draft horses reach their maximum between the fourth and sixth pulls. The
judge and superintendent will consult on the weight settings.
6. ORDER OF PULLING: The superintendent under the supervision of show management will draw the pulling order. Pulling
order will be announced at the driver’s meeting.
7. PRESENTATION: Teams must enter the arena in pulling order, parade the arena and go to their assigned box. Horses must face
toward the pulling track while in the arena. At the conclusion of the pull, teams will be announced in reverse placing order. The
teams will exit the arena in an orderly fashion. Award winners must stop in the middle of the arena to receive their awards and for photos. Failure to cooperate in any way will result in forfeiture of premiums. 8. DOUBLETREES: Each teamster may use his own doubletrees provided they are sufficiently strong and equipped with hand
holds and hook. The sled is equipped to accept a doubletree with a Hook. There will be no measuring of the doubletrees.
9. HARNESS: Breakage of the harness during the pull will not constitute a trial. However, the driver has the option of counting the
trial and the distance will then be credited to the team. In the event of harness breakage, the team will move to the end of the line in
rotation. Open bridles are permitted, however, the team must pull throughout the contest with the same type bridle used during the first trial. HITCHING WITH CROSS TUGS IS PROHIBITED. Judges may at anytime inspect the harness for mechanical devices or non-harness related items. Any exhibitor, driver or helper failing to cooperate will result in automatic disqualification. 10. If more than three (3) attempts to hitch are made, it will constitute a trial. 11. All teams must pull within the designated marked area of twenty feet (20’) wide. Failing to pull within this area constitute a trial but no credit will be given for distance. If the sled comes to rest within eighteen inches (18”) of the boundary line, the officials will center the sled in the middle of the pulling lane. 12. DISTANCE OF PULL: The sled must be pulled the full official distance of twenty-seven and one half feet (27 ½’) for each
weight setting. Partial distance will be counted only in determining the placing.
13. TRIALS: Each team will be allowed three (3) trials at each weight. All teams must take all trials in the order called. However,
if the team fails to pull the required distance of twenty-seven and one half feet (27 ½’), the driver must take his second trial
immediately, without unhitching or pass. A three-minute time limit will be allowed for the teamster to bring his team to the sled and start his first trial. Then two minutes before starting his second trial. The teamster will be allowed three minutes for his third trial. If a team has a major breakdown, (i.e. tug, hame, hame strap, or evener), the clock will stop and time remaining will be allotted to the teamster to complete the trial. If a team does not have any distance on its first or second trial, no third trial will be allowed. The judge shall blow the whistle signifying end of the trial. The head chainman shall blow the whistle signifying a full pull (27 ½’). It will be optional with judges whether teams arriving late be allowed to pull or not. In the case they are allowed to pull, they must qualify by taking all of the trials at the same weight as earlier arrivals. This will protect the operator and avoid unduly delaying the contest where there are a large number of entries and one or two late arrivals. 14. HELPERS: Each teamster must arrange for his helpers and they are to be his own employees. A maximum of one driver and
three helpers, per team are permitted in the arena. (Three helpers permitted when driver elects to mount the sled – see below.) No one
is permitted ahead of doubletree while hitching or while the pull is in progress. One person is allowed to remain at the gate in case of emergency. If a helper steps in front of the doubletree after the pull has started, a whistle will be blown and the trial is counted against the team and no credit for the distance pulled is allowed. If the driver elects to mount the sled and the team driven into position by an additional helper, that additional helper must remain behind the doubletrees and outside the boundary line while the pull is in progress. Helpers may not touch the horse with their hands, lines, or any part of the harness from the time the team is called until they are unhitched at the end of the trial. PENALY: loss of trial. 15. FUSSING AND MILLING: Fussing the team while hitching will not be tolerated likewise for milling after the team has been
hitched. A reasonable allowance will be made for time and movement of the team to get them set for an even pull. PENALTY: The
16. LUNGING INTO THE LEADS: Pulling the team back against the doubletree and jumping or lunging them into the lead at the
start does not help in moving the load and may cause injury to the horses. The harness tugs must be reasonably tight when the pull
starts. PENALTY: The driver may be disqualified for the rest of the contest the trial is counted against the team, and no credit is 17. DRIVING: The driver must ride on the seat of the sled. He cannot whip the horses or carry a whip, shake or rattle a chain or a
can of pebbles, use a buzzer or any other device to frighten the team, hit the team with the free ends of the line, swing the free ends of
the lines over the horse’s back, slap the horses with that portion of the line between the driver and the horses, kick the horses, pat or touch them with the hands while pulling nor jump off over a slow horse when he is about to give up. 18. HANDLING HORSES BETWEEN TRIALS: Whipping, slapping, jabbing or punishing the animals in any way between trials
will not be tolerated. A competent official will be assigned to watch the teams that are not pulling. PENALTY: Disqualification of
19. A team shall be eliminated from the contest if a complete runaway is the fault of the handlers. 20. A team shall hold its placing if a complete runaway is the result of a mechanical or equipment failure. 21. OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE: Special efforts will be made to keep the crowd quiet from the time the team comes up to hitch
until the end of the pull trial is called. Whether the crowd interferes with the pull will be decided by the officials.
22. LOCATION OF SLED: The officials will be responsible for the position of the sled on all pulls. Contestants will be permitted
to spot the sled on their third trial within the currant boundaries.
23. DRIVERS: Competition is limited to teams owned by contestants residing in North America. The team may be driven by the
owner and drivers may change at any time provided the officials are informed in advance. A meeting of all drivers, both lightweight
and heavyweight, will be held on the day of the contest. (Time and place to be announced). 24. Horses shall not be tied together by neckyoke, straps, ropes or in any other way. They are to be held together only by the regular lines used in driving. Horses may be switched from near to off side and vice versa, however, the officials must be notified prior to the 25. Any person defaulting by misrepresentation of ownership will be ineligible to pull the following year. 26. The first, second, and third place teams, plus one team selected at random, in both the heavyweight and the lightweight divisions will be blood tested TO DETECT THE PRESENT OF DISALLOWED DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS immediately following the respective contest. EQUIPOISE AND LASIX ARE NOT PERMITTED. Horses must go directly to the blood drawing location. Failure to submit horses immediately for testing will result in disqualification. If a blood test is positive for either horse, the team shall be disqualified, forfeit all placings and premiums, and the driver and owner shall be ineligible to compete the following year. Any driver and/or owner that was disqualified due to a positive drug test will be placed upon probation the first year they return to competition. Their horses must be drug tested during this probationary period. If the driver and/or owner have a second violation, they may become ineligible to compete up to five years. 27.Horses are also subject to blood testing if a protest is filed by a competing driver. Also, the complaint accompanied by a $35.00 deposit, must be filed in writing to the Superintendent before the horses leave the arena. If the blood test is positive for the presence of any drugs or medication other than antibiotics, or biologicals the team shall be disqualified and the driver and owner shall be ineligible to compete the following year. The identity of the complaint will be revealed to the accused driver or owner upon request. The $35.00 deposit will be returned to the complainant only if the blood samples are positive. 28. SETTING KILE RECORD: In 2013, the winner will establish the record. In subsequent years, setting a new record will be
handled as follows:
If more than one lightweight team crosses 3600 lbs, the new load will be 3800 lbs. If more than one heavyweight team crosses 3800 lbs, the new load will be 4000 lbs. If only one team crosses the record load, then only an additional 25 lbs will be added. If only one pair crosses the record load, the teamster may set the sled for the first, second, and third trials. If more than one pair crosses the record load, the official judge and operator will set the sled for the first and second trials. Teamsters will set the for That on a record load, the third trial must be taken in the established court.

Source: http://www.keystoneinternational.state.pa.us/files/HorsePullRules.pdf