Rulebook

The season

• The season runs all year, and the new season starts one week after the championship.

Competition criteria

• To compete, the dog must be at least 18 months old.
• All dogs must comply with national vaccination requirements.
• All dogs must be marked with chip and/or tattoo.
• All dogs must undergo a health check by a veterinarian.
• All participants must sign a self-declaration that the dog is healthy, has no injuries, and that they are responsible for their dog's safety during the competition.
• A handler meeting is held each competition day where information about the day's competition and rules is reviewed, and the p4p form is handed out.
• The organizer may merge classes when appropriate.
• At every competition weekend the "Cooperation of the Weekend" award is presented by the judge.
• Any rough handling of the dog leads to a warning, which follows you the whole day. Applies on the track and across the competition area. Repeated or serious violations result in disqualification of the team; the disqualification applies to all dogs entered with that handler. Lasts the entire competition weekend.
• You must keep your dog under control and not let it approach others. Breaking this gives a warning that follows you the whole day.
• Dogs in heat, pregnant or nursing / within 10 weeks after birth are not allowed.

Weigh-in

• Weigh-in must be done before the competition by a judge and an assistant.
• If there are several competitions during the weekend, the weight from day 1 is kept for all of them.
• The judge's own dogs can be weighed in under supervision of 2 witnesses.
• All dogs must be weighed on the same scale.
• For safety reasons, all dogs are weighed on a leash — the same leash provided by the organizer.

Weight classes

Lightweight division

Class -5 (0–4.9 kg)

Class -10 (5.0–9.9 kg)

Class -15 (10.0–14.9 kg)

Middleweight division

Class -20 (15.0–19.9 kg)

Class -27 (20.0–26.9 kg)

Class -35 (27.0–34.9 kg)

Heavyweight division

Class -45 (35.0–44.9 kg)

Class +45 (45.0 kg and up)

Championship

Your dog needs 3 qualifications to compete in the IWPS championship.

Qualification requirements

Light- and middleweight classes: minimum 40 p4p

Heavyweight classes: minimum 30 p4p

Points system

Class and overall winners are crowned at the championship. Points are awarded as follows:

Placement points are only awarded for pulls above the qualification limit in the class:

• 1st place — 10 pts
• 2nd place — 7 pts
• 3rd place — 4 pts

IWPS Cup

• There is a cup in each division where you collect points throughout the season.
• The 5 competition days where the dog scores highest in the relevant division count.
• If the dog has fewer than 5 competition days, the ones you have count.
• 1st, 2nd and 3rd place are awarded in each division.

IWPS Champion titles

You can earn 3 different IWPS Champion titles:

• IWPA Champion Rails
• IWPA Champion Matte
• IWPA Champion Dirt

To become champion you must collect 200 points on the relevant surface.

Points can be collected over several seasons.

IWPS Grand Champion (all surfaces)

• To become Grand Champion you must collect 600 points in total.
• You must have points on every surface to be eligible.
• The points may be unevenly distributed across surfaces.
• Points can be collected over several years.

Weight pull tracks

Tracks for carts on pneumatic rubber wheels

Width: min 250 cm, max 500 cm. Length: min 10 m, no upper limit.

The track may be dirt, mat or grass.

The track can be flat or slightly uphill; downhill is not allowed.

The dog must pull on the same surface throughout, but a concrete start for the cart is allowed if the transition to the pulling surface is smooth.

The cart must be built with wood or metal frame, have 2 axles and 4 wheels.

The cart must withstand at least 3500 kg.

The cart must be 120–180 cm wide including tires and axles.

Cart length: min 150 cm, max 240 cm.

Tires: 33–50 cm in diameter. Pressure must be equal across all tires.

The cart must be fitted with a rope measuring 120–180 cm from the front to the hook.

The rope must be free of knots and well attached to the cart in a V-shape, made of nylon.

The cart must have braking handles, with bars at the front and/or rope at the back.

Rails

Width: min 100 cm, max 150 cm between rails. Length: min 10 m.

The rails must have a slope of 0.75–1.5 %.

Pulling surface may be dirt, grass or mat.

The cart must be built with wood or metal frame and 4 solid wheels.

The cart must withstand at least 3500 kg.

The cart must have a rope of 120–180 cm from the front to the hook — single in the center or V-shape.

The cart must have braking handles, with bars at the front and/or rope at the back.

Rookie dogs

• Rookie dogs must be at least 12 months old.
• Rookie dogs run together with their weight class.
• Rookie dogs may pull max 35 p4p for dogs under 45 kg, max 25 p4p for dogs from 45 kg.
• Rookie dogs may have a maximum of 5 pulls.

Holding

• Dogs may stay outside holding during the competition, but must be ready when called.
• The dog may be in a crate, on a leash, or in a car if appropriate.
• No other dogs are allowed in holding.
• No tobacco, drugs or alcohol consumption is allowed in holding.

Weights

• The amount of weight added per increment is announced at the handler meeting.
• All types of weights may be used as long as they are safely placed on the cart.
• The weight of each type must be known before the event begins.
• There must be a minimum of 3500 kg of weights available.

Dog gear

• New harnesses must be approved by the judge during weigh-in. It must be a weight pull harness in good condition that fits the dog.
• Baiting and food/treats are not allowed during the pull. Food/treats are not allowed on the track.
• Reward may be given as food or treats at locations specified by the organizer.
• No toys allowed.
• Water may be given at locations specified by the organizer.
• No substances / creams or similar are allowed on the dog's paws.

The pull

• The handler can choose which weight to enter on with their dog.
• The dog will be called up at the weight on the cart. Say "pull" if you want to take that weight, or "pass" to skip it.
• The team must wait for the start signal on deck. From the start signal the dog must move on its own.
• There is no limit to how many weights you may pass.
• If a dog is not ready after being called up twice, it counts as pass.
• The handler may have 3 minutes of rest between pulls.
• The cart's first axle must be placed on the start line before start; the same point must cross the finish line to complete a pull.
• The dog can be unhooked by cart staff or by the handler. The handler must say if they don't want the cart staff to unhook the dog.
• Slingshot is not allowed.
• If the dog hits the harness but still starts, the judge will issue a warning.
• If the dog repeatedly hits the harness to keep the cart moving, you will get a warning.
• Flying starts are not allowed.
• The handler must be in front of the dog during the pull — not beside, behind or over the dog.
• The clock starts when the dog begins to pull or when the handler leaves the dog.
• Dogs must pull 5 meters in 60 seconds. If the cart is still moving after 60 seconds the pull counts, but if the dog stops mid-pull and more than 60 seconds have passed it is no pull.
• If there is physical contact between dog and handler during the pull, it is no pull.
• If the dog gets stuck in the harness or gear, the judge will issue a warning for tangle.
• Biting equipment is not allowed.
• Digging is not allowed on dirt and grass.
• Any attempt to cheat results in disqualification.
• Double handling is not allowed.
• The handler must hand the dog's leash to the cart staff before the dog begins to pull.
• The handler may ask cart staff to help the dog by pushing the cart, with a clear signal. If help is requested, it is no pull.
• The class winner is the dog that pulls the highest weight relative to its own body weight (P4P).
• All warnings result in a restart from the start line.

Necessary accommodations will be made, as far as practically possible, for anyone with disabilities, in cooperation between the relevant handler and judge.

Officials

• The judge and pit boss are responsible for ensuring the event runs smoothly.
• Officials must follow and apply the current rules.
• The judge's decisions are final.
• A list of approved judges can be seen on the website.
• Cart staff are responsible for loading the cart during competition and unloading it when the class is finished.
• Help may be requested to unload the cart at the end of classes.
• Cart staff are also responsible for helping by pushing the cart if the handler asks.

Conduct

• All handlers must keep their dogs under control and clean up after them.
• If a dog bites a person or another dog, it will be disqualified.
• If a handler is aggressive towards their dog, another dog, participants, audience or staff, they will be disqualified.
• If a dog does not appear to be in good shape, the vet and/or judge may pull the dog from the competition.
• Animal cruelty results in expulsion from IWPS.

Complaints

• Complaints must be submitted in writing to the judge, signed, no later than 10 minutes after the incident.
• The judge has the right to remove someone from the competition if they fail to follow the organizer's rules.
• The judge may also remove people with inappropriate behavior (intoxicated, aggressive, etc.).

All rule violations result in a warning unless otherwise stated. Minor adjustments may occur during the season.