IX. Weight Pull Judge Rules and Guidelines.

A. Required qualifications for Weight Pull Judge applicants.


1. Grandfather-license applicants. Applicant must be licensed through another recognized organization offering weight pulls. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of UKC. Applicants granted a Grandfather-license shall not be required to pass a written examination or apprentice.

2. Required qualifications for all other Weight Pull Judge applicants. Applicant must have trained and handled a dog to a United Weight Pull Champion (UWPCH) title through UKC or a recognized equivalent title. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of UKC.

B. Recommended qualifications for Weight Pull Judge applicants. Verifiable or documented experience in the sport that the applicant feels is pertinent and useful may be considered in evaluating the qualifications of the applicant to judge. The sum total of the experience and individual merits of the applicant will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with the following background will be given extra consideration:


1. Applicant teaches or has taught weight pull classes or seminars.

2. Applicant currently belongs to a weight pull club.

3. Applicant currently holds office in a weight pull club or has done so in the past.

4. Applicant actively participates in UKC weight pull events.

5. Applicant is recommended by a UKC-affiliated club that is licensed for weight pull events.

6. Applicant has attended one or more weight pull-related seminars.

C. Application procedure.


1. Application. Applicant must submit a letter stating that he/she has the required qualifications and listing which of the recommended qualifications he/she has. Applicant must provide UKC with photocopies of registration certificates and title certificates for the required dogs trained and handled. The letter should also include the following:


a. Training and handling experience.


1. Number of weight pulls attended annually. These figures should include the names of the organizations sponsoring the trials.

2. All weight pull titles earned. This should include the classes from which the titles were earned, the dogs that earned the titles (including names and registration numbers), and the sponsoring organization of the events where the titles were earned.

3. Levels of experience as weight pull instructor.

b. Judging experience. List of weight pulls or matches judged with club names, dates, and names and telephone numbers of Event Chairpersons, and number of dogs judged.

c. General knowledge.


1. Education. List weight pull judging seminars or other weight pull-related educational events attended, including dates and presenters.

2. References. List references from weight pull trainers, Judges or exhibitors.
2. Written examination. Applicants approved by UKC will be sent an examination on the UKC Weight Pull rules and procedures.

D. Apprentice Judge. Applicants who successfully complete the exam will be notified within 30 days of receipt of the completed exams at UKC. Upon written notice of acceptance and not before, applicant may apply for assignments as an Apprentice Judge.


1. Applying for an Apprentice judging assignment. An Apprentice Judge must apply in writing to the officiating Judge of an upcoming UKC weight pull requesting permission to apprentice at a specific event. Copies of the request must also be sent to the Weight Pull Chairperson of the club hosting the pull. No one may serve as an Apprentice Judge who has not applied in writing to an officiating Judge and received that Judge’s written consent. Only one Apprentice is allowed per officiating Judge per trial. No Apprentice Judge may apply for an assignment under an officiating Judge that is a member of the Apprentice Judge’s immediate family or who resides in the same household.

2. Approval/denial of application for an Apprentice judging assignment. The officiating Judge must respond promptly to a request for an Apprentice judging assignment. If the request is denied, the officiating Judge must give reasons for the denial and send a copy of the request and his/her letter of denial to the Dog Events department at UKC. If the host club objects to allowing an Apprentice Judge at its pull, they must promptly notify the officiating Judge of their objections. UKC encourages Judges to work these problems out with the clubs, but the decision of the officiating Judge is final.

3. Duties of Apprentice Judge. The Apprentice Judge must be at the chute throughout all classes of the weight pull with the exception of any class in which the Apprentice Judge has a dog competing. The Apprentice Judge must closely observe the judging procedures and the activities of the pull officials. The Apprentice Judge must follow the instructions of the Senior Judge at all times.

4. Prohibitions.


a. Awards. The Apprentice Judge may not hand out awards or ribbons.

b. Stewarding. No Apprentice Judge may work as an Event Chairperson, Event Secretary or pull official in any trial in which he/she is apprenticing.

c. Apprenticing for more than one event. An Apprentice Judge may not apprentice for a different performance event or a conformation show hosted by the same club on the same day, nor may he/she complete more than two Apprentice judging assignments in a single weekend.

5. Apprentice Judge Evaluation Form. The Apprentice Judge must request an Apprentice Judge Evaluation Form from the Dog Events Department. He/she is responsible for providing the form and a stamped envelope addressed to UKC, Dog Events Department, 100 E. Kilgore Road, Kalamazoo MI 49002 to each licensed Judge under which he/she apprentices.

6. Duties of Officiating Judges with Apprentices. The officiating Judge must evaluate the Apprentice Judge’s knowledge of the UKC weight pull rules and judging procedures based on their discussions. The officiating Judge must complete the Apprentice Judge Evaluation form and send it directly to UKC. The completed forms are confidential and not to be shared with the Apprentice Judge.

7. Completing an apprenticeship. Upon satisfactory completion of the minimum requirements listed below, an Apprentice Judge will be eligible to be licensed as a UKC Probationary Weight Pull Judge:


a. Serve as an Apprentice Weight Pull Judge for all classes at three different UKC-licensed weight pulls.

b. Apprentice for and receive favorable recommendations from a minimum of two different UKC-licensed Weight Pull Judges under whom he/she has apprenticed.

E. Probationary Judge. A person must serve as a Probationary Judge for a minimum of one year after licensing, during which time he/she must judge at least two pulls. No Probationary Judge may authorize an Apprentice Judge to serve under him/her. During the probationary period, UKC will evaluate the performance of Probationary Judges. Judges who successfully complete the probationary year will automatically qualify as Senior Weight Pull Judges unless notified otherwise by UKC.

F. Judging Procedures.


1. Judge’s authority in the chute. The Judge may use whatever reasonable procedures he/she deems necessary to evaluate each dog’s performance in an effective and efficient manner. The same procedures will be used to Judge each dog in a class.

2. Responsibility for pulling area. The Judge is responsible for ensuring that the pulling area is in compliance with the UKC rules.

3. Responsibility for pulling equipment. The Judge is responsible for ensuring that the pulling equipment is in compliance with the UKC rules.

4. Responsibility for supervising pull officials. The Judge is responsible for supervising and instructing all pull officials. Prior to the start of the pull, the Judge must instruct the pull officials regarding their responsibilities.