Rally Rules (5
of 6)
G. TRAIL RULES
1. Following the Trail.
a) The team and Musher must follow the full course as laid out by the rally
organiser and as described at the Mushers meeting.
b) If a team leaves the trail the Musher must return the team to the point
at which they left the trail to avoid disqualification for this manoeuvre.
c) The trail shall be marked as follows:
i) Right turn - Red marker on right, approximately seven and a half to
fifteen meters (twenty five to fifty feet) before turn.
ii) Left turn - Red marker on left, approximately seven and a half to
fifteen meters (twenty five to fifty feet) before turn.
iii) Straight ahead - Blue marker
iiii) Caution - Yellow marker
d) The minimum dimension of the markers will be eight inches by ten inches,
depicting one colour and function.
e) Night rally markers will be reflective, to be advised by the individual
rally organiser.
f) The course should be of suitable surface avoiding where possible such
surfaces as concrete, sharp gravel and other materials likely to damage the
feet of the dogs, except at necessary crossings.
2. Driving a Team
a) A Musher may ride, scoot or run as preferred but must not be in front of
the dog team while in motion.
b) Wilful interference by a Musher with other competing teams is strictly
prohibited, teams experiencing difficulties must make every effort not to
impede other competitors.
c) All dogs starting a heat shall complete the entire course either hitched
in the team or placed in the dog bag, failure to do so will result in
disqualification for the event. The
exception to this is if the dog has been dropped and left with an
authorised rally marshall for health or safety reasons, in which case
disqualification will not apply.
d) A dog becoming unfit after departure shall be carried in the dog bag or
left with a marshall. Acceptance of a
dropped dog is always at the discretion of the marshall.
e) Physical and verbal abuse of dogs is strictly prohibited at the event
site and may lead to disqualification from the event and any further penalty
will be at the discretion of the committee of the S.S.H.C.
f) Abuse of marshalls and spectators is also prohibited.
3. Assistance on the Trail.
a) All teams may receive similar assistance of any type from marshalls
stationed at designated points along the trail as authorised by the rally
organiser at the Mushers meeting. Type
of assistance is always at the discretion of the marshall.
b) An individual team may receive assistance from
anyone, only if the team becomes unmanageable.
c) Authorised marshalls will be available to assist only when requested to
do so by the Musher.
d) No one shall assist a team by wilfully pacing it.
4. Loose Teams and Dogs
a) A loose team or dog will not incur penalty provided the team/dog has
completed the entire course and the Musher has received only authorised
outside assistance.
i) Authorised outside assistance is limited to holding a team/dog once it
has been stopped.
ii) Everyone should be encouraged to stop and hold any loose team/dog.
iii) A loose team/dog interfering with any other team will be disqualified.
5. Right of Way.
a) When passing oncoming teams on a single track, the team travelling
downhill has right of way.
b) On level ground, the rally organiser shall determine at the Mushers
meeting if the outgoing or incoming team have the right of way.
c) In the half mile "no right of way" zone prior to the finish,
no team shall have right of way over any other team.
6. Passing.
a) An overtaking team has right of way over the preceding team, when the
overtaking team comes within fifty feet (fifteen meters) of the team ahead.
The overtaking Musher shall call "trail" when they intend to
overtake.
b) Upon hearing this call, the team ahead shall make way for the passing
team, by moving to one side of the trail and slowing the team or stopping
if requested to do so by the overtaking Musher, up to a maximum of thirty
seconds.
c) An overtaken team may request and receive the right of way to repass
after one minute.
d) Teams following each other shall maintain a distance of no less than one
team length or fifty feet whichever is the greater, except when passing, or
in the "no right of way" zone.
e) Passing teams becoming tangled as a result of the pass may request the
overtaken team to wait for a period of not more than sixty seconds.
f) A Musher finding two or more teams stopped together may pass all such
teams, the stopped teams shall make every effort to clear the trail for the
moving team(s).
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