Fieldays 2024: National Tractor Pull Competition Rules

1. All tractors MUST fully comply with all safety regulations AND have an approved safety frame fitted regardless of any exemption permitted by regulations. 
2. The NZ National Fieldays® Society will take all safety precautions but no liability will be accepted for damage to competitors’ tractors or injury to competitors. Any driving practice deemed to be dangerous will result in disqualification. 
3. All vehicles are required to be insured by the owner; the society takes no responsibility for accident, loss, or damage of the vehicle at any stage. 
4. Each entrant may only drive one tractor and each tractor may only be entered once. Either new or second-hand tractors may be used. Competitors wishing to obtain a tractor locally must make their own arrangements before entering. 
5. Entries may not be accepted after the closing date 30 May 2024. 
6. Priority of acceptance will be given to entries in the order they are received by NZ National Fieldays® Society, who reserve the right to accept or decline any entry. 
7.  With your entry into the Fieldays Tractor Pull competition, you give permission for your name, contact details, and photos to be used for publicity purposes under the control of the NZ National Fieldays Society. 
8. The judge’s decision on all matters will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. The list of judges will be on the Tractor Pull noticeboard. 
9. No refunds will be made if competitors withdraw from the competition, unless under extreme circumstances. 
10. New entrants’ practice – Tuesday 11 June 2024 from 1pm; weather permitting. 
11. Heats – Wednesday 12 Thursday 13 June 2024 (during Fieldays event) Semi Finals and Finals – Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June 2024. 
12. All competitors will start in the heats. 
13. In the case of bad weather, all efforts will be taken to complete the competition and stay to schedule but if the judges deem the conditions too unsafe, the competition may be delayed or cancelled. 

Competition Rules – Weight Adjusted

1. The competition is open to all standard agricultural tractors with a manufacturers PTO power rating of 193kW (260hp maximum), 60kW (80hp minimum).
2. The PTO power output measured on the dynamometer at the event must not exceed 193kW (260hp). 
3. Contestants must not alter the tractor settings that may affect the maximum power output between the dynamometer testing and the race. Contestants must not alter the tractor settings that may affect the maximum power output of the tractor between the dynamometer testing and the race. However, if the tractor is fitted with an engine management system that could boost the power output of the engine when competing on the track above that which was measured on the dynamometer, then up to 10% may be added to the maximum power output recorded on the dynamometer for handicapping purposes. Entrants are required to identify on their entry form if their tractor has a power boost feature, how this affects the performance of the tractor and/or if the engine management system has been modified from original e.g., “chipped”. The judges will use this information in conjunction with information from other sources to determine which tractors this 10% rule will apply to. 
4. All tractors must be on rubber tyres, and may be ballasted, but only with standard weights and water ballast up to the maximum level recommended by the manufacturers. Additional traction aids are permissible, but their use must be confined to the competition area only to avoid damage to exhibition area roadways. 
5. Each tractor will have its maximum PTO power measured at maximum engine speed (i.e., full throttle). Where the power output is below 95% of the tractor manufacturer’s specification, the 95% power level will be used for handicapping. 
6. High idle and maximum power speeds of entrants’ tractors must be within 15% of the manufacturers’ specifications. 
7. Tractors may not be used with an implement attached. 
8. Normal tractor systems such as hydraulics may be used if desired. Entrants must supply their own pins, lynch pins and standard hydraulic linkage cross-arm drawbars etc. as required. Chains will be supplied by Fieldays. 
9. The chain length will be a fixed length determined by the judges and will remain the same length throughout the entire competition. Maximum hitch height is not to exceed 1.0m above the ground. In the case of a ‘D shackle’ and horizontal pin, it will be the centre of the pull bar/pin. In the case of a vertical pin, it will be to the top of the lower tongue. If the chain is not hitched directly to the standard drawbar, then it must not leave the tractor from a point more than 100mm forward of the lower link outer ball joints. Provisions must be made to allow the chain to be attached directly to a bar on the linkage arms (i.e., D shackle, pin, etc.) which the competitor is to provide (direct drawbar hitch is acceptable). Appropriate pins, D shackles etc. must be provided by the competitor for attaching the chain to the tractor. 
10. The PTO shaft must be readily accessible, and a 6-spline PTO shaft is preferable where possible. All tractors must be operated in the 1000rpm PTO speed ratio when tested on the dynamometer. 
11. The dynamometer operator has the right to disqualify any competitor if the tractor’s PTO shaft is in an unsafe or unusable state. 
12. The competitor will remain in the tractor seat between being tested at the dynamometer and completing the final run of the current race unless otherwise directed by officials. 
13. A re-run may be allowed for the first jump at the start, but you will automatically be disqualified if you jump at the start on your second attempt. 
14. Your weight adjusted day will be defined by your weight transfer selection. There will be no alterations to the weight adjusted draw if you change weight class and they fall on the same day. 
     

Competition Rules - Weight Transfer

1. Tractors are limited to a max weight of 15 Tonne. 
2. The competition will be divided into five groups. The calibration will not change in a weight class, during a round. The calibration can change between rounds. The calibration number displays on the screen at the start to ensure it is openly acknowledged to be the same as competing class tractors within these groups. Each day will have one of the weight classes. 
3. Hitch must be off the standard drawbar hitch. You must supply your own draw bar pin with lynch pin. 
4. Hitch must be a standard double tongue drawbar, in the case of pick-up hitches, the double tongue must be used. 
5. The drawbar must not have any modifications or exceed 650mm from the ground to the top side of the lower tongue. Drawbars must not be ‘flipped’. 
6. Competitors may start their pull once given the all-clear by officials, the end of the competitors run is determined by when forward movement stops and the counter stops going up. 
7. Excessive holes being dug at the end of the run are unacceptable and may cause the competitor to be disqualified from the competition at the official’s discretion. 
8. The competitor is responsible for checking they are under the maximum weight for their class. The officials will weigh the top three competitors at the end of the finals and will be disqualified if they are over the said weight with zero tolerance. This includes driver fuel and any foreign matter accumulated from completing your pull. 
9. If the competitor is not available at the time of the transfer heats, they will be deemed as ‘Did Not Finish’ for that round. 
10. Competitors run in numerical order in the first round and run in reverse order in the second round. Officials will help guide you into this order. 
11. Any driving practice deemed to be dangerous will result in disqualification. 
12. The judge’s decision on all matters will be final and no correspondence will be entered. 
13. No ground penetrating implements, or aids are permitted. 
14. Tractors may not be used with an implement attached. 
15. The chain length will be a fixed length determined by the judges and will remain the same length throughout each round. 
    
    False starts over 4m are considered as the competitors run, false starts under 4m, the competitor can stop and start again but the sledge will not be restarted. 
16. Any action or addition/modification deemed unsafe by the Fieldays Tractor Pull team will result in disqualification and or removal from the site. 
17. The Weighbridge at the event is the official weighbridge and its readings are final. 
18. Competitors must take the chain slack up before setting off on their run. If competitors fail to do so, the run may be terminated and may be disqualified from the event. 
19. Competitors must not venture outside of the set track area. This includes weaving in between cones/pegs. If they fail to do so, their run will be terminated.