After October 1st, it will be available to Open, as well as the Regular and Multibreed classes.
1. If one or both teams would like a practice start, they must tell the judge BEFORE THE WARM UP IS OVER. Once the whistle has sounded and the judge has NOT received a request by one OR both teams, then there will NOT be a practice start and the judge will immediately go into the first heat of the race.
2. As noted above, one or both teams may request a practice start but this must be communicated to the judge during the warm-up period and before the whistle blows. If only one team elects to use the practice start, the other team does not have to use it.
3. As soon as one or both dogs cross the start line, the judge will immediately blow the whistle just as if a false start occurred. This should eliminate anyone accidentally sending their dog after the start dog. We are encouraging teams to be heads up about this so that dogs are not accidentally sent after the start dogs and we also are encouraging the starters and the other team members to set up your dogs as soon as possible to start the first heat of the race.
4. You are only allowed ONE practice start per race. The only exception is if your dog is interfered with before he crosses the start line. If your dog does not go when the lights are on for some reason, if he spins around or delays for some reason, a second start will NOT be given.
5. We are encouraging that only the dogs that are starting use this practice start. We realize that you may change start dogs during the race, and for this reason you could use a different dog to use this practice start but the dog must be listed on the timesheet of course. Regardless, you will get ONE practice start only, regardless of line-up changes, injury, etc.
