Click here to download the entry form for Tug o War

Competitor Terms and Conditions

• By submitting an entry form you acknowledge that: 1. You have read and understood the relevant competition details and rules and the general competition terms and conditions.
• 2. You acknowledge that as a competitor you compete at your own risk and your safety is your sole responsibility. You acknowledge you have the relevant experience and fitness to compete at this level of competition. General Competition Terms and Conditions

• The Southern Highland Showdown (Event) is an event promoted and run by a group of volunteers (Organisers).
• Submitting an entry form to compete at any competition at the Event constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.
• Where an entry form is submitted on behalf of a team comprising of more than one person, the person submitting that entry form warrants and represents that they are authorised to submit the entry on behalf of all persons in the team and all persons in that team will be bound by these terms and conditions.
• Entry forms for entry to any competition at the Event must be received by 5:00pm on the date specified in the relevant competition details and rules on the competition page of this website. No responsibility is accepted for incomplete, lost, or misdirected entries.
• All competitors will comply with all directions and instructions given by the Event Organisers or the Judges during the competition.
• The Judges’ decision in relation to any competition at the Event is final and no correspondence, or discussion, will be entered into.
• Any competitor may be disqualified by the Judges for not complying with the rules for the competition or any directions and instructions given by the Organisers or the judges (as determined by the judges).
• The Judges reserve the right to determine a winner for any competition if a clear winner is not determined in accordance with the rules for that competition.
• The Judges reserve the right to move competitors into another category if they deem necessary.
• No responsibility is accepted by the Organisers for any injury, damage, or loss to any person or property that may occur during any competition at the Event, during practices, or otherwise in relation to the Event. The care, safety, and wellbeing of children or minors taking part will be the sole responsibility of their parents or caregivers.
• Each person entering or participating in any competition at the Event warrants (and where minors, their parents or caregivers warrant in relation to those minors) to the Organisers that they are in good health and have no medical or other conditions that might be affected by participation in the competition.
• The Organisers reserve the right to require that evidence of age and eligibility be produced by any competition entrants.
• The Organisers reserve the right to postpone or cancel the Event or competition at any time (whether prior to the date of the Event or on the date of the Event) and for any reason, including (but not limited to) a Force Majeure Event. The Organisers will not be liable to any competitor for any compensation whatsoever as a result of postponement, cancellation, or termination of the Event.
• Where the Organisers cancel or terminate the Event or competition due to a Force Majeure Event (and not for any other reason such as breach by the competitor of this Agreement or the general ticket terms and conditions) the Organisers will refund any entry fee already paid by the competitor prior to such cancellation or termination.
• Any prizes offered in connection with any competition at the Event are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Information and all promotional or advertising material about the Event and competitions, entries for competitions at the Event, and prizes form part of and are subject to these terms & conditions.
• All entries become property of the Event. The information collected in this form will be held securely by the Organisers at its offices in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993 and will be used for the purpose of the prize draw and for publicity, marketing and promotional purposes.
• Entry into any competition at the Event constitutes the consent by the entrant to the Organisers using the details and results of the competition and the competitor’s name and image and photography for publicity, communications, and marketing and promotional purposes.
• The Southern Highland Games is run in a licenced venue, no BYO alcohol can be brought in. If a competitor is found to have brought alcohol onto to the grounds they will be disqualified from the competition and asked to leave the competition.
• This is a family event, teams are asked to act in a respectable manor. The officials will issue a warning and then a caution if they deem a team’s behaviour to be unacceptable, two cautions will result in disqualification.
• The Event will be run in line with Government COVID guidelines in place at the time.
• In these terms and conditions, unless the context otherwise requires: Agreement means the agreement between the Organisers and the competitor (being the person or persons named in the Application) comprised of the Application and these terms and conditions, once the Application has been accepted by the Organisers. Application means the application form completed by the Competitor to which these terms and conditions relate. Force Majeure Event means any cause or circumstance beyond the reasonable control of the Organisers including but not limited to acts of God, earthquake, fire, explosion, flood, storm, or other adverse weather conditions, accident, riot, civil commotion, insurrection, epidemic, pandemic, national emergency (whether in fact or law), act of war or terrorism (whether declared or not), or Governmental or Local Authority action, restrictions, restraint, direction, or embargo.

Tug O War rules:

• Teams of 8 people (adults or children)
• Head tugger/coach must report to the Tug O’ War arena 15 minute prior to the team’s first scheduled start time.
• The direction for the match will be decided by coin toss.
• Once in position the Judge will ask the head tugger if they are ready, then give the command take the strain, within five seconds of the take the strain command, the referee will blow a whistle to signal the start of the pull.
• During the tug the rope must not be wrapped around the wrist or any other part of the body, except for the anchor man. The anchor man may lope the end of the rope over their left or right shoulder, diagonally across their back, the end is held in the opposite hand, with a metre or so hanging loose and pointing forwards. Rope must not be locked or crossed over in any place by the anchor man.
• Apart from the anchor lope the rope must remain in a straight line for the duration of the pull.
• No hand over hand tugging allowed. Team members must go back with rope when tugging, an underhand grip (with the rope under the arms) must be adopted. The referee’s decision on illegal pulling (looping the rope, lying down and other underhand tactics) will be final.
• All team members are to remain on their feet at all times, no hands are allowed on the ground for a prolonged period of time, except the anchor-man who is allowed to use one hand on the ground.
• No surging of the rope or lifting up and down during tug. Rope must maintain constant level to the horizon and at a constant strain.
• To avoid potential injury, when a winner of a tug is declared, both teams must release rope together in a safe manner. Disqualification of the offending team may occur at the referees’ discretion should the rope be released suddenly causing the opposite team to fall to the ground – no caution.
• The winning team is the first to tug their opposition 4 metres across the centre line.
• Pool matches will be run, consisting of best of 3 tugs per match.
• If one team wins two consecutive tugs, they are announced the match winners and given 5 points.
• If there is a draw after two tugs, then a 3rd tug will be held in which case the winner will be awarded 2 points.
• Each team will tug against at least two teams in the pool matches over two rounds. This may mean a team has a BYE in a round if uneven number of teams but no points will be given as each team will have the same number of tugs over both rounds. (i.e. if three teams in a Pool Round 1 team A will tug team B, team C will Tug Team B; Round 2 team A will Tug team C). Officials will ensure no team has back-to-back tugs.
• The top 4 teams, based on points won during pool matches, will go through to the semi-final matches. Quarter final tugs may be held at the judge’s discretion.
• If there are any ties after pool matches a knock-out round with ONE addition tiebreaker tug match will be run until only 4 teams remain.
• The direction of the tug for knock-out round(s) will be decided by coin toss.
• Semi and finals will be best of three tugs.
• Prize money will be paid in cash on the day; this must be claimed by the head tugger who will need to hand in a slip given to them by the Tug O’ War officials at the Event Information building following the final.