UFO Event Registration Rules
Entry Fees
Event hosts will collect a nominal entry fee from competitors upon registration. Hosts may set their own entry fees. The funds generated offset the costs of organizing and running UFO competitions.
Event Entry Limits
For larger events, hosts may institute a cut-off date for entries.
Cut-offs are entirely at the host’s discretion.
Cut-offs based on the NUMBER OF COMPETITORS are not allowed; only time-based limits may be used.
Competitor Registration Guidelines and Dog Limits
This is the definitive guide to UFO World Cup registration. To avoid confusion, please follow these rules carefully.
Handler Dog Limits:
- At UFO Majors, handlers may play with more than 4 dogs, as long as all dogs belong to the handler.
- There is no limit at Locals, though Local event organizers may have rules.
- If playing with a "borrowed" dog, a 4-dog limit applies.
- All dogs must compete in the same division (Open, Intermediate, or Novice/Beginner).
Novice Division
- Novice is for first-year handlers only (honor system).
- Novice handlers can use their own dog or a borrowed dog.
Open Division
- If entering Open, handler may not enter other divisions.
- Open divisions: Open Freestyle, Open Throw & Catch, Open Combined.
- Open Combined allows competing in both Freestyle & Throw & Catch for World Cup points.
- A handler can enter up to 4 dogs across Open divisions.
Dogs with Multiple Handlers: - Dogs may compete with up to 2 handlers. Dogs can compete in any division.
- Example: A dog can compete with one handler in Novice, another in Open Freestyle.
Age of Competing Dogs:
- T&C: dogs MUST be at least 12 months old with all vaccinations.
- Freestyle/Combined: dogs MUST be at least 18 months old with all vaccinations.
- Age determined by the month of the dog's birthday. Exemptions may be allowed by the host for the entire event.
- Judges may consider age for canine welfare purposes.
For Exhibition Only status
The UFO offers competitors the opportunity to participate, but not receive any ranking or award. This is known as “For Exhibition Only”, or FEO status for our events.
- This is available at all events. All event hosts should please take this into consideration.
- A team requesting this status will still play and get scores. They will NOT receive any awards, placement, World Cup Points or Qualification status.
They will be skipped for the purpose of determining top 10 teams at UFO Majors. Event hosts should still allow them to do a second round if they would have otherwise made the cut. But in determining the 10 teams that “officially” make the cut, the scorekeeper will skip FEO teams.
- FEO teams will still pay full entry fees, and still be judged and scored exactly as if they were a regular team.
- Judges will absolutely disregard FEO status for scoring. They are a paying, competing team in every regard except the final tally.
- A team that wishes to compete with FEO status MUST inform the event host, or scorekeeper prior to the event start.
- This status CANNOT be changed after the event starts. It cannot be revoked after the event starts, nor can it be applied after the first team begins.
- The handler themselves must inform the host, no proxy can be sent to do so. It will also be available in online registration via the UFO website.
- For teams that pre-register as FEO, the Event Host MUST confirm before the event begins that this declaration is accurate.
- A handler entering multiple dogs can declare 1 or more dogs FEO and keep the others in regular competition.
We hope this clears up any confusion about registration and divisions at UFO Majors. Please ask the registration crew if you have questions—they will ensure you are entered in the correct division.
Note: To earn World Cup points at UFO Majors, a competitor must enter the same dog in both Open Throw & Catch and Open Freestyle (Open Combined). Ask an official if unsure about your division.
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Handler Dog Limits:
- At UFO Majors, handlers may play with more than 4 dogs, as long as all dogs belong to the handler.
- There is no limit at Locals, though Local event organizers may have rules.
- If playing with a "borrowed" dog, a 4-dog limit applies.
- All dogs must compete in the same division (Open, Intermediate, or Novice/Beginner).
Novice Division
- Novice is for first-year handlers only (honor system).
- Novice handlers can use their own dog or a borrowed dog.
Open Division
- If entering Open, handler may not enter other divisions.
- Open divisions: Open Freestyle, Open Throw & Catch, Open Combined.
- Open Combined allows competing in both Freestyle & Throw & Catch for World Cup points.
- A handler can enter up to 4 dogs across Open divisions.
Dogs with Multiple Handlers: - Dogs may compete with up to 2 handlers. Dogs can compete in any division.
- Example: A dog can compete with one handler in Novice, another in Open Freestyle.
Age of Competing Dogs:
- T&C: dogs MUST be at least 12 months old with all vaccinations.
- Freestyle/Combined: dogs MUST be at least 18 months old with all vaccinations.
- Age determined by the month of the dog's birthday. Exemptions may be allowed by the host for the entire event.
- Judges may consider age for canine welfare purposes.
- A team requesting this status will still play and get scores. They will NOT receive any awards, placement, World Cup Points or Qualification status.
They will be skipped for the purpose of determining top 10 teams at UFO Majors. Event hosts should still allow them to do a second round if they would have otherwise made the cut. But in determining the 10 teams that “officially” make the cut, the scorekeeper will skip FEO teams.
- FEO teams will still pay full entry fees, and still be judged and scored exactly as if they were a regular team.
- Judges will absolutely disregard FEO status for scoring. They are a paying, competing team in every regard except the final tally.
- A team that wishes to compete with FEO status MUST inform the event host, or scorekeeper prior to the event start.
- This status CANNOT be changed after the event starts. It cannot be revoked after the event starts, nor can it be applied after the first team begins.
- The handler themselves must inform the host, no proxy can be sent to do so. It will also be available in online registration via the UFO website.
- For teams that pre-register as FEO, the Event Host MUST confirm before the event begins that this declaration is accurate.
- A handler entering multiple dogs can declare 1 or more dogs FEO and keep the others in regular competition.
We hope this clears up any confusion about registration and divisions at UFO Majors. Please ask the registration crew if you have questions—they will ensure you are entered in the correct division.
Note: To earn World Cup points at UFO Majors, a competitor must enter the same dog in both Open Throw & Catch and Open Freestyle (Open Combined). Ask an official if unsure about your division.