The pit rules

Ok so if I'm correct the Cajun rules were first used in the fifties so my question is what rules did the staff men use before in the Black Country uk?

 

There are a few Staff book's about with the rule's in them.

 

Any links or info from anyone?

 

As far as i heard,they used rules simaler to game-bird rules....

 

the original pit rules appear in John F Gordons book "the staffordshire bull terrier" 1986 edition.

 

some English rules appear here The Sporting Bull Terrier by Eugene Glass

 

Many thanks anyone know why the rules where changed to Cajun rules in the first place?

 

To shorten the contest and make it better for the dog's.

 

Theres been many rule variations and changes over the years. Such as the first sets of rules stipulated that a dog had to scratch immediately and with out stopping on the way over, modern rules give a 10 second count and sometimes even high. There was Claude Blackwells Rules, Bowsers Rules, Bowsers Revised Rules, Al Browns Rules, The Modern Combat Rules by Bob Hemphill, and several different revisions of the UKC Rules... The most modern set of rules was Gaboon Trahans rules which were widely used after the UKC no longer condoned the pitting of dogs. Different rules stated different things... such as making contact on a scratch (when fur touches fur) or if the dog must simply mouth, or if it MUST take hold. Another difference is that in some rules a dog did not have to be alive to win... while other rules state, No dog shall have to scratch into a dead dog.

 

Here is a version of the Old Ukc rules

It is the aim of the United Kennel Club Registering Office,it's members and the APBT Fraternity,to place" Pit Contest" upon a Recognized plane of Excellence and promote more and better contests,the Following rules have been adopted by the Fraternity and UKC Registering Offices.
1.Pit Contest to be recognized must employ a UKC licensed referee.
2.The principals may select any licensed UKC referee in good standing.
3.The Principals may select any fancier for the official timekeeper,but the selection must meet with the approvel of the referee.
4.A licensed referee shall not preside over any"Pit Contest" where one or both of the combat dogs are non-UKC registered "Cur" bloodlines.
5.The combat dogs must be UKC registered in their rightful owner's name and the referee shall make sure of this and be in possession of their registration certificates durning the contest.
6.The referee shall deliver to the UKC Registering Office a full and complete report of the contest within 5 days after the contest.
7.Any dog winning 3 moneyed contests held under these rules and presided over by the UKC licensed referee,shall have the degree of Champion conferred upon him by the UKC Registering Office and the Pit Bull Terrier Fraternity.
8.It shall be the duty of the official timekepper to keep a correct record of the time consumed in the contest by scratches,etc.,and he shall deliver the original time sheet(or a duplicate) to the referee immediately after the contest to be sent to the UKC registering office for record.It shall also be the duty of the official time keeper to call to the referee before the 25 seconds"Get Ready" and the 30 seconds"Let Go", and the referee shall act accordingly.
9.The full amount of the contest money shall be in the hands of the final stake holder before the referee shall order the dogs weighted.The referee shall order the dogs weighted 1 hour before the contest and they shall be weighted in the presence of the referee and the final stake holder of either dog exceeding the weight specified in the agreement shall forfeit then and there to his opponent all money posted.
10. After weighting the dogs the referee shall toss a coin for the Principals and the Principals winning the toss shall have his choice of haveing his dog washed (first or last)also his choice of the corner in the "Pit"
11.Each Principal shall furnish a sponge and two towels for washing and drying his opponents dog.Both dogs shall be washed in the center of the Pit with warm water and washing soda.15 minutes shall be allowed each Principal to wash his opponents dog.The time between washing each dog shall not exceed 5 minutes.
12. After washing and drying each dog shall be placed in the hands of a watchful fancier in the corner of the Pit selected or assigned to him and kept there untill the Principals are given the word "Let Go" by the referee.Each Principal shall "let go" his opponents dog at the start and thereafter shall handle their own dog.
13.There shall be only one container of water in the "Pit" for sponging between a "pick up" and a "scratch" and each Principal shall furnish a sponge 2 towels for sponging and drying his dog.The referee shall examine the sponges and water and have full charge of them at all time.
14.It shall be a fair"scratch in turn" contest.30 seconds shall be allowed between every "pick up" and "scratch" 25 seconds for sponging,drying and fanning,and 5 seconds to get ready.
15.To establish a fair"turn"which will entitle either Principal to "pick up".Both dogs must be free from holds and the dog which is accused of "turning" must have turned his head and shoulders from his opponent.Either Principal upon noticing this action may appeal to the referee and claim the "Turn" and if the claim be just and fair the referee shall immediately call a "pick up" and notify the other Principal it is his turn to scratch.
16.At 25 seconds the referee shall call"get ready" and at 30 seconds he shall call"let go"and the Ptincipal of the dog to scratch shall take his hands off his dog fair of his "scratch" his dog must go across the "pit" inside his opponents"scratch line" and mouth his opponent.Should the dog fail to go across and mouth his opponent he loses the con test and the refereee shall immediately announce the winner.
17.While ons dog is "scratching" the opponent shall hold his dog's head and shoulders fair between his legs just inside the "scratch line".
18.Should a dog while'scratching"become confused and sway to either side of the direct line to his opponent as long as he does not turn his head away from his opponent he is making a fair"scratch"
19.Should any outsider attract the dogs attantion while "scratching" and the dog,stop,or "scratch" the article or object instaed of his opponent,the referee shall immediately order the dog cratched"over.
20.Should either dog become fanged,the referee shall order a "pick up" and allow the principal to unfang his dog, then immediately order them put down two feet apart and give the word"let go".This action does not have any connection with a "turn" or "scratch" and must not be considered so.Principals can un-fang their dogs with their hands without picking them up if the referee so decides.
21.Should a fair"turn and pick up" be made and the dogs accidentally get in a hold again,the referee shall order them parted and proceed in 30 seconds with the "scratch".
22.Principals shall be allowed to encourage their dogs by voice and actions.Should a Principal touch either dog with his hand,foot or other article while in action the the referee shall immediately call a foul ans announce his opponent the winner.
23.Principals shall take their hands off their dogs fair inside their "Scratch line".Should a principal push his dog over his "scratch line" the referee shall immediately call a foul and announce his opponent the winner.
24.Should a Principal pick his dog up without being told to by the referee.the referee shall immediately call a foul and announce his opponent the winner.
25.Should a Ptincipal leave his corner before the dogs have resumed action, the referee shall immediately call a foul and announce his opponent the winner.
26.Under no circumstances where a match is made and money posted,shall the money be returned without a contest.The Principal appearing for the shall be declared the winner and receive the "stake" money.
27.Should interference of any kind prevent a fair decisive contest, the Principals and the referee shall name the next time and place for the contest(within 15 days).Should the Principals and the referee fail to agree upon the future meeting place, it shall then be the duty of the referee to name the time and place and the same referee shall preside over this unfinished contest and the principals and the referee shall start this contest with "rule 3"
28.Any persons or persons found guilty of doping,faking,poisoning or attempting to dope,fake,poison or damage any dog or dogs,before,durning or after the contest,shall forfeit all money,fined $100 and be barred from the APBT Fraternity for a period of 3 years ,and a full report of such action shall be printed 2 times each year for a period 3 years in the June and Dec.Issues of the UKC official Journal,Bloodlines.
29.In all recognized contests the decisions of the UKC licensed Referee shall be final and all bets shall go as the "main stakes".
30.The "Pit" shall be 16 ft.square with sides two and one half feet high,with a tight wood floor.A line shall be painted across the center,also a scratch line painted across each Principals corner.To draw this scratch line, measure 7 ft out each way from the corner.


*** For Historical Purposes Only ***

 

from staffords and baiting sports by phil drabble
In days when the sport was still legal and at the height of its popularity, between 1820 and 1830, dog-fights were a regular part of the sport at such famous centres of attraction to "the fancy" as the Westminster Pit. The arena here was used indiscriminately for dog-fights, rat-killing contests, cock fights and various freak contests between dog and raccoon or even monkey. The pit itself was roughly 12-18 feet across, with a boarded surround about three feet high, over which the spectators could watch. Each dog was handled by his second and, after the preliminary formalities concerning the stakes had been completed, each dog was weighed in the pit. It is common for owners of bull terriers which develop a taste for fighting, to boast that their dogs will "kill anything" and that this dog or that "killed an Alsatian" (or something equally big) "in ten minutes." They would alter their tune if they met a real fighting terrier. So much does sheer weight count that matches were rarely made at more than a maximum excess of one pound over the stipulated weight. If a match were made to be fought at "38 lbs give or take a pound", a dog coming to the pit so much as a few ounces over 39 lbs would be disqualified and forfeit the stakes. And two good dogs would sometimes take as much as two hours to decide which was the better and rarely less than 25 or 30 minutes. However good a dog was known to be, nobody but a fool would match him against anything but a cur outside his weight class. And the and who kept fighting terriers considered all breeds to be curs which were not game in the pit. There was often a good deal of trickery, of the lowest sort, employed to ensure a particular dog winning. He would be rubbed over with acid or pickle or pepper or anything to discourage his opponent from biting him. To avoid this a common butt of water was provided from which both dogs had to be washed, or sometimes milk was used to "kill" the acid. As an additional precaution, each setter was allowed to "taste" (or lick) his opponent's dog both before and after fighting to satisfy himself that nothing pernicious had been used. When the preliminaries had been completed a coin was tossed to decide which dog should "scratch first * ". They were taken to opposite corners of the pit where each second held his dog between his knees so that the other dog got a fair unobstructed view of his opponent's head. On a word from the referee, the dog which had to "scratch" first was liberated and had to go across the pit to attack his opponent. A line was drawn cross the centre of the pit, which was known as the Scratch and the opposing dog could not be loosed until the attacker had crossed this line. When he had crossed the scratch the other setter could loose his dog when ever he liked and it was judgment here that won or lost many battles. * Alternatively it was customary in some parts to commence by loosing both dogs simultaneously. The setters could not leave the pit until they commenced fighting, and the first to "fault" had to scratch next time when the battle continued as described above. If a setter thought his opponent was not "fast" (or aggressive) he might risk holding his dog quite still and, if the other dog did not begin to fight him, he automatically lost the battle. But if his judgment had been wrong and the other dog did fight at once, the dog which had been held still, until his opponent caught hold of him where he wanted to, was at an obvious disadvantage. If, on the other hand, the setter thought his opponent was pretty fast, his obvious tactics were to loose his dog the moment the other dog crossed the scratch so that they could meet on equal terms. Sometimes a setter opposed to a fast dog would hold his till the last moment and slip him to one side, so that the other dog rushed harmlessly by. He then loosed him, in the hope that he could get a hold before his adversary had recovered his balance. This was an obvious case of "not showing his dog's head fair to scratch" and should have been penalised by the referee. When both dogs commenced to fight, and not before, the setters could leave the pit and though they could encourage their own dogs they were forbidden to speak to their opponent's dog. Neither dog could be touched again until both stopped fighting, which would eventually happen when they were short of wind or otherwise exhausted. When this happened either setter would pick up his dog. If the opposing dog showed fight he was obliged to put it down again and allow them to continue. If he could get him away unmolested he could take him to his corner and the round had expired. One minute was allowed for sponging down and making ready for the next round, and the referee gave warning after 50 seconds so that both should be ready when the minute was up. This time the dog who scratched first was held while his opponent came to the scratch and the battle went on again for no set time but until both dogs "faulted" again. Sometimes these rounds lasted for 20 minutes or more. Towards the end of a battle, when both dogs were becoming weak or, short of breath, there might only be a few minutes between scratches. A battle of an hour or more might have twenty scratches, or one dog might be killed in the first scratch. It was very like the old Prize Ring rules where men did not fight for a stipulated time but until one fell to the ground. The battle was lost by the first dog to fail to come to scratch in his turn. It was not necessarily the dog which killed the other who won but the dog which proved most game. If a dog was killed in the pit the other had to stay at him for ten minutes at least and he could still not be handled by his setter till he faulted. Then he was taken to his corner. If it was the dead dog's turn to scratch the battle was automatically lost. If it was the live dog's turn and he did not scratch, he lost the battle although he had killed his opponent. Dog-fighting has become illegal since the days of the Westminster Pit and by the middle of last century it had to be carried on surreptitiously. It was very popular in London until the beginning of this century and a little has been carried on in the Midlands at intervals since then. Police interference has increased until al] organised dog-fighting in this country has now been stamped out, but game terriers are still bred and exported to America where the sport is still perfectly legal in some States. It is natural that a sport demanding such gameness should produce some remarkable dogs. I saw a dog only last year which refused to mate a bitch which was dead hot in season. Every time he was loosed he went straight for her throat and we had to choke him off eight times before he eventually mated her and he even tried to worry her when he was knotted. No damage was done as it happened, since she was wearing her broad leather collar. Puppies will fight to kill at three months and bitches are as keen as dogs. Yet some strains are remarkably friendly to other dogs and will put up with unusual insults before being goaded into fighting when once they get a taste for it, they would rather fight than do anything in the world.