HUDSON BAY QUEST - 2009 RULES

1. Race Start - The official starting date for the 2009 race is March 21st, 2009. The race will start at 9:00am Central Standard Time. The official starting place will be Churchill, Manitoba and racers must be in Churchill on March 20th for the official veterinarian check. The race will be held regardless of weather conditions.

2. Entry Fee and Dates - 2009 Hudson Bay Quest Dog Sled Race (herein referred to as HBQ) entry opens November 15, 2008. Receipt of the entry fee, completed application form, and completed driver's biography, will constitute the driver's intent to enter the race and further acknowledges that the driver understands and agrees to comply with each and every rule as stated. HBQ reserves the right to reject any entry. Entries are determined on a first come first served basis and starting order will be based upon registration dates. The maximum number of teams for the race is twenty (20). The entry fee is $500.

3. Conditions of Entry - Driver must be a minimum of 18 years of age. Drivers must not be censured by any dog racing organization. No one convicted of animal abuse or neglect may enter the Hudson Bay Quest. Each driver shall sign any and all documents or promotional material requested by HBQ prior to or at the Driver's meeting. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.

4. Withdrawal before Race - Any entrant once registered who then withdraws from the race will not be refunded his entrance fee. This is the fifth running of the HBQ and entries are limited so there will be no refunds. Mushers withdrawing, after official registration, will not be permitted to run in the 2010 Quest.

5. Course and Checkpoints - The course covers approximately 400km of arctic barren land wilderness, much of it along the Hudson Bay coast. The trail will be broken and marked prior to the race, but due to weather conditions there will be no guarantee of broken trail during the race. There will be five checkpoints between Churchill and Arviat. These checkpoints will be named before the race and driver's will be given the locations at this time.

There will be a mandatory six hour rest at Nunalla checkpoint for the veterinarian check. The start time differential will also be made up at this checkpoint.

6. Dog Food - The whole intent of this race is to be self-sufficient for the length of the race. As there are many unforeseen circumstances traveling in the arctic, we will be supplying a dog food drop at the halfway point of the race. In the event that a driver is in trouble and does not have enough food for his/her dogs at this point, he may draw food from the emergency dog food supply with a penalty attached of eight (8) hours to his/her time. This penalty will be recorded by that checkpoint and the penalty will be added to the team's time at the end of the race. The driver must declare what food he/she feeds his dogs at the start of the race and the amount he/she is taking with them, at the halfway point the driver must have half the dog food with them.

7. Dropped Dogs -Nunalla will be the only checkpoint where you can drop dogs. They will have to leave a supply of dog food for three days for the dog.

8. Additional Freight - HBQ may require a small amount of promotional freight as part of the mandatory load which will consist of one parcel of food and mail that must be turned in to a race official at the completion of the race or when scratching.

9. Race Officials - The intent of the rules will guide Race marshal and Race Judges in their decisions. The Race Marshal is in charge of all aspects of the race from the pre-race drivers meeting to the awards presentation. Race judges will act as deputies of the Race Marshal. The Race Marshal may waive or reduce monetary or time penalties for unforeseen circumstances that might befall a driver.

The Race Marshal or a Race Judge in conjunction with a Race Veterinarian shall have final authority to remove a dog(s) from the race for medical or other reasons. The Race Veterinarian will be present throughout the race to monitor the health and welfare of all dogs, advise drivers in caring for their dogs' medical needs and provide veterinary treatment for dropped dogs, if necessary.

10. Veterinary Checks - All dogs will undergo a thorough physical examination before the race starts. Any dog which cannot qualify for a certificate of good health will not run in the race. All dogs entered in the race shall have had parvo and distemper vaccinations within the last twelve (12) months. Rabies vaccinations must be current. Certificates and invoices will be required to prove vaccination status. HBQ has sponsored a licensed veterinarian who will be conducting these examinations. HBQ will not provide this service after the official vet check.

The official HBQ health certificate must be presented prior to the start of the pre-race drivers' meeting. Failure to comply will result in disqualification. The time and place of the vet check will be announced by HBQ.

11.Drivers' Meeting and Drawing - All drivers must be present at the meeting. Failure to answer roll alls in person will mean disqualification. Each driver must draw their starting position in person at the banquet.

12. Prize Money - The purse will be $22,000 or more. Official race purse will be announced on March 1st 2009.

13. Sled - Only one sled per driver will be used throughout the race. Each driver has a choice of sled, subject to the condition that some kind of sled or toboggan equipped with a brake must be drawn. The sled or toboggan must be capable of safely negotiating a 400 km trail and hauling any injured or fatigued dogs that required food, materials, and equipment.

14. Awards Presentation - The awards presentation ceremony will be held in Arviat.

15. Claims - Each driver agrees to hold HBQ, the race sponsors and other contributors harmless from any claim or demand based on any alleged action or inaction by the driver, his/her dogs, agents or others acting on his/her behalf. The drivers' also agree to release HBQ, race sponsors, their agents, employees and volunteers from any claim or demand resulting from injury to the driver, his/her dogs or his/her property. Further HBQ has the unqualified and unrestricted authority to permit the race sponsors to photograph and otherwise collect information for advertising, public relations or other publicity purposes.

16. Driver's Report/Protest Form - This sled dog race will not survive if the competition is not conducted fairly and the dogs are not well cared for and humanely treated. It is the duty of every driver to report all violations of these Rules to the Race Marshal or Race Judges. The forms for reporting violations or protests are available at the checkpoints.

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