Where required by local ordinance, Distemper, Parvo, bordatella, and corona virus vaccinations are also strongly recommended.
Where necessary, a preventative flea and tick medication may also be recommended.
- Collision with the thrower's body, including leaps over the thrower's body, resulting in trips and/or tumbles.
- Direct impact of the disc to the canine's face or any other part of the body in a fashion that may be harmful to the canine
- Frequent repetition or excessive height during any trick or move that leads to reckless lack of control, collapses, crashes, tumbles, etc. by the canine half of the team
- The human half of the disc dog team should incorporate into a Freestyle routine only tricks and moves that have been properly trained and prepared for, resulting in the display of control and safe transitions throughout the routine.
Collars – All competing dogs must have a collar at the event. At the handler’s option, dogs may do their round with or without a collar.
Aversive training tools are prohibited at all UFO events: choke chains, prong collars, electronic shock collars, citronella collars, squirt bottles, shaker noise cans, compressed air cans, and any other tool that UFO officials deem aversive. Tools not specifically listed to be evaluated at the discretion of contest officials and the UFO Board. Electronic training aids of any kind, active or inactive, are not permitted during competition, nor are they allowed at the event. They may not be left on the dog even in a deactivated state. This includes electronic fence collars, shock collars, sound or spray training collars.
If one of these is the dog’s “main” collar that they wear day-to-day, the handler needs to invest in a completely “plain” collar for use at competition. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Dogs may wear bandanas during competition. They should be tied so they are not loose, and so they do not come off during competition.
Leashes – It is required that the competing dog be brought to the field on leash when they are called. The handler should keep the dog on leash until the current dog is safely secured and on leash themselves.
Dogs should be brought to the start line on leash.
Long lines-in the event that the dog is in training or a flight risk, a handler may use a long leash that the dog drags on the ground.
Harnesses - Harnesses are allowed for bringing the dog to the line. A Harness may remain on the dog as long as it is a style that is not a danger for entangling the dog.
Goggles – Dogs may wear goggles during their round. Goggles should be fitted so that they stay in place on the dog’s face for the duration of the entire round.
The freestyle round is a timed freeform competition that is judged on a 40 point scale using the the four categories included in the DISC freestyle scoring system - Drive and Athleticism, Ingenuity, Sequences and Flow, and Comprehensive. Only moves that begin with the disc in flight and end with a catch are scored. Takes, moves in which the disc is handed off to the dog, will not be scored. Rollers, throws that are intentionally rolled along the ground to the dog, will be scored provided the dog makes a clean catch. Moves such as taps and double throws in which one or more discs are intentionally missed by the dog and caught by the thrower will be scored provided they are cleanly executed.
Time Limit
Freestyle routines have a time limit of 120 seconds. Official time begins with the first throw, and countdown of time remaining will be given at 60 seconds, 30 seconds, 10 seconds, and time. In the interest of time, the UFO recommends competitors limit their pre-routines to 15 seconds or less.
Discs
Competitors may use up to 7 discs during their freestyle routine. At all UFO events, competitors will supply their own discs. Discs must be from the list of approved discs and manufacturers. This list is available at the UFO website, <a href="https://www.ufoworldcup.org/content/Rules/Discs.php">here.</a> Any disc not provided by the UFO must be on this list, and in new condition. If a competitor has any questions as to whether a disc is acceptable for use, they are strongly encouraged to seek out UFO officials for guidance. The UFO reserves the right to deny the use of any disc it deems to be outside of these guidelines.
Costumes and Props
There are no clothing restrictions in the freestyle round; however, the use of a costume will not increase the likelihood of a higher score if it does not add to the overall entertainment value and crowd appeal of the freestyle routine. Competitors should be aware that the use of a costume could actually contribute to a lower overall score if it hinders the successful execution of moves or disrupts the overall flow of the routine. The use of any type of prop, an item not worn on the body as clothing, is not permitted while the competing team is on the field. If there should be any question regarding this matter, it is highly recommended that competitors consult with the UFO officials in advance.
Infractions of any or any combination of the above guidelines during a competitor's round will result in a 1 (one) point deduction from the freestyle score for that round.
Music
Competitors who bring their own music should present it to UFO officials when they are called to the on-deck area. Contestants are encouraged to avoid music that is not suited for a family audience. Music should be marked clearly on the case with the name of the competitor and the track number, and must be presented on a CD. Bad country music will be chosen for competitors who do not supply their own tape or compact disc.
Vaulting
It is not necessary to include vaulting, using the thrower's body as a launching pad, in a freestyle routine in order to obtain a high score. If attempted, vaulting should be executed in a very controlled and safe manner, and special care should be taken to ensure that the dog lands safely and cleanly upon completion of the maneuver. Frequent repetition of vaults, or excessive height during vaults will not be rewarded.
Point Deductions
Each UFO official reserves the right to deduct up to 5 points from a competitors freestyle routine score, or in extreme cases, disqualify them entirely from the competition for violating any part of the Canine Welfare section of the UFO General Guidelines. The point deductions recommended by each individual judge will then be averaged to arrive at a final deduction value (0.5 point minimum).
Judging
Three judges will be responsible for judging one of the three subjective categories in the DISC Freestyle Scoring System: Drive and Athleticism, Ingenuity, or Sequences and Flow. Each judge will also give a score for the Comprehensive category, the high and low scores for will be dropped, and the remaining score will be the final Comprehensive category score. Each category is scored on a scale from 1-10 in 0.1 (one tenth) point increments. Judges have the option of writing a few short notes or suggestions on comment cards for the benefit of the competitor.
One additional judge will be responsible for determining a Catch Ratio Score. The Catch Ratio is used for reference and as a tiebreaker only. It will not be added to the other scores.
- Drive and Athleticism - Judges look at the athletic ability of the canine competitor with special consideration for the dog's level of prey drive, speed, stamina, tracking skills, leaping ability, and control while in the air and during landings. Canines should show consistency while catching discs with varying spins and orientations over a range of distances.
- Ingenuity - Judges look at the creativity, athleticism and throwing ability of the human half of the team with special consideration for the consistent placement of discs, and ability to deliver a variety of difficult throws. Successful completions are an important part of this category, but emphasis is placed on innovation and variety, not execution and repetition.
- Sequences and Flow - Judges look at how the team works together to present a routine that flows naturally from trick to trick and transitions smoothly between sequences. Individual sequences should be composed of tricks that logically flow together, and competitors should pay close attention to proper disc management when linking sequences to form a routine. Solitary tricks that are not part of an obvious sequence are given consideration for their contribution to the flow of the routine as a whole. Teams are not penalized for taking time to set up tricks properly provided the overall momentum of the routine is not compromised.
- Comprehensive - Judges score the general impression of the routine as a whole with special consideration for showmanship, presentation, energy, and overall crowd appeal.
- Catch Ratio - A mathematically determined number that is obtained by dividing the number of completions by the number of attempts, multiplying by 10, and then rounding to the nearest tenth of a point. For example, (22 catches) / (30 attempts) * 10 = 7.3333, or 7.3 by rounding to the nearest tenth of a point.
Competition Rules and Guidelines
The Throw & Catch event at UFO competitions is a 60 second round where each throw is scored based upon where it is caught.
There are 3 judges on the field, and typically an announcer that acts as the timekeeper. The 3 judges are the Head Judge, the Line judge and the Footfault judge.
The Head Judge watches the catches and records the score received. They have final say on all calls made on the field.
The Line judge stands on the opposite side of the field from the Head judge and also watches the catches to make the call where it was caught. In some instances, especially big important events like the European Cup Final or the World Cup Final, there may be 2 Line judges, one on each side of the field, in addition to the Head Judge.
The Footfault judge stands at one end of the throwing line. They indicate to the announcer/timekeeper when the team is in position and ready to start. Once the round starts, they watch the throwing line on each throw to spot possible foot fault infractions. Should this happen, they will say in a normal speaking voice "foot fault" and put a hand in the air. When the round is finished, and if there were any foot faults, they will go tell the head judge which throw(s) had a foot fault. The Footfault judge also listens to the countdown, and at the end, they make the call if the throw was release before "TIME". If the competitor requires a replacement disc, they can go to the footfault judge (who will not move away from their spot), and exchange their disc with a backup given by them to the judge.
In the Throw and Catch Round, competitors are given 60 seconds in which to complete as many throws as possible with one disc. The canine and the thrower must be behind the line before time starts. The start sequence will run as follows:
"Judges Ready?"
The Announcer will ask the judges if they are ready. Judges should indicate they are ready.
"Competitor Ready?"
The announcer will then ask the Thrower if they are ready. The foot-fault judge will also ask the thrower if they are ready. This is a serious question. If the thrower is NOT ready, they should say so!
When the thrower is ready, the line judge signals to the announcer that the competitor is ready. The signal is the line judge putting their hand in the air.
"GO."
At this time, the announcer says "go" and starts the clock at the same time.
Alternatively, many event organizers use a recorded timer instead of a human reading a stopwatch. These many vary in how they start time.
The UFO strongly recommends the use of a "fast count" timer. This is available on the UFO downloads page.
When the Footfault judge puts their hand in the air, the timekeeper will start the timer. It will say:
"3,2,1,GO" in rapid succession.
Throwers must be behind the line for all throws, but they may move around the field freely between throws. If the thrower steps on or across the throwing line at the time of the release of the disc, the throw will not be scored. If, during a round, the competitor believes the disc has become unsafe for the dog to catch because of a broken rim or a large tear, it may be handed to the judge for replacement. The damaged disc must be handed to the line judge before a replacement is given, and time will not be suspended during a disc change. Countdown of time remaining will be given at 30 seconds, 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and time. Catches are scored as long as the disc leaves the thrower's hand on or before time is called.
Scoring Table
| Zone | Distance | English Conversion | Points |
| 1 | 0 - 15 Meters | 15 Meters = 49 feet, 2 inches | 0 |
| 2 | 15 - 25 Meters | 25 Meters = 82 feet | 1 |
| 3 | 25 - 35 Meters | 35 Meters = 114 feet, 10 inches | 2 |
| 4 | 35 - 50 Meters | 50 Meters = 164 feet | 3 |
| Bonus | 35 Meters | 5 Meter radius half circle at 35 meter line | 4 |
Throw and Catch Field Layout
The field is set up so that competitors have a choice to throw from either end of the field; however, the throwing direction cannot be changed once time has started. Low profile cones are placed 20 meters apart along the edge of the field. There is no out-of-bounds along the sides or on the ends of the field.
1 meter = 1.0936 yards = 3 feet, 3 3/8 inches = 39 3/8 inches
There is no extra score for mid-air catch.
Bonus Landing Zone-The Bonus Landing Zone is a half circle with a radius of 5 meters and is centered laterally between the boundary cones. The front edge of the Bonus Landing Zone is located on the 35 meter line. A bonus point is awarded if the following two criteria are met:
1. The completion is spotted beyond the 35 meter line (i.e. in Zone 4)
2. Any paw is located in the Bonus Landing Zone at the time of the catch or during landing (if the dog is in the air at the time of the catch.)
Ties are broken using the following criteria:
1) highest score in a single Throw & Catch round,
2) highest number of Bonus Zone completions.<br>
Throw & Catch Shootout
If the above criteria are not sufficient to break the tie, then the tied competitors will break the tie in a Throw & Catch Shootout.
A coin toss determines which team goes first, and each team will be allowed one throw in each round of the shootout. The team that scores higher wins the shootout and is awarded the higher finish.
Shootout rounds continue until one team outscores the other. Competitors will be allowed to rest their dogs as necessary.
The UFO D-Tour
The D stands for Distance! A UFO D-Tour competition is a long-distance throwing competition, of course with the dog catching at the end. At all levels, unless explicitly allowed otherwise, men and women compete in separate divisions.
The DTour is sometimes contested at the UFO Finals, where men's and women's pro divisions will be run as qualifying events. The top 3 teams from each division qualify for the World Cup Finals, or in Europe, the European Cup Final in DTour.
The D-Tour event utilizes the following start and catch marking procedures:
The Start is what is known as a "free start". This means that the dog can leave the line and start running down the field before the throw is released. It is important that the dog is in motion down the field when the throw is released. If the dog stops or comes back before the throw is released, and subsequently a throw is made, then that attempt is considered a miss. Any throw made where the thrower steps on or across the line during the throw will be called a miss. AFTER the throw leaves the thrower's hand, they may follow through or step across the line.
A Handler may call off a throw by simply calling the dog back to the throwing line. The dog must return all the way behind the throwing line, and the thrower should make it clear to the foot fault judge that they are calling the throw off.
The mark is made where the front feet of the dog touch the ground during the catch, or where the front feet touch upon landing if the catch is made "mid-air".
This is event is simple and to the point. Which handler can make the longest throw to their dog.
Divisions: The DTour event must have a Men's Pro Division and and Women's Pro division. These are the divisions that qualify for the UFO Finals. The event host may choose to run additional, "lower" divisions at their discretion.
Field requirements: Event hosts should be aware that some throwers in long distance events can hit up to 100 meters. A sufficiently long field is required to accommodate these distances. Since each catch is marked and measured individually, field markings do not need to be elaborate. A very solidly visible throwing line is a must, then lines at every 10 meter increment is helpful. a dotted line at every 5 meter measure can be even better. Cones should be placed at the end of every 10 meter line. It is often helpful to set up the field so that teams can throw in either direction.
NEW FOR 2025: The throwing line should have a section in the middle 5 meters in length. This should be marked CLEARLY with paint. This is the throwing zone. All throws must be made from here, and the measuring should be from the middle of this zone. As such, the zone should be centered on the throwing line as a whole. The dog does not have to be in this zone to start, but the throw must take place in this zone.
Before each round starts, all participants in the division will vote on the throwing direction. Majority decides. in the case of a split vote, the event host will break the tie. Each person gets one vote, no matter how many dogs they enter. Deciding a consistent direction makes it much easier for the staff to mark and measure the catches.
Format: Each team takes the field by themselves. They get 3 throws. each throw is marked after the catch. If the field is lined with yard marks or hashes, an approximate distance can be communicated to the announcer who will state it over the PA. When the team is done and leaving the field, the judging crew brings a measuring tape out and measures all marks for catches, and records these. All catches are measured and recorded for tie-breaking purposes. DTour events will have 2 rounds. At DTour Qualifiers, there is a cut. In the final round, each team takes 3 more throws. At Qualifiers, the longest single catch in the second round is the winner. 2nd longest is second, and so forth. At the DTour Championship, there is no cut; all teams will do 2 rounds. The longest single catch from both rounds is the winner. 2nd longest is second, and so forth. The Cut-who makes the Cut - After all Throwers in the division have made 3 throws, the 5 teams with the longest catches will return for a final round.
In the event that a handler has more than 1 dog that is going to make the cut to the top 5, one additional spot will be opened in the final round for the next longest catch (the 6th longest). For example: In the Preliminary round, Jane has the longest catch with 1 dog, and the second longest catch with another dog. This gives her 2 dogs in the final round. In this situation, the team currently with the 6th longest catch will also be in the cut. This logic is applied until there are 5 human handlers in the final round.
This ONLY applies to the CUT. It does NOT AFFECT the top 3 final placements. It does NOT AFFECT which teams qualify for the DTour. There are no roll-down spots.
Qualifications-who qualifies: The top 3 teams in Men's Pro and top 3 teams in Women's Pro divisions Qualify for the Finals, where they will compete for the Championship. Teams that have already qualified for the finals may not compete in the "Last Chance", or "Final Qualifier" event at the finals.<br>
In the event of a tie in the top 3 that must be broken at the event (via the tie-breaker criteria below), any team that is involved in a tie for the top 3 spots will earn a qualification. The tie-breaker is only for the Awards and the final rank at that event.
Awards: Top 3 in the division.
Tie-Breaker: The tie breaker for any award is the longest catch in the first round. Then the second longest in the final round, then the third longest catch in the final round. In the event that teams are still tied, a sudden-elimination "throw off" will be held where each team gets 1 throw, with the longest catch winning/advancing.
Judging: DTour requires a minimum of 2 spotters in the field to mark the catch. A 3rd "safety" spotter is recommended, if there is enough staff. The Safety positions themselves 20 meters past the primary spotters to catch any "big arm" throws that catch the primary spotters by surprise. A foot fault judge, recording judge and announcer are also required. The Recording judge writes down each measured distance (and notates misses) for each team on the field. The recording judge may be a spotter as long as they don't lose their clipboard chasing a throw!
The World Cup Championship is awarded to the winner of the World Cup Final. Teams must qualify for the World Cup Final by earning World Cup points toward their standing in the UFO World Cup Series based on their performance at Major and Local Tournaments.
The World Cup Final is typically a 2 day event, with a final qualification event the day before (The Final Major).
Qualification for the World Cup Final A team's total World Cup points are tallied by this method: the top two finishes at Major Tournaments and the top two finishes at Local Tournaments. A maximum of 240 points is possible during the regular season. Teams will only earn World Cup points in the Open Division at all UFO events. Only 1 set of points is awarded at each event.
To compete in the Overall Championship at the World Cup Finals, teams that live on the same continent where the World Cup Final is taking place must earn at least 90 World Cup points to qualify.
For 2025 Only: For the 2025 World Cup Final, North American Teams will need to have 80 World Cup points to play in the finals in the Combined event.
For teams that will need to travel from a different continent to compete in the finals, they will have to have 75 World Cup points to play in the final. This includes any points earned at the Final Major on the Friday before the finals.
The UFO World Cup Throw & Catch Champions are determined at the World Cup Finals. Teams qualify for this event by placing in the top 3 in Open Throw & Catch at any UFO Major, Local, or T&C Local.
The UFO World Cup Freestyle Champions are determined at the World Cup Finals. Teams qualify for this event by placing in the top 3 in Open Freestyle at any UFO Major.
There are no "roll-downs" of qualifications at UFO Majors.
If a team is already qualified for the World Cup Finals, they are not allowed to compete in the Final Major (the last chance qualifier).
Ties for World Cup Points beyond places 1-3 at Majors and Locals
In the event that 2 or more teams are tied at an event, and the tie is NOT broken by the event host (for example, places, 1,2 or 3), all teams tied at the highest place will be awarded the World Cup Points for that place.
For example, if 2 teams are tied for 10th place at a UFO Major, both teams will receive 55 World Cup points. The next team would be ranked 12th place, and would receive 45 World Cup Points.
Ties in the top 3 should always be broken at the event.
For Freestyle qualifications (UFO Majors only), the top 3 teams qualify for the World Cup Finals. If there is a tie that puts more than 3 teams in the top 3 spots before tie-breakers are applied, then all of those teams qualify for the finals. Tie-breakers will determine the finish and awards for the event, but the qualification spots will got to all teams. Example: 2 teams are tied with the same score for 3rd place. So in addition to the 1st and 2nd place teams qualifying for the finals, BOTH teams in 3rd place will qualify. The event host will break the tie for the final standings and awards, which will make one team the "official" 3rd place, and the other team will become 4th place. But because they have the same score as 3rd, they still qualify for the World Cup Finals.
This is the same for Throw & Catch qualifications but this applies to Majors, Locals and T&C Locals as well. The top 3 teams qualify for the World Cup Finals. If there is a tie that puts more than 3 teams in the top 3 spots before tie-breakers are applied, then all of those teams qualify for the finals. Tie-breakers will determine the finish and awards for the event, but the qualification spots will got to all teams. Example: 5 teams are tied with the same score for 3rd place. So in addition to the 1st and 2nd place teams qualifying for the finals, all 5 teams in 3rd place will ALSO qualify. The event host will break the tie to determine the official 3rd place at the event, and the remaining teams will become 4th place.( the event host may, at their discretion, break the remaining ties as far as necessary, if awards go deeper than 3rd place.) Because all 4 of those teams have the same score as the "official" 3rd place team, they still qualify.
The UFO Small Dog World Cup Championship is a 1 event, winner-take-all championship. It is open to teams with dogs that are considered small dogs by the UFO Small Dog Eligibility Criteria.
There are currently no qualifiers. The Small Dog World Cup Championship will be held with the continental Cup championship opposite the current World Cup Final. For example, if the World Cup Final is being held in the USA, then the Small Dog World Cup Championship will be held in conjunction with the European Cup Final.
European Cup Championship
The UFO European Cup is an competition series to determine the best frisbee dog team in Europe.
Competitors earn points toward their standing in the UFO European Cup Series based on their performance at European Major and Local Tournaments. Teams must earn 65 World Cup points in European UFO Events to qualify for the European Cup Final.
The EC Final is a winner-take-all event, and the winners of this event are declared the European Cup Champions.
North American Cup Championship
The UFO North American Cup (NAC)) is an competition series to determine the best frisbee dog team in North America.
Competitors earn points toward their standing in the UFO North American Cup Series based on their performance at North American Major and Local Tournaments.
The NAC Final is the final Major in the NAC series. When the event is complete, World Cup Points are assigned, and the NAC Standings updated. The team with the highest point total is declared the North American Cup Champions.
In the event that 2 or more teams are tied for the top spot in the NAC series, the finish at the NAC Final will be the tie-breaking criteria to determine an overall winner.
The Open division consists of 3 events: Open Freestyle, Open Throw & Catch, and Open Combined. Open Combined is a computed division, and not contested directly on the field. The scores for Open Combined come from Open Freestyle and Open Throw & Catch. Teams can register for Open Combined, but they actually compete in Open Freestyle and Open Throw & Catch.
Teams can elect to enter only Open Freestyle or Only Open Throw & Catch, if they wish.
During the competition, all teams entered in Open Freestyle will do one round of Freestyle. The top 10 teams will do a second round of Freestyle.
Similarly, all teams entered in Open Throw & Catch will do one round of Throw & Catch. The top 10 teams will do a second round of Throw & Catch.
Open Throw & Catch: The final score is the sum of all Open Throw & Catch rounds.
T&C1 + T&C2 = Total
The top 3 finishers qualify directly for the UFO World Cup Throw & Catch Championship.
Open Freestyle: The final score is the sum of all Open Freestyle rounds.
FS1 + FS2 = Total
The top 3 finishers qualify directly for the UFO World Cup Freestyle Championship.
Open Combined: The final score is calculated as:
(FS1 x 2) + T&C1 + (FS2 x 2) = Total
Only top 10 teams have a second FS score.
Intermediate Throw & Catch: T&C1 + T&C2 = Total
Novice Throw & Catch: T&C1 + T&C2 = Total
1) highest combined Catch Ratio from both Freestyle rounds,
2) highest score from Throw & Catch Round 1.
Open Freestyle: Ties are broken by:
1) highest single round of Freestyle,
2) highest combined Catch Ratio from both Freestyle rounds,
3) highest individual Catch Ratio score.
Throw & Catch (All Divisions): Ties are broken by:
1) highest score in a single Throw & Catch round,
2) highest number of Bonus Zone completions in all T&C rounds combined.
Throw & Catch Shootout: If ties remain, a shootout is held. A coin toss determines which team goes first. Each team gets one throw per round. Shootout continues until one team outscores the other. Competitors may rest their dogs as necessary.
World Cup Points beyond 3rd place: Event host may break ties. If not, tied teams share points for that place. Example: 2 teams tied for 10th each get 55 points; next team is 12th place.
Local Tournaments are generally lower-profile events than Majors. The points available at a Local Tournament are enough to give teams an edge over close competitors in the World Cup Series, but they are not sufficient for winning the World Cup title without performing well in Major Tournaments. If Local Tournaments include more than one division, only the results of the Open Division (or highest division) will contribute to World Cup standings. The division MUST include Freestyle for World Cup points. Events with no Freestyle are designated as "TC-Locals", and only the T&C qualification applies.
1) highest combined Catch Ratio from both Freestyle rounds,
2) highest score from Throw & Catch Round 1.
Open Freestyle: Ties are broken by:
1) highest single round of Freestyle,
2) highest combined Catch Ratio from both Freestyle rounds,
3) highest individual Catch Ratio score.
Throw & Catch (All Divisions): Ties are broken by:
1) highest score in a single Throw & Catch round,
2) highest number of Bonus Zone completions in all T&C rounds combined.
Throw & Catch Shootout: If ties remain, a shootout is held. A coin toss determines which team goes first. Each team gets one throw per round. Shootout continues until one team outscores the other. Competitors may rest their dogs as necessary.
Local Event Organizers may choose the format of their event. They may provide a completely separate Open T&C from the Open Combined or run it like a UFO Major, where the first round of T&C counts for both divisions, with a final round of T&C for Open T&C only teams. Organizers could also choose to run only Open Combined with no separate T&C division, in which case the T&C round tied to Open Combined is the qualifying round. The local event organizer has discretion based on time, space, and staff. They should announce ahead of time the format and number of rounds per division.
In a circuit, the individual events will no longer directly qualify any teams. At the end of the circuit, a standings list will be made. The actual scores of the team’s rounds are the points At the conclusion of the local circuit, there is a champion based on these standings. For qualification purposes, the top 10 teams in the circuit will qualify. Since the UFO does not do roll downs for qualification spots at any event, this will actually increase the number of teams that may qualify for the finals.
Can my circuit take place in multiple locations? Yes, no problem. We would like them to be in the same rough geographic area.
Can my circuit events all take place in one location? Yes, this is no problem.
- Throw & Catch: Top 3 in the highest Open T&C division at any UFO Local or Major qualify.
- Freestyle: Top 3 in the Open Freestyle division at any UFO Major qualify.
- Small Dog Championship: Currently no qualification required. Must meet size requirements detailed here.
For 2025 Only: For the 2025 World Cup Final, North American Teams will need to have 80 World Cup points to play in the finals in the Combined event.
- Mamadisc Standard and Mini, including:
- Mamadisc Light
- Mamadisc Medium
- Wham-O Fastbacks including:
- Wham-O Chomper
- Wham-O Eurablend
- Wham-O Flex
- Wham-O Super Flex
- Wham-O Classic Flex
- Wham-O Classic Super Flex
- Hyperflite, Full-size and Pup discs, including:
- Hyperflite Competition Standard
- Hyperflite Jawz
- Hyperflite Jawz HyperFlex
- Hyperflite Jawz X-Comp
- Hyperflite SofFlite
- Hyperflite Z-Disc (under 150g)
- The Hyperflite Max-Q discs are specifically NOT ALLOWED.
- The Hyperflite Z-Disc Fang, Z-Disc FLX, & Z-Disc Fang-X discs are specifically NOT ALLOWED due to weight.
- The Hyperflite Alpha and Alpha Jawz discs are NOT ALLOWED due to weight.
- Hero Discs, in sizes 235, 215, 185, and 120 including:
- Hero Air
- Hero Super Aero
- Hero Xtra
- Hero Super Hero (under 150g)
- Hero Super Star (under 150g)
- Hero Super Swirl (under 150g)
- Hero Sonic
- Hero Super Sonic
- Hero Sonic - Gummy Go Getter
- Hero Atom
- Hero Super Atom
- Hero Pup
- The Hero Superclass is specifically NOT ALLOWED due to weight.
- FrisbeEscape:
- FrisbeEscape Addict
- FrisbeEscape Tenacious
- FrisbeEscape Rocket
- FrisbeEscape Raid
- Dogstar:
- Dogstar DR
- Dogstar Crusher
- Wirbelwind:
- Wirbelwind Maxi
- Wirbelwind Mini
- Red Star Discs:
- Galaxy
- Trixie "Dog Activity" discs
- K9-Disc C-Class SDB
- K9-Disc C-Class HBR
- Latitude 64 Bite Puppy
- The Latitude 64 Bite is specifically NOT ALLOWED due to weight.
- DISCaLOT Discs:
- BITEaLOT 230
These discs are approved for use during all UFO Major and Local and D-Tour Tournaments. The UFO may provide event discs, but competitors are allowed to use their own discs. Any disc not provided by the UFO must be in new condition. If a competitor has any questions as to whether a disc is acceptable for use, they are strongly encouraged to seek out UFO officials for guidance. The UFO reserves the right to deny the use of any disc it deems to be outside of these guidelines and will provide UFO competition discs as a replacement.
Any Manufacturer that wishes to have their disc approved for use in the UFO World Cup Series will need to contact Chris Sexton (eyebum@gmail.com). Samples of each disc (and each plastic variation) must be sent to the UFO Board for review.
- Novice is for first-year handlers only (honor system). - Novice handlers can use their own dog or a previously competing dog. - Novice is Throw & Catch only: 1 round, top 5 advance to final, final score is the sum of two rounds. Intermediate Division
- Intermediate teams may enter Throw & Catch only or Freestyle only. - Throw & Catch: 1 round, top 10 advance, final score = sum of two rounds. - Freestyle: 1 round, top 5 advance, final score = sum of two rounds. - No combined score for Intermediate; the same dog may enter both divisions. Open Division
- If entering Open, handler may not enter dogs in 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. Open Division Rules
- Open Freestyle: only Freestyle, no Throw & Catch, no World Cup points if entered alone. - Open Throw & Catch: only T&C, no Freestyle, no World Cup points if entered alone. 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.
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.