Pruning Contest Regulation 16 march 2024
Borgo San Felice – Calstenuovo Berardenga (SI)
Article 1
The competition is open to adults of all nationalities: agricultural workers and farmers practising vine pruning, men and women, including pensioners, apprentices and jobseekers.
Article 2
The entry fee for each competition is set at:
€60 (VAT included) for participation in the individual competition (1 competitor);
€180 (VAT included) for participation in the team competition (3 competitors).
Article 3
A pruner’s kit will be provided to all participants. Participants are obliged to compete wearing safety PPE: goggles and gloves (prescription glasses are permitted as an alternative to protective goggles).
COMPETITION FIELD
Article 4
The vineyard is a spurred cordon pruned using the Simonit&Sirch Method, Sangiovese variety, with the presence of original plants and replacements, of different ages, which require differentiated pruning.
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION – QUALIFICATIONS
Article 5
The individual competition is divided into 2 phases: qualifications and finals. At the end of the qualifying phase, a ranking of the first 20 competitors will
be drawn up: only the first 10 classified will be admitted to the finals of the Individual Competition.
Article 6
Blocks of 20 (twenty) consecutive vine plants in the same row (spurred cordon) will be assigned: competitors will have to prune 20 (twenty) plants in 30 (thirty) minutes according to the instructions given in the pre-race brief. At the signal indicating the end of the Individual Competition, competitors must immediately leave the competition field. Only the use of hand scissors is permitted (electric scissors are not allowed).
Article 7
The qualification ranking of the Individual Competition is based on the evaluation of the cutting technique.
The evaluation of the quality of the cut shall be noted by a group of 3 jurors on the basis of the following judging parameters: choice of the future spur in the controlled vertical branching, respect wood portion, crown cut and flush cut, length of the spur to two free buds, formation of young plants, general cleanliness of the plant.Each mistake shall be evaluated -1 point, each skipped plant -10 points. Over 25 error points the competitor will not be graded.
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION – FINALS
Article 8
Blocks of 15 (fifteen) consecutive vine plants in
the same row (spurred cordon) shall be assigned. Competitors shall prune 15 (fifteen) plants in 15 (fifteen) minutes according to the instructions given in the pre-race brief. At the signal indicating the end of the Individual Competition, competitors must immediately leave the competition field. Only the use of hand scissors is allowed (electric scissors are not allowed).
Article 9
The ranking of the finals of the Individual Competition is based on the sum of the evaluations of the cutting technique and the speed of execution.The evaluation of the quality of the cut shall be noted by a group of 3 jurors on the basis of the following judging parameters: choice of the future spur in the controlled vertical branching, respect wood portion, crown cut and flush cut, length of the spur at two free buds, formation of young plants, general cleanliness of the plant. Each mistake shall be assessed -1 point, each skipped plant -10 points.
Article 10
At the close of all competitions, prizes shall be awarded to the top 3 finishers of the Individual Competition finals. No prizes shall be awarded
to competitors who are absent from the award ceremony, except in cases of circumstances beyond their control.
Awarded competitors are obliged to wear their race bib on the podium.
TEAM RACE
Article 11
The Team Race is a relay race: competitors shall tackle the assigned block one at a time. Each team will be assigned blocks of 30 (thirty) consecutive vine plants in the same row (spurred cordon) to be pruned in a total of 30 (thirty) minutes. In turn, each team member shall prune 10 (ten) plants according to the instructions given in the pre- competition brief, having a maximum time limit
of 10 (ten) minutes: only after the 10 plants have been pruned, or after the 10 minutes have expired, may he/she pass the pruning shears to the next team member, who may only then start pruning.
At the signal indicating the end of the Team Competition, competitors shall immediately leave the competition field. Only the use of hand scissors is allowed (electric scissors are not allowed).
Article 12
The ranking of the Team Competition is based on the sum of the evaluations of cutting technique and speed of execution.The evaluation of the quality of the cut shall be noted by a group of 3 jurors on the basis of the following judging parameters: choice of the future spur in the controlled vertical branching, respect wood portion, crown cut and flush cut, length of the spur to two free buds, formation of young plants, general cleanliness of the plant. Each mistake shall be rated -1 point, each skipped plant -10 points.
Article 13
At the close of all competitions, the first 3
classified teams of the Team Competition finals shall be awarded. No prizes shall be awarded
to competitors who are absent from the award ceremony, except in cases of circumstances beyond their control.
GENERAL INDICATIONS
Article 14
The use of mobile telephones is forbidden for competitors during the competition.
Article 15
Spectators may watch the competition and cheer in defined routes between the competition rows.
Article 16
No spectator or competitor shall be allowed inside the competition field during the deliberations of the jury.
Article 17
The jury is appointed by the organisers of the Vine Pruner Festival.
Article 18
The organiser of the Vine Pruner Festival reserves the right to modify these regulations at any time and to inform the competitors.
Article 19
The fact of registering and participating means that the competitors accept the decisions of the jury, these rules and regulations and undertake to follow them.
Article 20
Non-compliance with these rules, as a whole, will result in the elimination of the competitor.
Article 21
The organiser of the Vine Pruner Festival shall not be responsible for accidents, stolen, lost or damaged objects and clothes.
Article 22
Any competitor causing disturbance or injury during the entire duration of the event shall be excluded from the competitions.
Article 23
All competitors and the organisers of the competition agree that the photos on which they appear may be used by the organiser of the Vine Pruner Festival and may be published in the press or on the Internet. If this is not the case, they must indicate this before the start of the competition.