Inside an ADBA Pit Bull Show: Green Country APBT Club (Bully Max Sports Ep. 10)
An ADBA pit bull show is more than a show ring. At the Green Country APBT Club’s weekend in Dewey, Oklahoma, the American Pit Bull Terrier competed in slat mill, lure course and wall climb on day one, then conformation and weight pull on days two and three. Episode 10 of Bully Max Sports walks through every event, how each one is judged under ADBA rules, and where each sport came from. Here is the full breakdown.
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Watch Bully Max Sports Ep. 10: Green Country American Pitbull Terrier Club
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Key Takeaways
Green Country APBT Club weekend at a glance
- Day one, Top Dog events: slat mill, lure course and wall climb.
- Days two and three: conformation and weight pull. Many of the same dogs do both.
- Wall climb: classes by height at the withers, two attempts at each height, and one “lifeline” extra attempt per competition.
- Weight pull: pull the cart 15 feet within 60 seconds. The ADBA recognizes most weight pulled and most weight pulled per pound of body weight.
- Conformation: judged against the ADBA American Pit Bull Terrier standard for structure, balance, movement and condition.
The Green Country APBT Club Weekend
For Bully Max Sports, this was a first trip to the Sooner State. The Green Country APBT Club hosted an ADBA-sanctioned weekend in Dewey, Oklahoma, “celebrating the American Pit Bull Terrier and their handlers.” The schedule ran over three days:
| Day | Events | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Slat mill, lure course, wall climb (Top Dog athletic events) | Slat mill racing explained |
| Days 2 and 3 | Conformation and weight pull | APBT breed guide and ADBA standard |
If you have never been to one, our guide to dog shows and what to know before getting in the ring is a good primer, and finding dog sport events near you helps you locate one.
Slat Mill Racing: From Farm Power to Sport
Dogs have been running on treadmills for well over 150 years, but racing them is much newer. The episode lays out the history:
- 1871: the earliest documented dog treadmill patent. Nicholas Potter of Troy, Pennsylvania, patented the Enterprise Dog Power, which used a dog’s walking to power butter churns, water pumps and small farm machinery.
- 1939: John R. Richards patented a dog treadmill intended for exercise rather than power, an important step toward the modern canine treadmill.
- Late 1970s onward: treadmill racing began developing as a dog sport, alongside organized APBT athletic competition.
Modern slat mills will not move unless the dog moves. As the episode puts it, these working dogs “don’t need much encouragement to run like the wind.”
Lure Course: Give a Dog Something to Chase
Lure coursing grew from sighthounds bred to chase game by sight. Whippet racing started in the 19th century in the industrial and coal mining towns of northern England, where dogs chased rags, earning the nickname “Rag Racing.” In the 1960s, California dog enthusiasts built a safer version with a line, a series of pulleys and an artificial lure that changes direction like fleeing prey. In 1972, the American Sighthound Field Association was formed, helping make lure coursing an organized American sport.
Modern lure racing uses electronic sensors at the start and finish lines. The dog triggers the clock as it crosses the first sensor and stops it at the finish, recording the run down to a fraction of a second.
How ADBA Wall Climb Works
Wall climbing emerged in the late 20th century as one of the main athletic events for the American Pit Bull Terrier. The wall at this event was built by Nate Hardy, with a belay system, and folds down to ride on top of its caged trailer.
The concept is simple. A favorite tug or toy hangs above a vertical wall. The dog runs, launches, uses its momentum to climb and grabs the prize. Make it, and the target goes higher. It tests explosive power, speed, coordination, grip and, most of all, drive.
| ADBA wall climb rule | How it works |
|---|---|
| Classes | Dogs are grouped by height at the withers, so they compete against dogs of similar size. |
| Attempts | Each dog normally gets two attempts at every height. |
| Lifeline | Once per competition, the handler can call for one extra attempt after two misses. If the dog makes it, it is back in. |
| Elimination | The dog keeps climbing until it records two failed attempts in a row. |
Most handlers build up gradually with a favorite tug to develop drive and confidence, then raise the height over time. Our wall climb training guide goes step by step.
ADBA Conformation: Judging the Pit Bull Standard
Conformation is about more than appearance. Dogs are evaluated against the ADBA American Pit Bull Terrier standard, with judges looking at overall structure, balance, movement, condition and the physical traits of a sound, athletic working dog. The ADBA developed its formal APBT conformation standard in the 1970s, after breed owners petitioned for a standard that could be used in competitive shows.
That is why so many Top Dog competitors also enter the ring. A dog built to the standard is a dog built to work. If you are comparing bully breeds, see are American Bullies the same as pit bulls.
ADBA Weight Pull Rules
Weight pulling is one of the oldest tests of canine strength. Working dogs moved freight, supplies, sleds and carts long before it became a sport, and by the Klondike Gold Rush, pulling contests had become entertainment and a demonstration of the strength sled dogs needed. At an ADBA weight pull today:
- Each dog is weighed and placed into a weight class.
- The dog wears a properly fitted pulling harness and is connected to a cart.
- The goal: pull the cart 15 feet within 60 seconds.
- As dogs succeed, more weight is added, eliminating dogs until each class has its winners.
Success is not only the biggest number. The ADBA recognizes the dog that pulls the most weight and the dog that pulls the most weight per pound of body weight across several weight divisions, so a smaller dog that moves a huge multiple of its own body weight earns recognition alongside the heavyweights.
UPF events run slightly differently, with a 16-foot pull; see our recaps of the UPF Nationals and the Bully Max Weight Pull II, and how to train your dog to weight pull.
How Champion Handlers Feed and Condition
An ADBA weekend like this can ask one dog to sprint a mill, chase a lure, climb a wall, stand for a judge and pull a cart. That takes year-round conditioning, built gradually, and a body with the muscle and energy to recover between events. The handlers in this series say the same thing in different ways. At the Bully Max Weight Pull II, one competitor said:
“They're actually putting in the work. They're feeding great food to them. They're spending the time with them.”
— Weight pull competitor, Bully Max Sports Ep. 8
In Texas, a PresaMania handler summed it up:
“Workouts with diet. It goes a long way.”
— PresaMania Kennels, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
For an all-round APBT athlete, start with a complete, meat-based food with high protein. Feed to body condition, not just the bag chart, and adjust as training ramps up before a show. Our pit bull exercise guide and calorie needs for dogs in competitive training can help.
Bully Max Formulas Compared
Every Bully Max formula is meat-based and made in the USA. Match it to your dog’s workload.
| Bully Max formula | Protein | Fat | kcal/cup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30/20 High Protein Chicken | 30% | 20% | 535 | Active adults that need muscle and energy |
| 30/20 High Protein Beef | 30% | 20% | 530 | Dogs that need a chicken-free food; all life stages |
| PRO Series 31/25 High Calorie | 31% | 25% | 600 | Hard keepers, underweight, working and sport dogs |
| 25/11 Lamb, 45% less fat | 25% | 11% | 415 | Less active dogs, weight control, Frenchies and small breeds; chicken-free |
| 24/14 High Protein & Growth Puppy | 24% | 14% | 419 | Puppies, including large-breed puppies |
Protein and fat are guaranteed-analysis minimums; calories per 8 oz cup. Figures from each product's label data on shop.bullymax.com.
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“The ability to provide a protein rich diet to my pup, who is naturally muscular and athletic”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
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— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Behind the Scenes
For dogs in heavy training that need more calories, PRO Series 31/25 gives 600 per cup.
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Our most calorie-dense food: 31% protein, 25% fat and 600 calories per cup for working, sport and hard-keeping dogs.
Next on Bully Max Sports, the crew is back at the Bully Max Training Facility in western Pennsylvania, “where world records are crushed.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pit bulls in dog shows?
Yes. The ADBA runs conformation shows for the American Pit Bull Terrier, judged against its written breed standard. Many of the same dogs also compete in weight pull and Top Dog events.
Are pit bulls allowed in dog shows?
Pit bulls show in ADBA events like the Green Country APBT Club weekend, and other registries have their own rules. Check with the club or registry hosting the show.
What is the American Pit Bull Terrier standard?
The ADBA’s written standard describes the ideal APBT in structure, balance, movement and condition. The ADBA developed its formal conformation standard in the 1970s.
What is a slat mill?
A dog-powered treadmill made of slats. It only moves when the dog moves, and slat mill racing is one of the ADBA Top Dog events.
How far does a dog pull in ADBA weight pull?
The cart must be pulled 15 feet within 60 seconds. Weight is added after each successful pull until the winners of each class are found.
Fuel your APBT athlete
Bully Max 30/20 is meat-based with 30% protein and 535 calories per cup, made in the USA by a family-owned company since 2009.
TRY BULLY MAX 30/20 HIGH-PROTEIN DOG FOOD
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Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
