UPF Nationals: Inside the Unified Pulling Federation Weight Pull Championships (Bully Max Sports Ep. 7)
The UPF Nationals are the Unified Pulling Federation’s national weight pull and Triple Crown championships, held in McPherson County, Kansas, about an hour north of Wichita. In Episode 7 of Bully Max Sports, UPF president Brian Hosfelt calls it “the best of the best”: 65 top dogs from the U.S., Mexico and Canada pulling on a rail track, with classes every 10 pounds. Here is what happens, how it is judged, and what the handlers say about building a champion.
Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
Watch Bully Max Sports Ep. 7: UPF Nationals
Weight pull dogs are short-burst power athletes. PRO Series 31/25 is our most calorie-dense food, built for working and sport dogs.
FUEL YOUR ATHLETE WITH PRO SERIES 31/25
Our most calorie-dense food: 31% protein, 25% fat and 600 calories per cup for working, sport and hard-keeping dogs.
Save 10% with autoship and get each bag delivered on a schedule.
Key Takeaways
UPF Nationals at a glance
- What it is: the Unified Pulling Federation’s National Weight Pull and Triple Crown Championships in McPherson, Kansas.
- Who pulls: 65 top dogs from the U.S., Mexico and Canada, per UPF president Brian Hosfelt.
- How it works: most clubs pull on a rail system, dogs compete in classes of every 10 pounds, and results are determined by percent.
- Winning edge: the right dog, a mentor for the first couple of years, and dedication. As Emmanuel of Funnyman Kennels puts it, “the harness, the dog, the trainer, the man. We all make the dog.”
- Feeding: sport dogs burn a lot. A meat-based, high-protein, calorie-dense food is the base handlers build on.
What Is the UPF?
The Unified Pulling Federation is one of the few organizations that supports weight pull at this level. Brian Hosfelt, the UPF president and one of its founding members, explains where it came from:
“My name is Brian Hosfelt. I run the UPF and it's a club that I started, or a bunch of it started in 2014. So this is our twelfth, twelfth season, here doing the UPF and McPherson Kansas.”
— Brian Hosfelt, UPF president
His own history in the sport goes back much further. He and his wife have raised American Bulldogs for about 30 years and started weight pulling with the IWPA in 1998. They started the club of the APA in 2003, then split off to start the UPF. In the last couple of years, he says, they have “transitioned to the American Pit Bull Terrier.”
For a step-by-step start, read our UPF-style guide to getting started in dog weight pull.
Inside the UPF National Weight Pull Championships
The show in Episode 7 was the national event. Brian describes the field plainly:
“And we had a heck of a show yesterday with 65 top dogs from all over the US and Mexico, and Canada.”
— Brian Hosfelt, UPF president
The Bully Max Sports crew found familiar faces from earlier episodes and a few new ones:
- Erica Noseworthy and Apex. Erica is a Bully Max sponsored handler, and the episode calls watching her pull Apex “always a privilege.”
- Dani Cyr and Kevlar. Another sponsored handler. Kevlar “makes for an incredible spectacle on the wall.”
- Aaron Wise. The Salt Lake Terrier Association president from Episode 6 scaled the wall he built to retrieve the crew’s GoPro.
- Trinity St. Clair and Dominique Crespo, who are “always seen together, pushing each other to the next level.”
- John Martin’s Flex, a champion who “always brings his A-game.”
- New faces: James Stevenson and his Olde English Bulldogge, and PresaMania Kennels with “their titan of a canine, Wendy.” Read the PresaMania story and our guide to the Olde English Bulldogge.
How UPF Weight Pull Is Judged
The episode gives a clear, short explanation of how a pull is set up and scored:
“Most of the clubs pull, on rail systems. So, you know, there's a couple that use wheeled cars.”
— UPF competitor, Bully Max Sports Ep. 7
“You know, basically everything's broke down in classes and most clubs are within, you know, every 10 pounds is a is a class. So you're pulling with that group of dogs and you're pulling by percent”
— UPF competitor, Bully Max Sports Ep. 7
In practice that means:
| Element | How it works at the UPF Nationals (per Ep. 7) |
|---|---|
| Track | Most clubs pull on a rail system; a couple use wheeled cars. |
| Classes | Dogs are grouped by body weight, usually every 10 pounds. |
| Scoring | Dogs pull against their class, and placings are determined by percent. |
| Depth of field | Even fourth and fifth place dogs that did not get a trophy are, in the words of one competitor, “great dogs.” |
The details vary by organization. ADBA pulls, for example, use a 15-foot pull in 60 seconds, which we cover in our recap of Episode 10 at the Green Country APBT Club. For how dogs are trained to pull, see how to train your dog to weight pull.
How to Get Started in Weight Pull, From the People Who Run It
The crew asked presidents, competitors and volunteers the same question: how does someone get started and have success? The answers were honest about the work involved.
“You need to find somebody that can actually help you. The first couple of years, get started. Get, get the right type of dogs to train. That's very important.”
— UPF competitor, Bully Max Sports Ep. 7
“So it does take a lot of dedication. It takes a little bit of money to travel. So, yeah, it's it's not the easiest thing to do, but, you know, it's pretty rewarding if you stick with it and put in the time.”
— UPF competitor, Bully Max Sports Ep. 7
The lessons are simple: start with a dog that wants to work, find a qualified mentor for the first couple of years, and plan for the travel and training time. The payoff, one competitor says, is “the bonding that you have with your dog.”
Not sure where the nearest club or pull is? Our guide to finding dog sport events near you is a good first step.
Emmanuel of Funnyman Kennels on Training a Champion
The episode also sits down with one of Bully Max’s newest sponsored handlers, Emmanuel, owner of ADBA’s 2025 Dog of the Year, Machine Gun Kelly. His approach starts early and stays positive:
“For first and foremost, you want to start a dog, imprinting when they're younger. Sometimes the best time is when they're puppies, when they want to follow you, when they want to be with you”
— Emmanuel, Funnyman Kennels
“And, the best thing to do is use food, no corrections, you know, light voices, happy voices.”
— Emmanuel, Funnyman Kennels
He credits Kelly’s success to dedication: “A lot of man hours, walking in the fields,” strong parents, and Maxx Performance harnesses. His summary is one of the best lines in the series:
“the harness, the dog, the trainer, the man. We all make the dog.”
— Emmanuel, Funnyman Kennels
How Champion Handlers Feed and Condition
The conditioning advice in Episode 7 is consistent: start young, build slowly with food rewards and happy voices, and put in the miles. Long walks in the fields build the base; short, explosive pulls on the track test it.
That work needs fuel. A dog that trains through the week and competes on weekends burns far more than a couch dog. At the Bully Max Weight Pull II in Episode 8, one competitor put it simply:
“also that you got to have good food, good supplements. That’s where Bully Max comes in handy right there, y'all.”
— Weight pull competitor, Bully Max Sports Ep. 8
For a pulling dog, that usually means a meat-based food with high protein for muscle and enough fat and calories to hold weight through a season. PRO Series 31/25 gives 600 calories per cup; 30/20 gives 535. Start from the bag’s feeding guide and adjust to body condition. Our calorie guide for dogs in competitive training and best dog food for working and sport dogs go deeper.
Bully Max Formulas Compared
Pick the formula that matches 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.
In our customers' words
“The ability to provide a protein rich diet to my pup, who is naturally muscular and athletic”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
“My dog has been eating this since he was 6 weeks old. He is now 4 years old and is solid, muscle definition in his legs.”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Watch a World-Record Pull: 18,329 Pounds
The world-record pulls show the ceiling. Here is JT pulling 18,329 pounds.
Record-level pulling builds on muscle. Pro Series Power Chews add amino acids and performance support to a sport dog’s routine.
TRY BULLY MAX PRO SERIES POWER CHEWS
Amino acids for strong muscles and healthy joints, plus training and performance support for working and sport dogs.
Why Events Like This Matter
Brian is clear that the sport works because people pitch in: “It takes everybody it’s a group effort.” Bully Max is proud to sponsor a few shows a year, providing custom-made bowls and Bully Max products for the raffles.
“If you can put on a great event with great awards, that brings the top pullers in from all over the country.”
— Brian Hosfelt, UPF president
Brian also hosts The Hoss Dawg Weight Pull Podcast, where he shares what he knows about the sport and follows the training of his new American Pit Bull Terrier puppy. For more from the series, read our recaps of Episode 6 in Salt Lake City and Episode 8, the Bully Max Weight Pull II, and our breed guide to the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Unified Pulling Federation?
The Unified Pulling Federation (UPF) is a dog weight pull organization started in 2014. Its president, Brian Hosfelt, runs the UPF Nationals in McPherson, Kansas, along with sanctioned pulls through the season.
How is UPF weight pull scored?
Dogs are grouped into weight classes, usually every 10 pounds, and pull against their class. Most clubs use a rail system, and results are determined by percent.
How do I get started in UPF weight pull?
Start with a dog that wants to work, find an experienced mentor for the first couple of years, and go watch a pull. Expect to commit time and some travel.
What should a weight pull dog eat?
A complete, meat-based food with high protein and enough calories to hold condition through training. Adjust portions to body condition, and see your vet with any health concerns.
Fuel your puller like the pros
Meat-based, high-protein nutrition from a family-owned U.S. company since 2009. 30/20 gives 535 calories per cup for active adults.
TRY BULLY MAX 30/20 HIGH-PROTEIN DOG FOOD
Fuel strength and energy with meat-based nutrition, 30% protein, 20% fat, and 535 calories per cup.
Save 10% with autoship and get each bag delivered on a schedule.
Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
