News

SAVE THE DATE 2025 AGM

SAVE the DATE !!!!

CARO AGM via zoom

March 16, 2025 7pm EDT

Everyone welcome; only members can vote.

Come be a part of the decision making in 2025

More details coming soon

New Signs for 2025

As requested, after many months of discussion and consultation, the CARO Board of Directors are pleased to announce the introduction of 21 NEW signs.

The largest group of signs will become part of the Excellent and Versatility Excellent Classes. These will provide our judges with a greater number of changes of direction to allow for the design of more flowing and challenging courses.

These signs will come into effect in two phases.

Phase 1 will include the 100, 200 and 400 series signs which will take effect January 1, 2025.

Phase 2 will include the 300 and 500 series signs which will take effect April 1, 2025

The signs and description can be found on the CARO Publications page or by clicking here

We hope you will enjoy the challenge.

Trial Application Process

There are some changes to the trial applications as we enter the transition period for the website and database.

For trials scheduled between now and February 28, 2025, you will complete the normal information; the form is just a different format.
For trials scheduled March 1, 2025 or later, you will only complete a trial date reservation form to hold your trial date (provided it is available). No payment will be required now. Once the new database is up and running, you will be contacted to complete the online trial application.

If you have any issues with the forms, please contact Barb Burgess at dataentry@canadianrallyo.ca

2024 Election Results

A huge thank you to everyone who cast their votes in our now completed 2024 elections.

Thanks also to our candidates who allowed their names to stand for elections.

RESULTS

CARO Secretary

Candidates Maria Adams and Jeanne Shaw

Jeanne Shaw was elected with 49 of 74 votes cast out of a possible 139 eligible voters.

Ontario Director

Candidates Lilian Cook and Debby DaCosta.

Lilian Cook was elected with 22 of 34 votes cast out of a possible 56 eligible voters.

Lilian will officially commence her new role October 1, 2024.

Jeanne continues in her role as CARO Secretary.

There was only one nominee for each of the Vice Chairperson and West Director positions. Barb Burgess will continue in the role of Vice Chairperson and Julia Schwark will continue in the role of West Director.

Patricia Hunt

Chair

Canadian Association of Rally Obedience

New Memberships and Dog Registrations

We will be starting the transition to our new database in a few weeks. In an effort to minimize applications for dog registrations and memberships during that time, we are encouraging you to complete new membership applications and dog registrations now.

We would ask that instructors pass this message on to students who may be looking to trial this year.

If you are not looking at trialing in 2024, we would ask that you hold off registering your dog until 2025.

Please do not renew memberships for 2025 at this time. We will send out reminders for 2025 renewals once we have completed the transition to the new database.

Changes to Team Course Design

CARO is pleased to announce the following change. Effective immediately, Rally Team may consist of 16, 18 or 20 signs.

Each partner will be required to run exactly ½ of the course and the last station for Team 1 must still end with a sit or down.

Courses that are already designed and approved will be 20 signs. This applies only to courses that are being designed from today forward.

Sponsorship Program

The board is pleased to announce that there will be 4 intakes a year for sponsorship to allow clubs more opportunity to apply. Applications will be accepted until mid month in March, June, Sept., and December. Applications can be made before the cut off date but will not be reviewed until after that date. The application form can be found on the website under Trials / Trial Forms.

Working Virtual Trial

The premium for the first of four Working Virtual Trials is now available.

This trial runs July 1 to 15, 2024. See the Virtual Trial page for more information:

Championship Titles effective Jan 2025

CARO is pleased to announce the CARO Rally Grand Master Title. The titling structure for Bronze, Silver, Gold and Master Champion titles has been updated to better incorporate the Versatility and Versatility Excellent levels into the requirements.

The new structure, effective January 1, 2025 is:

For those working towards Bronze, Silver, Gold and Master Champion titles, a grandfathering period until Dec 31, 2025 will allow these titles to be completed under the current structure.

Jump Lines

April 9, 2024: An amendment has just been passed. The distance line from the jump to the handler line is not required. No deduction will be incurred if the line is used.

Working Prerequisites for Moving Up

In Working, when a higher class was entered before the prerequisite lower class Qs had been earned, the required Q at the lower class was credited by using the higher class Q. This will no longer be allowed so please ensure you have earned the prerequisites before moving up.

The rule in the current Working Handbook page 10 section 2.6.12 will be enforced: Once a team has earned the required 3 passes under a minimum of two different judges for an exercise, they are qualified to move up to the next class for that exercise.

Working Exercises Update

In response to the overwhelming feedback to the Working Exercises survey, the Board of Directors has decided to postpone the addition of any new exercises at this time. This project will be re-visited once projects currently in development are completed and a more comprehensive survey can be sent to the membership.

Emailed Trial Results

Effective immediately, CARO will accept trial results by email.

Emailed results must be sent to dataentry@canadianrallyo.ca in a SINGLE .pdf file. The scanned pages must be full 8.5"x11" sheets with no borders, shadows or reflected colors, legible and on a white background.

Only the Judges Trial Records, Titles Achieved Sheet, Catalogue, Incident Report (if applicable) and the Trial Fee Schedule pages are to be included in .pdf file.

If files are returned for resubmission for any reason, the submission deadline will not be altered (results are still due with in 21 days from the date of the trial).

Emailed results will incur a submission fee of $5.00 plus tax to cover the cost of printing. This will be re-evaluated with the implementation of the new database which will have improved data entry capabilities.

Trial Results Update

All results, payments and penalties are the responsibility of the professional member whose number was used on the trial application.

Results for all CARO trials must be received no later than 21 days from the date of the trial.

Payment must be received no later than 7 days after receiving confirmation of the amount due.

No trial approvals will be given to those individuals and/or clubs not complying with this resolution. There will be a fine of $50.00 plus applicable taxes for any infraction of this resolution. For trials already approved, trials will be suspended until the fine is paid.

CARO Championship Ribbons

As of January 1, 2025, the championship ribbons will be provided by CARO to members that have been members in good standing for 2 consecutive membership years.

For example, if you are a member in 2024 and 2025, CARO will provide you with a championship ribbon earned in 2025.

Non members will be able to purchase the ribbons from CARO and will have to cover the cost of shipping.

Trial Fee Update

There is a change to the number of runs that are exempt from trial fees. Effective immediately, trial fees will be waived for trials with 24 runs or less. For trials with 25 runs or more (not including FEO runs), the $2.00 per run fee will apply.

General Updates

The long-awaited new database is now under development. That means that we can finally get ready to move forward with several changes that have been on the drawing board for some time. Barring unforeseen challenges, it is hoped that it will be up and running for January 1, 2025.

Reminder of changes to Barrel Racing

Hello Working fans,

A reminder that rule changes for the Barrel racing exercise, which prohibits the dog from going around the handler between cones, takes effect on Friday September 1st.

Happy trialing!

Maggie on behalf of the BOD

Working Tracker

Hello Working fans!

The BOD is pleased to advise that a new tracking sheet for Working passes has been created! The spreadsheet can be found under "forms' on the website. Scroll to the last table at the bottom. The document contains two options for participants to choose from.

1. A short form that tracks up to Honours Championship on one page.

2. A long form for each of the Championship and the Honours Championship.

It can be found on the forms page: https://www.canadianrallyo.ca/page/Forms

Have fun out there!

Maggie on behalf of the BOD

New Novice/Advanced/Excellent Shadow judging tracking sheet

An updated Shadow Judging Tracking sheet for the Rally NAE classes has been created and posted. It can be found on the forms page of the website here:
https://www.canadianrallyo.ca/page/Forms
All the best!
Maggie

Working Title Review - May 30, 2023

The review of Working Titles has now been completed and the certificates were mailed last week. Members can log in to their account to check their dog’s record. Non-members can check https://www.canadianrallyo.ca/page/titles, select 2023 and sort on their dog’s name. Titles resulting from the Working Handbook revisions will have a date of April 1, 2023.

If there is a title missing from your dog’s record, please email Barb Burgess at dataentry@canadianrallyo.ca.

Working Title Update

Working Titles

All the March trials have been entered and I’m nearly finished getting the Judge’s Trial Records ready for the Spring Virtual Trial. Next on my list – Working Titles.

If you have previously reported earning a Working Title, your dog’s record will be reviewed. Any titles earned based on the new rules will be assigned with a date of April 1, 2023 (the date the updated Working Handbook came into effect). This process could take a couple of months and during this time, there may a delay in entering trial results.

We will let everyone know when the review is completed and certificates have been mailed out. Members will be able to check their records for completeness on the website.

Please continue to list any titles earned after April 1, 2023 on the Titles Achieved Sheet provided for trials.

New email address for CARO judges community

	CARO is pleased to share that a dedicated email address has been created to facilitate communications with Judges and Judge candidates.

	Any inquiries about Judging certifications, continuing education or the community of practice please reach out to us at:

	judgesprogram@canadianrallyo.ca

Rally station signs now available in french

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the rally station signs are now available in french!

https://www.canadianrallyo.ca/page/Signs

Updated Virtual Trial Dates

Please note the virtual trial dates have been adjusted slightly to allow an additional weekend to be available for in-person trials.

The new VT trial dates are as follows.

Spring 2024 – May 11-24, 2024

Fall 2024 – October 1-14, 2024

Competitor Trial Results

CARO competitors will have one year from the date of a trial to address any errors and/or omissions in their trial results entered in the database. This will be effective July 1, 2022 to tie in to the release of the MGH. Until you have verified your results online, you should always keep your scoresheets.

Members can check their records by logging into the database and viewing their dog's results.

Non-members can check their results by going to the Trials tab on the website and selecting Results. You can then search for the trial you attended.

If a non-member becomes a member, they will be able to access any results prior to becoming a member by logging into the database. If you are checking your records and notice an error or omission, please contact Barb Burgess at trialresults@canadianrallyo.ca.

Trial Results

Since there was never a formal rule regarding trial results, the Board has voted in the requirement that trial hosts and judges be required to keep trial results for a period of 1 year from the date of the trial.

Form for Tracking Rally-O Titles

Thank you to Barb Burgess, who created a pdf form to use to track your Q's and titles through all the various levels of CARO Rally-O. The form can be found here. Alternatively just click the "Dogs" link at the top of the page to also get to the new form.

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