The following notice was received from the American Kennel Club concerning action taken by the AKC Board of Directors at its November 2020 meeting.
November 23, 2020
Assisting the Sports – Making Permanent Obedience, Rally and Tracking Modifications That Expire at Year-End. The AKC Rally Regulations that were previously temporarily suspended or modified in 2020 to provide clubs and exhibitors flexibility due to COVID-19 have been permanently changed as follows:
- Closing Dates – The Regulations to allow clubs holding obedience and rally trials, at their option, to close the events at a specified closing date and time no later than 11:59PM seven (7) days prior to the event. This change is effective for all trials held on or after January 1, 2021.
- Eligibility Restrictions for Exhibitors – The obedience, rally and tracking Regulations effecting an exhibitor’s eligibility was changed from thirty days to ten days prior to an event. This change is effective for all trials held on or after January 1, 2021.
- Eligibility Restrictions for Dogs – The obedience and rally Regulations effecting a dog’s eligibility was changed from thirty days to ten days prior to an event. This change is effective for all trials held on or after January 1, 2021.
- Eligibility Restrictions During Emergency Judge Changes – When a club has an emergency judge change for obedience and rally trials (an emergency judge change is defined as a change to the judging panel within 72 hours of the event) the eligibility restrictions on exhibitors and dogs is waived. This change is effective for all trials held on or after January 1, 2021.
- Publishing the Rally Course Maps – The Rally Regulations have been amended to allow a club to distribute the rally course maps by email and to post them electronically online no earlier than 6PM the evening before each trial. This change is effective for all trials held on or after January 1, 2021.
AKC RALLY® REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 1
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Section 2. Premium Lists, Entries, Closing of Entries and Catalog Order. (Paragraph 2)
The premium list shall specify the name and address of the Superintendent or Trial Secretary who is to receive the entries.
Opening and Closing Dates. In order to provide fair opportunity for all exhibitors to enter upcoming events, premium lists are required to be published at least 72-hours prior to the acceptance of entries. Events whose entries are limited must have a defined date and time for the opening of entries which must be prominently displayed on the cover page of the premium list. In addition, every premium list shall specify the date and time at which entries for a trial shall close. For all trials the specified closing date and time must be no later than 11:59PM seven (7) days prior to the trial.
Whenever the closing day falls on a postal holiday, entries received in any form up to 24 hours from the published closing date and time may be accepted.
Section 13. Dogs that May Not Compete. (Paragraphs 8 & 9)
No exhibitor may show a dog under a judge at a rally trial if the exhibitor has participated in a training session taught by that judge within ten (10) days prior to the date of the event.
No dog may be entered or shown under a judge at a rally trial if the dog is owned or handled by any person who has regularly served as a trainer or instructor of that judge, either individually or through classes, or if the dog has been has been regularly trained or instructed by the judge within ten (10) days prior to the date of the rally trial. “Trained or instructed” applies equally to judges who train professionally or as amateurs and to judges who train individual dogs or train or instruct dogs in classes with or through their handlers (see “Glossary of Terms”).
In either case above, the ten (10) day period is not in effect when a judge has been assigned on an emergency basis within 72-hours of an event.
AKC RALLY® REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 2
REGULATIONS FOR PERORMANCE AND JUDGING
JUDGING STANDARDS, PROCEDURES AND SCORING
Section 25. Walkthrough Time. The course for each class will be posted at the ring when the judge arrives. The Trial Secretary may send copies of the course to exhibitors by email no earlier than 6PM on the evening preceding each trial and the courses may be published online electronically by the Trial Secretary at the same time, if available. The club should have a few printed course copies available for those that cannot take photos of the posted courses or the ability to access the website.
When there are not more than 20 dogs entered, and the same start time is listed for the A and B classes of the same title level the judge will combine the walkthrough. At the listed start time for the class, a walkthrough of up to 10 minutes will be allowed for handlers without their dogs and judging of the class will follow. The judge must remain in the ring during the walkthrough but will not brief the handlers.
For classes with 40 or more dogs entered an additional walkthrough time of up to 10 minutes will be provided.
An additional 10 minutes must be added into the first hour of judging for the first walkthrough.
AKC VIRTUAL PILOT PROGRAMS:
2020 AKC Virtual Pilot Programs Extended through 2021
AKC launched several virtual pilot programs in 2020 – Virtual Rally Novice and Intermediate classes, Virtual Agility ACT1 and ACT2 classes, and Virtual Water Test for Pointing Breeds. These three programs have been extended through 2021 and will be reviewed again toward the end of the year.