News
Election for Vice Chair
Hello CARO Enthusiasts
The Election for Vice Chair opens April 22 and closes April 28
Voting members will receive an email notice from Election Buddy
Please watch for this email in your inbox (remember that sometimes they go to your spam folder)
2025 Virtual Trial Guide
The new 2025 guide is now available with the other handbooks in the Rules section of the website and replaces the previous handbook published in 2023.
This document includes topics and changes specific to the Virtual Trials and must be used in conjunction with the Rally and Working handbooks.
Nominations for Vice-Chair Position
The Canadian Association of Rally Obedience is seeking nominations for the Executive position of Vice Chairperson. Professional Members over the age of 18 are eligible to hold a position on the Executive or Board of Directors.
All regular and professional members in good standing and with voting privileges are eligible to nominate and/or vote. (Adults are defined as 18 years of age or older.)
The purpose of this letter is to ascertain whether you are interested in running for a position or nominating a fellow member.
Nominated individuals must have time to fulfill their duties should they be elected which includes participating in email discussions AND attending monthly zoom board meetings. The Vice Chairperson position description is attached..
Two nomination forms are attached to this message.
Form A: Acceptance of Nomination - If you are interested in a position, are a professional member of the Association, and have someone to nominate you (or someone to second your own nomination)
Form B: Nomination - Alternatively, you may nominate another person. They must be a professional member of the Association and must accept your nomination. Please send completed forms to Shelly Lyck at elections@canadianrallyo.ca.
Please clearly indicate “CARO Election Nomination in the subject line.”
Deadline for nomination forms is April 15th, 2025
Full letter including position description and nomination forms
CARO Board of Directors Announcement
Photos Wanted
2025 Handbook Changes
These are the major changes from the previous Handbook to the 2025 Handbooks coming into effect on April 1, 2025. Please ensure you review the entire Handbooks.
Rally - 
Working -
2025 Rally and Working Handbooks
IN EFFECT APRIL 1, 2025
We've listened to your valuable feedback and made important updates to ensure that all the information you need is easily accessible, practical, and clear. Whether you're a new participant or have been trialing for a while, these handbooks are a crucial resource for everyone involved!
• Rally Handbook: Everything you need to know when competing in Rally, from rules to sign descriptions
The handbooks are now available online through the CARO website and are easily downloadable for your convenience. You can refer back to them anytime!
Take a moment to explore the new handbooks! If you have any questions or need clarification on any section, feel free to reach out to your Regional Director. We're here to assist you!
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 Novice and Advanced signs #130, 131, 221, 222 and their Versatility and Versatility Excellent counterparts, #443, 444, 535, 536 which will take effect January 1, 2025.
Phase 2 will be the remainder of the new signs which will take effect April 1, 2025
The signs and description can be found in the 2025 Rally Handbook
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
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
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.
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.
Emailed Trial Results
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
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
https://www.canadianrallyo.ca/page/Forms
All the best!
Maggie
New email address for CARO judges community
Rally station signs now available in french
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
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.