Canine sport of Rally recognised by the Kennel Club

The Kennel Club has added the new canine sport of ‘Rally’ to the list of canine disciplines it oversees in the UK.

Rally, which is extremely popular in the USA (where it is known as ‘Rally-O’) has been growing rapidly in the UK and involves dogs and their handlers working as a team to navigate an ‘obedience obstacle course’. The sport combines elements from the well-established fields of agility and obedience. A course is set by a judge and points are deducted for mistakes, but Rally uses signs to ask handlers and dogs to complete exercises like Sit, Figure 8, Send over Jump, Return Slalom and Left Turn.

Until now, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) has overseen the sport’s growth and development, but recognising that it was attracting larger and larger numbers of participants, the APDT has handed over responsibility for Rally’s governance and future development to the Kennel Club.

Kathryn Symns, Executive for Canine Activities at the Kennel Club, said: “We believe that training for, and taking part in canine sports like Rally makes a huge contribution to the health and happiness of dogs. Agility and heelwork to music are thriving in the UK, and offering another accessible sport that dogs and their owners can enjoy together, means more dogs have the opportunity to benefit from fit, happy and active lifestyles.”

Any dog can get involved in Rally and there are many clubs in the UK already offering training in the new canine activity.

Full details about Rally can be found on the Kennel Club website www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/4561, including advice to dog owners on how to get started in the sport and guidance to clubs and organisations who may wish to start offering this fun new sport to dog owners in their area.

ENDS

1st October 2012
[362.12]

For journalists who would like further press information, images or interview requests click here.

www.thekennelclub.org.uk


Notes to editors:

Rally

Rally (or ‘Rally O’ in the USA) is a canine sport derived from the heelwork elements of competitive Obedience. It differs from Obedience primarily in that competitors and dogs attempt a pre-set course along which signs are placed at up to 15 stations (level 1) along the course, requiring them to perform one of around 50 different pre-set exercises. The selection of exercises and design of course is at the judge’s discretion. Each individual round is performed at a ‘brisk pace’ and takes around three minutes. There is no direction from the judge or steward as in Obedience; the signs are all the guidance competitors receive.

Handlers walk through the course (without dogs) before the competition starts. At level 1, the lowest level, dogs compete on lead and a loose lead is emphasised. The handler may give verbal commands and encouragement throughout as necessary. More advanced levels require dogs to compete off lead. Physical or harsh verbal correction is strictly penalised.

Elements of Obedience such as group stays and scent exercises do not feature; like agility, once the competitor has completed the round he or she has finished. Although based on Obedience heelwork, many exercises differ significantly from those found in competitive Obedience and introduce innovative concepts of control of the dog.

Competitors start each round with a perfect score of 200 and deductions are made by the judge for inaccuracies and mistakes in performance. As in Working Trials, progression to the next level will be based on reaching a qualifying standard, requiring three qualifying scores of 170 or better under two different judges. Places are awarded at trials but progression is independent of winning first places. All competitions are run in two parts – ‘A’ for competitors who have not yet qualified at that level, and ‘B’ for those who have – a form of “training round.

Oh dear---that'll go the way of all the other KC sports then!

Shame.

rune

I guess it was getting popular enough they thought they could make some money out of it

Well, I prefer to look at it from a positve angle.

It means that those who compete in it will probably be able to get KC recognised titles as they do in all other sports and you cannot really have an organised popular sport without the canine governing body being involved.

There are some minority sports which manage this very well, but it demonstrates that Rally has become very popular with some people which means there is yet another activity in which owners and dogs can participate.

But then I am not a professional KC basher.

I see it as a positive as well.

Surely the more canine sports out there that are officially ecognised will mean more participation. And if that is not the case, then surely it's better that it's recognised - participants would have to be registered on the activity register and will be subject to KC rules?

This should help to prevent occurrences that may bring the specific sport into disrepute, such as harsh handling?

Might not agree with everything the KC stands for, but I can only see the upside here; maybe I'm just a glass half full bloke lol !

Flyball manage very well without and having seen what has happened to HTM when Crufts and titles are held out as carrots I can see the fun going out of rally as well.

Which one are they deciding to take over I wonder?---there were at least two going along nicely.

I don't get paid for KC bashing---I volunteer!

rune

There were already regstrations in place for dogs taking part in rally and there were already rules to stop harsh handling. TBH the KC have proved to be so useless over harsh handling I can't see that as an advantage. I expect people will need to pay out twice now to register their dogs.

They'll take treibball over as soon as they think it is finacially viable.

rune

Im not a pro KC basher - I compeate in agility
But I dont like that the KC has to jump in and take over everything just because it is popular - as for KC titles - I dont see how it is important what the name of the organisation giving the awards in the sport you choose to compeat in

Mainly I am against any one body holding the monopaly of all activities especially when it wasnt them who brought it over and did the work to make it popular but they will now sit back and suck in the money

Few of those about SB.

Yes it is dreadful that the DVLA have the monopoly on driving licences.

Ghastly that there are professional organisations that govern the activities of their members.

Shocking, nobody should be answerable to anyone.

Many people like to achieve KC recognised titles after their dogs name, whether that be the Agility Warrants or ? ex after HWTM, Obedience, Working Trials etc

It gives them a sense of pride and achievement, the same way as producing a Show Champion, Field Trial Champion etc

And I think you will find that the KC did not TAKE from the APDT, but the APDT GAVE to the KC, a subtle but often misunderstood difference.