From the February 2017 Board minutes:

 
Rally Program Enhancements The Board VOTED to create two additional Rally classes – the Intermediate class and the Master class. In terms of difficulty, the Intermediate class is between the current Novice and Advanced classes. The Master class will be more difficult than the Excellent class. There will be titles associated with these new classes. In addition, a Rally Championship prefix title (RACH) is recommended for dogs that achieve a given number of triple Qs (qualify in the Advanced, Excellent and Master class at the same trial) plus earn a given number of points from the Master class. Clubs may start to apply for events with these new classes on August 1, 2017 for events held on or after November 1, 2017. (Changes Underlined)  Chapter 1 Section 1. Application to Hold a Rally Trial. (Paragraph 3)   A licensed or member rally trial need not include all the regular rally classes, but a club will not be approved to hold the Intermediate class unless it also holds Novice classes. Likewise, it will not be approved to hold Advanced classes unless it also holds Novice and Intermediate classes. Nor will it be approved to hold Excellent classes unless it also holds Novice, Intermediate and Advanced classes; and it will not be approved to hold the Masters class unless it also holds Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Excellent classes. Any club that has been approved to hold a licensed or member rally trial may offer additional non-regular classes upon AKC approval. If a non-regular class is one that is not defined in these regulations, a clear and complete description of both the eligibility and performance requirements will appear in the premium list.

Section 20. Judging Program.

To facilitate a more efficient trial, it is strongly recommended that clubs assign the A and B classes of the same title level to the same judge. The order in which the classes are scheduled each day may vary, e.g. Master, Excellent, Advanced, Intermediate, then Novice; or Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Excellent, then Master.   After entries have closed, any club holding a licensed or member rally trial must prepare a program. The judging program must list the start time for each class scheduled to start before 12:00 noon. The listed start time for each class is the time of the walkthrough and judging of the class will follow. An additional 10 minutes must be added into the first hour of judging for the first walkthrough. Classes scheduled to start at, or after 12:00 noon will be listed to start “after noon” and must be judged in the order and ring listed in the judging program. If the published judge and ring are available prior to the listed start time and all exhibitors have checked-in and agree, the judge may start a class earlier than the class time listed in the judging program. Section 22. Limitation of Entries. (Beginning at Paragraph 3)   When entries are limited, a club must designate an RAE and a Rally Champion (RACH) class in the premium list. Dogs entered in this RAE class would be entered in both Advanced B and Excellent B, and the combined entry fee for these two classes must be paid. If due to entry limits an exhibitor cannot be entered in both the Advanced B and Excellent B classes the RAE class will be considered closed and any subsequent entries for this class will be unacceptable in their entirety.   Dogs entered in the RACH class would be entered in Advanced B, Excellent B and the Master class. The combined entry fee for these three classes must be paid. If due to entry limits an exhibitor cannot be entered in the Advanced B, Excellent B and Master classes the RACH class will be considered closed and any subsequent entries for this class will be unacceptable in their entirety.   However, a club at its discretion, may choose to establish a wait list in order to fill openings created by entries that are withdrawn prior to the event closing day. If a club is maintaining a wait list, this shall be stated in the premium. The full entry fee shall be refunded to an entrant whose entry is replaced by a wait-listed entry.

Chapter 2

Section 16. Heel Position. The dog is at the handler’s left side, facing the same direction the handler is facing; the dog’s body is within the area of the handler’s left hip; and the dog should be close to, but not crowding its handler so that the handler has freedom of motion at all times. Section 17. Commands.

Section 18. Orders and Minimum Penalties

Section 19. Misbehavior.

Section 20. Training and Warm-up on the Grounds.

Section 21. Disciplining in the Ring.

Section 22. Abuse of Dogs.

Section 23. Declining Entries.

Chapter 3

Section 7. Qualifying Scores and General Scoring.

Minor to Substantial Deduction (1-10 points) for each of the following:

• Repeat of a station — only one (1) retry of each station will be allowed for all class levels, except there are no retries in the Rally Master class. Repeat of a station is an automatic 3-point deduction

Section 10. Rally Ribbons. At licensed or member rally trials, the following colors must be used for prize ribbons or rosettes in all regular classes:

First Prize – Blue Second Prize – Red Third Prize – Yellow Fourth Prize – White Qualifying Prize – Dark Green

Highest Combined score in Advanced B and Excellent B award ribbon or rosette shall be Blue and Green.

Section 12. Highest Combined Score in the Advanced B and Excellent B Classes.  The dog receiving the highest combined score in Advanced B and Excellent B will be awarded the ribbon and any prizes offered for this placement after the Advanced B and Excellent B classes have been judged and after the announcement of those final scores. The superintendent or show or trial secretary will mark the catalog with an (HC) to identify the dog receiving this award.

Section 13. Highest Scoring Triple Qualifying Score. The dog receiving the highest combined score in Advanced B, Excellent B and Master class will be awarded the ribbon and any prizes offered for this placement after the Advanced B, Excellent B and Master classes have been judged and after the announcement of those final scores. The superintendent or show or trial secretary will mark the catalog with an “HTQ” to identify the dog receiving this award.   In the case of tied scores between dogs eligible for the above award, the dog completing the three courses in the least amount of combined time will receive the award. In the event that both the score and time are the same, each dog will be tested again, individually, by performing a course as chosen by the judge. The original scores will not be changed, but a plus (+) will be added after the score of the dog winning the runoff. The judge for a run-off will be designated by the club from among the judges of the rally trial.   When a run-off has been completed, the judge will record the results on a special sheet that identifies the dogs taking part in the run-off by catalog number, class and breed. When the judge has marked and signed the sheet, it will be turned over to the superintendent or show or trial secretary who will mark the catalog accordingly and forward the sheet to the AKC as part of the records of the trial. If a club chooses to allow dogs listed with AKC Canine Partners to enter their trial, such dogs are eligible for the Highest Triple Qualifying Score in the Advanced B, Excellent B and Master classes

Chapter 4 Section 2. Rally Intermediate Class. To be eligible for this class dogs must have won the Rally Novice (RN) title but have not earned a qualifying score in a Rally Advanced.   All dogs are judged on leash.

Rally Intermediate must have between 12 to 17 signs (Start and Finished not included) with a minimum of three and a maximum of seven stationary signs. Intermediate courses will have a minimum of three Advanced level signs. There are no jumps in this class.   The letters RI may be added after the name of each dog that has been certified by at least two different judges to have received qualifying scores in Intermediate class at three licensed or member rally trials. That dog will receive a Rally Intermediate certificate from the AKC.

Section 3. Rally Advanced Class. The Rally Advanced A Class. To be eligible for this class, dogs shall have won the Rally Novice (RN) title, or the Rally Intermediate (RI) title, but have not won the Rally Advanced (RA) title or any AKC Obedience title (including optional class titles) prior to the close of entries. The Rally Advanced B Class. To be eligible for this class, dogs shall have won the Rally Novice (RN) title, or the Rally Intermediate (RI) title prior to the close of entries.

Section 4. Rally Excellent Class.

Section 5. Rally Master Class. To be eligible for this class a dog must have won the Rally Excellent (RE) title.    All dogs are judged off leash.    The Master class must have between 15 to 20 signs (Start and Finish not included) with a minimum of three and a maximum of seven stationary signs.    Courses will have a minimum of three Advanced level signs, three Excellent level signs, four Master level signs plus the one required jump sign    There are no retries for any of the signs on the Rally Master course.    Unlike in the Rally Novice, Intermediate and Advanced classes, in the Rally Master class handlers are not allowed to pat their legs or clap their hands to encourage the dog. Verbal encouragement, multiple commands and/or inaudible signals using one or both arms and hands are allowed; the handler’s arms need not be maintained in any particular position at any time. Handlers may not touch their dog or make any physical corrections.   The letters RM may be added after the name of each dog that has been certified by at least two different judges to have received qualifying scores in the Master class at ten licensed or member rally trials. That dog will receive a Rally Master certificate from the AKC.   The letters RM will be followed by a numeric designation indicating the number of times a dog has met the requirements of the RM title as defined in these regulations. (RM2 for 20 qualifying scores, RM3 for 30 qualifying scores, RM4 for 40 qualifying scores, etc.)

Section 6. Jumps. A dog is required to jump once in the Advanced class, twice in the Excellent class and once in the Master class.

Chapter 5 Section 1. Dogs that May Compete. Rally Championship points will be recorded for dogs after they have earned the Rally Master title. When a dog earns the Rally Champion title, it may continue to compete and earn points.

Section 2. Championship Points. Rally Championship points will be recorded for dogs earning a score of 91 or better in the Rally Master class. A dog must earn a total of 300 points. Additionally, the dog must have received qualifying scores in Advanced B, Excellent B and the Master class, on the same day at the same trial at 20 separate licensed or member rally trials.

Section 3. Point Schedule.

Master Class
91 1

92 1

93 1

94 1

95 1

96 1

97 2

98 3

99 4

100 5

Section 4. Rally Champion Title. The AKC will issue a Rally Champion certificate and will permit the use of the letters RACH preceding the name of each dog that meets the requirements.    The letters RACH will be followed by a numeric designation indicating the number of times a dog has met the requirements of the RACH title as defined in these regulations. (RACH2 for 40 triple qualifying scores and 600 points, RACH3 for 60 triple qualifying scores and 900 points, etc.)