Meet Laura Grahalic-See of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Laura Grahalic-See of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, first became involved with rally in 2006, but recently took her passion for the sport to the next level when she became a World Cynosport® Rally Limited (WCRL) judge more than two years ago.
Laura was introduced to rally when she began attending classes at Sit Happens! Companion Dog Training in Calgary with her Labrador Retriever, Bailey, 19 years ago. Rally allowed her to speak to, smile at and just have fun with her dog, and she found it much less formal than obedience. 
“I fell in love with the sport,” said Laura. “I was so impressed with all that rally brought to better my communication and relationship with Bailey. Rally was also the start of my addiction to ribbons.”
Over the years, Laura went on to compete in rally with her Husky/Border Collie mix named Grace, whom she adopted from the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society in Calgary. Grace was found with a severely broken front leg that eventually had to be amputated when she was about a year old, leaving her as a front tripod. In the 10 years they competed together, the pair earned an ARCH title, with Grace recently coming out of retirement for one last rally event at the age of 14, winning a Flash Level 1 Award of Excellence title.
“Rally was good for her as it was easy on her front leg and she needed a job to stay sane; she was a very active, smart dog,” said Laura. “It brought so much to our relationship. We are like a dance team and know in advance what the other needs and wants, so to speak. She can do anything!”
In March 2023, Laura decided it was time for her next chapter in the world of rally, and she became a judge. She had just made the decision to retire Grace and wanted to find a new way to stay dedicated to the sport she’s loved for almost 20 years.
“Grace was my only dog at the time. I still wanted to be involved in WCRL rally, as I truly enjoyed everything about rally — the people, judges, competitors, dogs, teams — all of it,” Laura said. “My team at Sit Happens! encouraged me by saying that judging was something I could do. I’m proud to be a part of such an encouraging and helpful group of staff and competitors.”
When Laura isn’t judging or competing, she spends her time working as an administrator for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and volunteering at Sit Happens! where she coaches WCRL rally and puppy training classes. Laura and Grace still do “Sunday funday” 10-minute rally practices, and Laura hopes to compete in the future with her newest dog, Burlap.
“I don’t believe becoming a judge has changed the way I look at competition, but I do think I am more invested in supporting, encouraging and cheering on teams. I love how this sport encourages teamwork, in a fun, kind and understanding way,” she said.