Meet the 2023 Cynosport Officials

Judges look forward to world championship event.

Meet the 2023 judges for the Cynosport® Dog Agility World Games Presented by Purina® Pro Plan®: Lonny Elson, Peggy Hammond, Courtney Keys and Scott Lovelis.

Lonny Elson

An agility competitor for 13 years and judge for six, Lonny Elson has competed in seven Cynosport World Games, but this will be his first year attending as a judge. After getting hooked on the sport in 2010 as another way to keep his dog fit, Lonny, of Flagstaff, Ariz., became a judge to travel, connect with other athletes around the country and better himself as a dog trainer.

“I am so honored and excited to be asked to judge Cynosport this year,” Lonny said. “I love the energy of the event, and I can’t wait to experience it from this vantage point. I hope to make sure my courses provide options for competitors that allow each team to demonstrate their highest level of skill and problem-solving.”

Lonny has four Border Collies in his family: Paxxton, 15, and Gunner, 12, who are retired; and Justice, 6, and Time, 3, who are currently competing. Outside of the sport, he is a Family Nurse Practitioner and Certified Mental Performance Coach; his hobbies include landscape photography, hiking and anything that involves water.

“I love to watch everyone’s teamwork in navigating different challenges on a course,” Lonny said. “My advice for this year’s competitors is to trust your skills, and definitely trust your teammate.”

Peggy Hammond

A returning Cynosport judge for 2023, Peggy Hammond looks forward to working with her fellow judges, seeing old friends and having the best seat in the house for everyone’s fantastic runs. She first discovered agility in 1995 through a Sheltie chat room as she was looking for a way to exercise her dogs while living in an apartment. From there, it became more than she ever imagined.

“I’ve been judging for about 25 years now,” Peggy said. “I had a lot of fun doing agility with my dogs. Judging always looked interesting and fulfilling, and I thought it was a great way to give back to the sport. I love watching the dogs in the ring, but I also enjoy getting to meet people across the country. I’ve made so many friends in many places over the years.”

As a judge, Peggy, of Austin, Texas, aims to design courses that are safe, fast and fun while still having some challenge to them. She is not currently competing with her Shelties – Muppet, 14; Roar, 9; and Eleven, 4, who was diagnosed with epilepsy before his career began – but she will get a puppy to start training again when the time is right. In the meantime, she enjoys traveling the country with her husband outside of her accounting work.

“Some of the funniest things happen in the ring with dogs grabbing cones or even jump poles and then taking off with them,” she said. “It can be easy to take everything too seriously, so I hope everyone remembers to enjoy the time with their dog every time they step to the line.”

Courtney Keys

Courtney Keys of Austin, Texas, has been involved in the sport since 2008 and judging USDAA^® since 2012. Like many competitors, she rode and showed horses growing up, even learning how to judge horse shows from her riding instructor, and later got hooked on agility after thinking it looked cool.

This year marks Courtney’s second time judging a Cynosport event, and she is no stranger to national and international courses. She competed at Cynosport eight times with her Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Francine, who was also her partner for the 2015 IFCS Championship.

“I sobbed like a baby at what I knew would be Fran’s final Cynosport in 2021,” she said. “It’s my very favorite agility event, and I hope to compete again in the future. This year, I look forward to seeing my agility friends from all over the country!”

Courtney now competes with Vanessa Bet, a 3-year-old “Unlicensed Hellhound,” and has this advice for her fellow athletes: “Agility is not important in the long run — our dogs’ lives are too short to get caught in the details. Just relax and enjoy.”

Scott Lovelis

Scott Lovelis of American Canyon, Calif., has traveled all over the country as an agility judge and loves seeing new places and making friends on his journey. He and his wife, Tracy, started competing in 1994 with their first two Aussies, both rescues. Scott started to help his local club run trials in 1997, and he became a judge in 2004 to continue giving back to the wonderful community.

“I really enjoy watching new teams grow and learn each year, especially when you can see how each new dog teaches their handler a new way of training,” Scott said. “I’m honored to be judging Cynosport again and can’t wait to see so many friends step to the line to run under the big lights!”

Scott has competed at six Cynosport World Games and first judged the event in Tennessee in 2013. He and Tracy, who have always trained Aussies, are currently competing with three dogs: 13-year-old Slyder, who is semi-retired but still runs once or twice at local shows; Tracy’s 7½-year-old Ember; and Scott’s 2½-year-old Moo.

An electronic assembler/tester for Meyer Sound Laboratories, Scott spends most of his free time with the dogs, whether that’s running his own at practices and events or traveling to his judging assignments.

“As a fellow competitor and a judge, I hope each handler runs the course the way they walk it,” he said. “Get your handling moves down in your head; you should be able to close your eyes and mentally ‘run’ the course before you step in the ring. Then, trust your handling and trust your dog on course.”