USDAA Salutes 2025 Veterans Showcase Competitors

Meet three winning teams.

This article was originally published in the December 2025 OVERview digital magazine.

Congratulations to everyone who competed in the Veterans Showcase Presented by Purina^® Pro Plan^® at this year’s Cynosport^® Dog Agility World Games Presented by Purina Pro Plan! We caught up with three of these longtime partnerships to learn more about their journeys through the sport.

Freda Jessen and Panda

From the moment Freda Jessen met mixed-breed Panda as a 10-week-old from The Puppy People Rescue, she knew he was supposed to be her dog. The resident of Bostic, North Carolina, has participated in agility for over 10 years, and Panda, now 8 ½ years old, fell in love with it from the start.

“Panda had several injuries throughout his career, including two cruciate ligament tears and a hip dysplasia diagnosis,” Freda said. “He had been out of the competition ring for the last two years. We played around over some low jumps and tunnels, but I thought our showing days were over. Then in the spring, he started demanding more agility turns, and I noticed he could jump onto the bed and into the car without needing help anymore. I had already decided to try to qualify my other two dogs for Cynosport, so I thought I’d take him to the Southeastern Regional and see how he did.

“He was amazing and SO happy to be running again!” she continued. “I figured we would both have fun doing the veterans showcase, and of course, we did. After two years of thinking I would never be able to run him again, I was just so grateful and excited to step into the ring with him one more time.”

Freda and Panda’s teamwork certainly shone in Tennessee this year; they secured the 12” Veterans All Around Championship.

Jennifer Killinger and JJ

Jennifer Killinger’s 9 ½-year-old Golden Retriever, JJ, spent the first two years of his life in structured service dog training. Although he failed in that role, he thrived in agility training after the resident of Bedford, Virginia, adopted him. The pair started competing when he was 3 years old and went on to qualify for three Cynosport World Games.

“At his first Cynosport in Arizona, he made the Grand Prix^® semifinals and was eighth overall in the Strategic Games,” Jennifer said. “This year was his first time in veterans, and we ended up third across the board (including the 12” Veterans All Around title). I couldn’t be happier.”

Sandy Scott and Skylar

In 2005, Sandy Scott of Simi Valley, California, started in the sport with her first Sheltie, Maverick. She has competed successfully with several dogs over the last 20 years, including her now-13 ½-year-old Sheltie, Skylar (“IvanLee The Sky’s The Limit”), who won the 4” Veterans All Around Showcase this year.

“Due to Skylar’s age, I felt moving her to the veterans class and doing the showcase was better for her physically,” Sandy said. “She has been training for agility since she was a puppy, has always been a great partner in the ring, and is still sound at her age. But as sad as it is, I realized she can’t run as many runs now as she did in her younger years.

“When we ran veterans this year, I even felt like it might be her last Cynosport,” she added. “But that is yet to be determined. She has always been smart with her body, and I know she will tell me when it’s her last run.”