Celebrating this season’s Kickoff K9s
The CSU Veterinary Health System teamed up with CSU Athletics for the Kickoff K9 tee dog sponsorship, featuring Wonder, a Labrador campus favorite and therapy dog, and Sunshine, a resilient tripawd rescued from Alaska.
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This year, the CSU Veterinary Health System was proud to partner with CSU Athletics for the Kickoff K9/tee dog sponsorship. Two amazing pups brought joy and cheers to the field in a unique way that only animals can. We are grateful to share their stories and highlight what makes them so very special.
Wonder: Tee dog and campus companion
Wonder, officially known as Kolfyre Seven Wonders of the World, is a 4-year-old Labrador who made her debut as the Kickoff K9 tee dog Sept. 28 and quickly became a campus star.
Though she gained notoriety this year, Wonder has been a regular visitor for the last four years, enjoying daily walks around campus, playing fetch on the intramural fields, swimming in the canal, and soaking up attention from students. Her humans, Helen and Chris Holmquist-Johnson, are proud CSU alumni, and Wonder has been a Ram from the very beginning.
Her favorite toy? A trusty retrieval bumper, which also played a key role in her training to become CSU’s official tee dog. Because Wonder has always loved fetch, her family turned retrieving the kickoff tee into a game, tossing it around the yard and rewarding her each time she brought it back. With support from the CSU Veterinary Health System and CSU Athletics, Wonder practiced at Canvas Stadium before making her big debut.
Since earning her jersey as a tee dog, game day is one of Wonder’s favorite things. According to her human, Chris, “Without a doubt, her favorite part was the big moment – sprinting onto the field to retrieve the kickoff tee, then soaking up the roar of the crowd as CSU Ram fans cheer her on and line the sidelines to give her pets and high-fives!”
But Wonder’s impact on the CSU community wasn’t just on the field. She’s a certified therapy dog through CSU’s Human-Animal Bond in Colorado (HABIC) program, offering comfort and support to students and staff during campus destress events. With her wagging tail and warm heart, Wonder helps navigate the pressures of academic life, one cuddle at a time.
Whether she’s retrieving tees or lifting spirits, Wonder is a Ram through and through and a reminder of the powerful bond between humans and animals.
Wonder, officially known as Kolfyre Seven Wonders of the World, is a 4-year-old Labrador who made her debut as the Kickoff K9 tee dog Sept. 28 and quickly became a campus star.
Though she gained notoriety this year, Wonder has been a regular visitor for the last four years, enjoying daily walks around campus, playing fetch on the intramural fields, swimming in the canal, and soaking up attention from students. Her humans, Helen and Chris Holmquist-Johnson, are proud CSU alumni, and Wonder has been a Ram from the very beginning.
Her favorite toy? A trusty retrieval bumper, which also played a key role in her training to become CSU’s official tee dog. Because Wonder has always loved fetch, her family turned retrieving the kickoff tee into a game, tossing it around the yard and rewarding her each time she brought it back. With support from the CSU Veterinary Health System and CSU Athletics, Wonder practiced at Canvas Stadium before making her big debut.
Since earning her jersey as a tee dog, game day is one of Wonder’s favorite things. According to her human, Chris, “Without a doubt, her favorite part was the big moment – sprinting onto the field to retrieve the kickoff tee, then soaking up the roar of the crowd as CSU Ram fans cheer her on and line the sidelines to give her pets and high-fives!”
But Wonder’s impact on the CSU community wasn’t just on the field. She’s a certified therapy dog through CSU’s Human-Animal Bond in Colorado (HABIC) program, offering comfort and support to students and staff during campus destress events. With her wagging tail and warm heart, Wonder helps navigate the pressures of academic life, one cuddle at a time.
Whether she’s retrieving tees or lifting spirits, Wonder is a Ram through and through and a reminder of the powerful bond between humans and animals.
From an Alaska village to the 50-yard line, Sunshine steps up
In a special homecoming guest appearance, tripawd pup Sunshine brought her special light to the football field, marking a triumphant step on her journey from an Alaskan village to the 50-yard line at Canvas Stadium.
Rescued as a puppy with multiple leg injuries, Sunshine was adopted in 2022 by then-veterinary student Marguerite Bandeian, who was working at a clinic with Alaska Native Rural Veterinary, Inc., as part of her studies in the CSU Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program.
Sunshine’s back right leg and right front foot were broken, and Dr. Barbara Cole at Aurora Animal Hospital in Fairbanks recommended a partial amputation and prosthetic device. “Sunshine underwent surgery, and the veterinary technicians provided excellent care. They even made a small wheelchair for her recovery. She was out of it within two days, hopping around on her two left legs and using her tail to help propel herself,” said Bandeian, who earned her D.V.M. in 2024 and is now a large animal veterinary intern at CSU.
Once her incisions healed, Sunshine started underwater treadmill therapy to help her rebuild strength and quickly adapted to her prosthetic.
“When we moved to Colorado for the second half of my veterinary program, Sunshine developed a seroma (fluid pocket) in her residuum (amputated limb), making walking uncomfortable with or without her prosthetic,” Bandeian said. “We took her to the CSU Small Animal Orthopedic Medicine and Mobility service, where Dr. Gabriella Castro consulted with Dr. Lindsay Elam about revising her amputation to improve the walking surface. She underwent surgery the next day and was fitted with a walking cast.”
Bandeian knew Sunshine would have ongoing challenges with just three feet. “Over the years, we’ve worked closely with the orthopedic medicine and rehabilitation team through many ups and downs. Sunshine recovered well and has since been fitted with multiple prosthetics. We’re still refining the fit – like breaking in new shoes, it takes time. She sometimes gets blisters and can’t tell us exactly what feels right or wrong, but she gives small cues that help us make adjustments.”
Teed up for the big game, and daily life
“Sunshine is a very spunky, high energy, and highly fit canine. She was chosen as a tee dog as she is a highly trained, hardworking patient that would love to be part of the football action,” said Kacie Kempkes, a registered veterinary technician with the Small Animal Orthopedic Medicine and Mobility service who works with Sunshine on her various therapies.
Sunshine sees the CSU Small Animal Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy team for muscle aches and pain from being a tripawd.
“We have been working with Sunshine for the past two years to improve quality of life and performance through her prosthetic and limb use,” Kempkes said. “Sunshine loves coming to rehab for pain management treatments that she may need for compensatory pain from her partial amputation, and for the underwater treadmill and targeted exercises for her prosthetic use.”
At home, Bandeian and her fiancé manage Sunshine’s care with heat therapy, massage, a TENS machine, and a diet high in omega-3s and supplements.
“We owe special thanks to Dr. Bryce Roberts and Dr. Rowan Seabolt, who have dedicated personal time to help Sunshine and adjust her prosthetic. We’re also deeply grateful to Sasha Foster, Kacie Kempkes, and Laura Southworth for their continued support. We appreciate every member of the OMM and rehab teams – Sunshine wouldn’t be where she is today without them. Finally, we encourage others to support Alaska Native Rural Veterinary, Inc. Sunshine wouldn’t be here without their incredible work, and they continue to provide essential veterinary care to rural Alaskan communities with One Health in mind.”
Veterinary Health System
Colorado State University’s Veterinary Health System is a community of veterinary professionals dedicated to providing exceptional service with passion and purpose. Our experts are animal and public health leaders working together to apply their diverse skills in veterinary care, diagnostics, and education. As a partner of CSU’s top-ranked academic veterinary program, the clinical team works with researchers and educators to advance the future of veterinary medicine.