Kirby got her first dog, a Shih Tzu named Lucky, for her seventh birthday. Two years later, they started training in agility. She enjoyed it so much that she wanted another dog to play and train with. Sketch, a Border Collie, was a picture perfect addition to the family. He had tons of energy, as most Border Collies do, and agility practice twice a week was not nearly enough for Sketch. Her mom signed them up for a disc dog class taught by Tony Crumley. From there, they learned about the wonderful world of disc dogging. Kirby and Sketch started competing when she was only twelve years old.
Kirby, now seventeen years old, and has added Flash, Blitz, Torch, and Spirit to the pack. Kirby and her dogs have only been competing in disc for five years, but they have had a successful career so far. They live in Southern California and mostly compete in events hosted by Disc Dogs of Southern California, but they have won numerous local and major competitions around the country. Sketch, Flash, and Torch are multiple time world finalists. Flash is the 2011 California State Champion, 2011 Best in the West Champion, and 2011 Disc Dogs in Southern California Club Champion. Sketch is not only the 2011 Quadruped Long Distance Series Champion, but Sketch and Kirby also hold the record for the longest catch for a woman thrower in America with a 67.5 yard catch. He is one of three dogs to win four Quadruped competitions, but he is the only dog that has ever won four in a single year and all in a row. Torch won the 2011 Skyhoundz World Championships at only twenty months old. Torch and Kirby also hold the record for the highest total Open Division score in a Skyhoundz Qualifier or World Championship event. Kirby is not only the first female to win the Skyhoundz World Championships, but also the youngest person to ever win a world championship competition.
