MARTIN, Tenn. - Meghan Cunningham, the head equestrian coach at The University of Tennessee at Martin announced Ashley Thompson has been hired as the assistant equestrian coach for the 2010-11 season. Thompson will coach the Western riders.

"We are ecstatic to have someone of Ashley's familiarity and talent coaching at UT Martin," Cunningham said. "She brings such enthusiasm and experience, and we look for strong things to happen under her leadership."

Before coming to UT Martin, Thompson served as an assistant coach at New Mexico State for almost three years. She led the team to a third place-finish in the 2007 national championship. New Mexico State was the only program to have a single rider selected to compete in both Horsemanship and Reining for the Individual National Championship in 2009.

"This is a great opportunity (UT Martin) to jump into a fairly young team. I truly appreciate the UTM Equestrian team and coach Cunningham allowing me to be a part of this program."Thompson said.


In addition to coaching the Western riders, Thompson will teach beginning horsemanship classes and serve as the event coordinator for the Ned McWherter Agricultural Pavilion.

Thompson started riding horses when she was 11 years old. As a student-athlete at Texas A&M, she competed for the Aggies at the nationals in Open Horsemanship two consecutive years in which the Aggies won two national championships.

Thompson was a two-time American Quarter Horse Youth World Qualifier in Horsemanship, Hunt Seat Equitation and Showmanship and a two-time American Quarter Horse Congress Finalist in Hunt Seat Equitation and Horsemanship. She also earned superior honors in Showmanship in 1999.

"One of the first tasks I need to take on is to reignite the riders' enthusiasm for the sport of equestrian," Thompson said.

"They have to regain their focus and remember this is a team sport."



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