HIXSON LISTENS TO HER FATHER AND SIGNS WITH UT MARTIN EQUESTRIAN TEAM

July 21, 2012

MARTIN, Tenn. – Laney Hixson could have stayed close to home and competed on an equestrian team. However, she opted to listen to her father and she will compete in the Western discipline at The University of Tennessee at Martin this fall.

“My father always told me, ‘Tennessee is God’s country,’”Hixson said.

And if the words of wisdom from her father wasn’t enough, Hixson said she was hooked on UTM after her first visit. “The beautiful campus, the student-teacher ratio, and I fell in love with the atmosphere on my first visit.”

“We are excited that Laney decided to attend UT Martin,” head equestrian coach Meghan Cunningham said. “She is joining a strong recruiting class that, coupled with her, we believe will take our program to the next level.”

Hixson, from Stone Mountain, Ga., has competed in the IEA Nationals for Horsemanship, the HQHA Congress Team, IEA National NRHA Reining and two American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) shows. Just recently Hixson competed in the IEA National Championship.

“I am pleased to have Laney join the Skyhawk Equestrian team, “UT Martin assistant equestrian coach Ashley Thompson said. “She has experience competing in a team setting and has been very competitive on the AQHA circuit. I look for her to have an immediate impact on the team.”

Laney will compete in Reining which is an event that Thompson coaches. Laney, who plans to major in animal science and pre-veterinary medicine, is the daughter of Dr. Gary and Sherry Hixson.