Jan. 31, 2013
Gamecock Equestrian on Facebook
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina head coach Boo Major has announced the signing of Ashley Reichert (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) to a national letter of intent to join the Gamecocks for the 2013-2014 season. She will be competing with the Gamecock reiners next season.
“Ashley is our final Western signee from the early signing period, and she is unique because she comes in with the ability to compete in both reining and horsemanship,” Major said. “She was the Interscholastic Equestrian Association’s national champion in horsemanship last season, and her numerous top-ten finishes across multiple events shows that she is ready to make the jump to college.”
Reichert trains with Missy Thyfault and Linda Dare.
Reichert won the 2012 Interscholastic Equestrian Association’s individual national championship in intermediate horsemanship. She was also on the team that won the IEA’s reserve national championship in intermediate horsemanship. Reichert put up top-ten finishes in the 15-18 hunter under saddle in in both 2011 and 2012 at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress.
In 2011, Reichert finished top-20 at the Ford Youth World Show in 15-18 hunter under saddle. In 2010, she finished seventh in the 12-14 hunter under saddle. In 2009, she finished fifth in the 12-14 showmanship at halter and finished sixth in the novice youth 13 & under equitation.
“We’re happy to have Ashley join us for next season, and I think she has the ability to do very well at the college level,” associate head coach Ruth Sorrel said. “With her experience in the IEA, Ashley has proven herself to be a vary talented rider. We’re initially looking at her to be a reiner, however she certainly has the talent to compete in horsemanship for us, so she’s going to have some opportunities with us and she’ll be a great addition.”
A senior at Grove City High School, Reichert has been highly active both as a student and athlete. In the classroom, she has a cumulative GPA of 3.96 and is currently ranked 45th in a senior class of 434 students. She served as historian for the National Honor Society, and was a also a member of the Renaissance Club, Key Club, and Astronomy Club.
In the community service arena, Reichert has volunteered with the Capital City Humane Society and the Re-Ride Quarter Horse Adoption Program.
On top of her academics and volunteer work, Reichert is well known throughout the horse community in Ohio. She is president of the Eastern Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association and is president of the Hold Your Horses 4-H Club. She iss a member of both the Southern Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association and Northern Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association. Reichert also holds memberships in the Ohio Quarter Horse Youth Association and the National Snaffle Bit Association. She is also on the Ohio Quarter Horse Association NYATT team and the Eastern Ohio Quarter Horse Association NYATT team.
Reichert is the daughter of John and Maria Reichert. She has a 15-year old brother, Brent. Reichert chose South Carolina over Texas A&M, Baylor, and South Dakota State.
