Ashley Kelly is the team head coach for the Savannah College of Art and Design equestrian program.
Ashley Kelly competed in the Caribbean for her home country, the Bahamas, before attending the Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills, Maryland. She participated in local and rated competitions and rode on the school’s Tri-state Equitation League team.
Kelly joined the SCAD equestrian team coaching staff in 2005 as hunt seat coach while pursuing a degree in metals and jewelry. While a student at SCAD, she was an award-winning rider on the equestrian team from 2001-05. She competed at the 2002 Intercollegiate Horse Show National Championship and was a member of the SCAD 2003 and 2005 American National Riding Commission Championship team.
With Kelly on the coaching staff, the team has continued its prominence on the intercollegiate riding scene, with ANRC national championship team and individual wins in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. In addition, Kelly coached a SCAD rider to win reserve champion in the Cacchione Cup in 2010 and National Champion in the Cacchione cup in 2012 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Championships (IHSA).
Kelly also coached her team to consecutive IHSA Zone 5 Reserve championships, qualifying SCAD to compete at the IHSA National Championship as a team for the second year in a row. The team placed 4th in 2011 and 6th the country in 2012. Ashley was honored with being being named SCAD's 2011 Head Coach of the Year Award.
Kelly has become involved with the Interscholastic Equestrian Association as a show steward and was a steward for the 2010 IHSA National Championship Horse Show. When not coaching the SCAD equestrian team, Kelly continues to design and make custom jewelry.
