West Texas A&M University Athletics

Mallory Vestal, a native of Tulia, Texas, came to West Texas A&M in 2001 and had an immediate impact upon the Equestrian program, both athletically and academically, participating in the disciplines of Western Horsemanship and Hunter Seat Equitation from 2001 until 2005.  Today, she becomes the first-ever equestrian rider to be selected to the West Texas A&M University Hall of Champions.

Vestal was a member of the WT National Champion Western team in 2002 as an intermediate rider and in 2003 was an advanced rider in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association National Champion Western Team. She was intermediate rider in the 2003 National Tournament of Champions Western team championship.

In the classroom, Vestal was West Texas A&M’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was also on the President’s List.  She was the recipient of the Barry Thompson President Honor Scholarship, as well as the Mesa Scholarship for Academic Excellence.  In 2005 she was awarded the prestigious President’s Award from the Athletics Department for her unparalleled excellence in both the field of competition and the classroom. 

After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness in 2005, she received her Master’s of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State while serving as a graduate assistant for the 2006 OSU National Champion Western Equestrian team. 

Following a short time in private business, Vestal returned to WT to serve as a Visiting Instructor of Agricultural Business & Economics for the Department of Agricultural Sciences.