Albion College

Adam V. D’Agostino, MBA joined the Albion College Varsity Equestrian coaching staff in July 2018; serving also as the Interim Hunt Seat Coach or the 2021-22 season.

Since his arrival, the Western Equestrian Team has earned three Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Zone 6, Region 4 High Point Team titles and one Reserve High Point Team title; this includes an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Trophy Western Team qualification for the 2022 IHSA National Championship, earning 7th overall. D’Agostino has also taken 13 Albion dual-discipline riders individually to Nationals, Western Semi-Finals, Hunt Seat Zones and has coached many Individual Regional Champions and Reserve Champions. At the IHSA Nationals in 2023, Western rider Carli Kerns earned Albion’s first-ever National Championship
in Individual Level II Western Horsemanship under his guidance.

D’Agostino has been involved with IHSA since 2006, previously serving IHSA as the Area 64 Western Representative, a Western steward at the IHSA Nationals and Semi- Finals, a member of the Western Horse Selection Committee and was instrumental in creating and implementing the Level II Ranch Riding class. Before joining the Brits, D’Agostino was an Associate Lecturer of Equine Business Management and Business Management and Head Western Coach of the Equestrian Team at Cazenovia College. D’Agostino coached the 2017 National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Individual Open Reining IHSA National Champion, who also placed third in the AQHA High Point Rider competition and advanced the Western Team to AQHA Trophy competition at the 2017 IHSA
Nationals. Under his direction, Cazenovia advanced riders to the NRHA Derby Collegiate Cup and the AQHA World Show Collegiate Challenge, as well three AQHA High Point Riders to Top Five finishes at the IHSA National Championship Show.

A graduate of the University of Findlay, Coach D’Agostino got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant with the Western Team that captured the 2010 IHSA National Championship. He also coached the junior varsity Western team for two seasons at Findlay. As an undergraduate rider, D’Agostino was a member of the Western teams that finished as the Reserve National Champion in 2008 and the National Champion in 2009. He was a two-time National Champion for Findlay, winning the AQHA Trophy Team Level II Western Horsemanship in 2008 and 2009. He also rode on the Varsity Hunt Seat Equestrian Team for one season.

D’Agostino is member of several equestrian organizations, including the AQHA Professional Horsemen’s Association and Markel American Paint Horse Association (APHA) Professional Horsemen’s Association. He owns and operates Empire Performance Horses, a business specializing in all-around performance horses for show competition. He has trained a number of world and reserve world champions, congress reserve champions and year-end award winners. His career has given him the opportunity to work for distinguished AQHA Professional Horsemen Nancy Sue Ryan, Scott Jones and David Miller, as well as FEI Driving trainer, Darren Menkins. Coach D’Agostino also judges Open and 4-H shows and provides clinics on a multitude of topics in the Western industry.