About Us
Hidden Creek Equestrian Center is a family-owned and operated dressage and combined training facility in Kunkletown, Pennsylvania. While we specialize in dressage, we welcome riders of all disciplines. Our staff consists of knowledgeable horse enthusiasts who understand the importance of individualized care for each horse.
Here at Hidden Creek, we pride ourselves in offering possibilities for each of our riders depending on his or her specific goals. Jill Kuc (owner/trainer) is the ESDCTA Youth Committee co-chair and the entire Kuc family is extremely involved in the Youth Committee; therefore, our young riders have access to many amenities including an annual Fix-A-Test Clinic held at Hidden Creek and the ability to apply for one of the competitive ESDCTA Youth Teams. Since 2004, we have had over a dozen young riders compete on an ESDCTA Youth Team at dressage and eventing competitions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York. Young riders have also had the opportunity to travel to Connecticut for Lendon Gray's Weekend Educational Program. In 2009, our Ride 4 Hope participants were even asked to present at the weekend informational clinic.
Hidden Creek dressage and combined training shows are recognized through ESDCTA and NPASS. We encourage and allow students to show as much or as little as they desire on our experienced lesson horses or their own horse, whether that be at our smaller, non-recognized show, or at the larger shows in hopes of qualifying for the NPASS Championships and/or an ESDCTA Year End Award. Numerous riders have earned their ESDCTA Bronze Medals while riding with Hidden Creek, and a few have earned their Silver and Gold Medals. We also offer a series of barn year-end awards that are open to any rider from Hidden Creek regardless of how many shows he or she competes in (see our "Shows" and "Awards" pages for more information). Riders who have no interest in showing can feel perfectly welcome here as well.
We are also proud to be the host and founder of the Ride 4 Hope Musical Challenge for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and we are currently home to a competitive quadrille team.
Here at Hidden Creek, we pride ourselves in offering possibilities for each of our riders depending on his or her specific goals. Jill Kuc (owner/trainer) is the ESDCTA Youth Committee co-chair and the entire Kuc family is extremely involved in the Youth Committee; therefore, our young riders have access to many amenities including an annual Fix-A-Test Clinic held at Hidden Creek and the ability to apply for one of the competitive ESDCTA Youth Teams. Since 2004, we have had over a dozen young riders compete on an ESDCTA Youth Team at dressage and eventing competitions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York. Young riders have also had the opportunity to travel to Connecticut for Lendon Gray's Weekend Educational Program. In 2009, our Ride 4 Hope participants were even asked to present at the weekend informational clinic.
Hidden Creek dressage and combined training shows are recognized through ESDCTA and NPASS. We encourage and allow students to show as much or as little as they desire on our experienced lesson horses or their own horse, whether that be at our smaller, non-recognized show, or at the larger shows in hopes of qualifying for the NPASS Championships and/or an ESDCTA Year End Award. Numerous riders have earned their ESDCTA Bronze Medals while riding with Hidden Creek, and a few have earned their Silver and Gold Medals. We also offer a series of barn year-end awards that are open to any rider from Hidden Creek regardless of how many shows he or she competes in (see our "Shows" and "Awards" pages for more information). Riders who have no interest in showing can feel perfectly welcome here as well.
We are also proud to be the host and founder of the Ride 4 Hope Musical Challenge for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and we are currently home to a competitive quadrille team.
Jill Kuc
Owner, Head Trainer, IEA Coach
"L" Graduate with Distinction
USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist; USDF Silver and Bronze Freestyle Bar
ESDCTA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
Jill is the owner and head trainer at Hidden Creek Equestrian Center. She is an FEI-level rider and trainer and currently competes her self-trainer horses: Grande I Am ("Grande"), a 21-year-old Hannoverian gelding at FEI Intermediare I; and Ultimate ("Uli"), a 16-year-old imported Dutch Warmblood gelding at FEI Prix St. Georges. Jill has a background in both dressage and eventing. She trains numerous competitors from beginners through Prix St. Georges riders, including her daughters and fellow trainers, Becky and Jessie Kuc.
Jill is also an "L" graduate with distinction and judges numerous dressage shows and horse trials throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey each year. She is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, and has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Freestyle Bars. She is the co-chair of the ESDCTA Youth Committee and believes in providing educational and competition opportunities for young dressage enthusiasts.
A rider and competitor as a teenager, Jill took time off to go to college and start a family. She graduated from Rutgers University with highest honors and a B.A. in Mathematics, and she taught high school math before helping Ed open his environmental consulting business. Jill returned to the horse world in 2001 and has been competing in dressage ever since.
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Rebecca Kuc
IEA Coach
USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist
ESDCTA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
Becky is one of the coaches on our IEA Dressage Team and was a former instructor at Hidden Creek before graduating college. She is an FEI-level rider and currently competes her self-trained horse: Rumor Has It ("Mawby") at FEI Prix St Georges and 4th level Musical Freestyle. Becky also helps to train and further progress in advanced lesson horse Emmett to keep him learning to then help the lesson kids learn. Becky has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals and spent 5 years as a working student for Heather Mason.
Becky is also the Awards Chair for ESDSCTA and serves as the Regional President for our region for IEA Dressage. Serving in both of these positions help to benefit our riders regarding deadlines and award requirements, as well as helping to organize the schedule for our region within IEA. She also tracks scores throughout the year for the Hidden Creek riders to help maximize the awards each rider is eligible for at the end of the year.
Becky holds her B.S. in Mathematics with a double minor in Statistics and Physics from Wilkes University and a M.S. in Financial Engineering with a specialty in Financial Risk Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. She currently works for Hamilton Lane Advisors in their quantitative department however keeps her professional status with riding through her coaching of the IEA team as well as occasional lessons or clinics.
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Holly Ahner
Trainer
ESDCTA Silver and Bronze Medalist
Bio coming soon!
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Ed Kuc
Owner
ESDCTA Silver and Bronze Medalist
Bio coming soon!
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Jessica Kuc
ESDCTA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
Bio coming soon!
Owner, Head Trainer, IEA Coach
"L" Graduate with Distinction
USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist; USDF Silver and Bronze Freestyle Bar
ESDCTA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
Jill is the owner and head trainer at Hidden Creek Equestrian Center. She is an FEI-level rider and trainer and currently competes her self-trainer horses: Grande I Am ("Grande"), a 21-year-old Hannoverian gelding at FEI Intermediare I; and Ultimate ("Uli"), a 16-year-old imported Dutch Warmblood gelding at FEI Prix St. Georges. Jill has a background in both dressage and eventing. She trains numerous competitors from beginners through Prix St. Georges riders, including her daughters and fellow trainers, Becky and Jessie Kuc.
Jill is also an "L" graduate with distinction and judges numerous dressage shows and horse trials throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey each year. She is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, and has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Freestyle Bars. She is the co-chair of the ESDCTA Youth Committee and believes in providing educational and competition opportunities for young dressage enthusiasts.
A rider and competitor as a teenager, Jill took time off to go to college and start a family. She graduated from Rutgers University with highest honors and a B.A. in Mathematics, and she taught high school math before helping Ed open his environmental consulting business. Jill returned to the horse world in 2001 and has been competing in dressage ever since.
-----------------------
Rebecca Kuc
IEA Coach
USDF Silver and Bronze Medalist
ESDCTA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
Becky is one of the coaches on our IEA Dressage Team and was a former instructor at Hidden Creek before graduating college. She is an FEI-level rider and currently competes her self-trained horse: Rumor Has It ("Mawby") at FEI Prix St Georges and 4th level Musical Freestyle. Becky also helps to train and further progress in advanced lesson horse Emmett to keep him learning to then help the lesson kids learn. Becky has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals and spent 5 years as a working student for Heather Mason.
Becky is also the Awards Chair for ESDSCTA and serves as the Regional President for our region for IEA Dressage. Serving in both of these positions help to benefit our riders regarding deadlines and award requirements, as well as helping to organize the schedule for our region within IEA. She also tracks scores throughout the year for the Hidden Creek riders to help maximize the awards each rider is eligible for at the end of the year.
Becky holds her B.S. in Mathematics with a double minor in Statistics and Physics from Wilkes University and a M.S. in Financial Engineering with a specialty in Financial Risk Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. She currently works for Hamilton Lane Advisors in their quantitative department however keeps her professional status with riding through her coaching of the IEA team as well as occasional lessons or clinics.
-----------------------
Holly Ahner
Trainer
ESDCTA Silver and Bronze Medalist
Bio coming soon!
-----------------------
Ed Kuc
Owner
ESDCTA Silver and Bronze Medalist
Bio coming soon!
-----------------------
Jessica Kuc
ESDCTA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
Bio coming soon!