Meet the Hidden Creek Farm Family, Past & Present
We have great part timers that have been with us for many years.
Joelle Rusin on Romeo

   Joelle Rusin came to Hidden Creek Farm in the spring of 2004.  With seven years previous riding and training, she gained so much more knowledge and experience at HCF.   She started out helping to train one of Bob's polo horses; however, she fell in love with the beautiful bay horse named Romeo, and soon stole him away from the polo field and began training him to be a hunter jumper.

 
   Anne also quickly recruited Joelle to be one of her part-time workers.  Joelle thinks that Anne is by far the best boss ever, especially because little Italian Anne feeds her all the time and loves her dearly and Joelle is by far Anne's favorite.
. . . don't include this...I'm just brown nosing the boss .  The boss left this in for a little humor in her day.
   Joelle gave up her lease on Romeo in the fall of 2007 to begin training with the Stevens Institute of Technology Equestrian Team in Three Bridges, NJ with Coach Patti Zwaan. She has trained with Chrystine Tauber, Amanda Flint, Liz Perry-Merbler, Osvaldo Pacher, Adam Cramer, and several others.  She was also accepted to Stevens Institute in Hoboken, NJ with a four year scholarship.   Anne and Bob are very proud to call her one of their barn daughters, and part of the family!
Kate Sherwell on Scarlett     -     Vicky Sherwell on Hugo
   Vicky Sherwell came to live in the United States from England with her family in 2004, bringing her horse Hugo with them. That was the only way she agreed to move with her family. The Sherwell's bought Hugo for Vicky and Kate in 2001 as a three year old. (Kate did not bond with Hugo very well, so she leased a horse until they bought her Scarlett in 2005).
   Vicky showed in jumpers and dressage in England, training with Aleen Todd. She kept her horse with, and worked occasionally for, Chris Ellis, an international show jumper from West Sussex England. Vicky also trained with trainers and equestrian behavior specialists Chris & Karen Wellings from Australia. Vicky gained a lot of knowledge being in and around the international show circuit in England. Since moving to the States, Vicky has trained with Staci Rossetti, Chrystine Tauber and this spring will start to train with Karen Da Petro.
   Vicky came to work at Hidden Creek Farm in the Fall of 2006 and loves working for Anne as she makes Vicky and her fiancé, Matt, good home cooked Italian food. She is the chief do-everything at the barn, as well as assistant manager. Anne could not run the farm without her. Vicky liked Hidden Creek so much that she decided to board her horse Hugo here until her family purchased their own farm in late 2007. She also recruited younger sister, Kate, to work part time for Anne. 
Joelle and Romeo     -     Lindsay and Blitz
   After ten years of horse experience, Lindsay Pogash heard about Hidden Creek. She high tailed it over here as fast as she could because she knew that this was a place she really wanted to be. She began working part-time for Anne during the winter of 2006 and Anne has been stuck with her ever since. Lindsay has enjoyed several trail rides with Anne & her horses. Simply put, she is a Hidden Creek fanatic!

   Aside from her Hidden Creek life, Lindsay rides at Hidden Brook Farm in Bedminster, NJ. Here she has become known as the "head pony trainer." She has successfully competed on the "A" circuit and even has brought home a blue ribbon from HITS on a pony she trained herself. She has trained with people such as Eric Horgan, Kevin Babbington, Sebastian Guglielmino & Rachel Rosenthal, to name a few. Lindsay is going to continue her riding career on an Intercollegiate Riding Team during college fall.
Lindsay & Blitz
Grace Seymour
   Grace Seymour is a part timer at HCF and has been involved with horses since she can remember. At the age of three, she moved to Tennessee where her parents bought a farm and her first horse, Sonic. Until age 7, Grace’s mom taught her how to ride on Sonic, who she credits as being the "best horse EVER!". In 1997 Grace moved to New Jersey where she started taking official riding lessons and showing. Over the years Grace has shown in jumpers, hunters and equitation, and plans to continue showing before she leaves for college. As well as riding, Grace has been extremely involved in 4-H, works two jobs and makes time for having fun on Sonic, of course! Grace came to Hidden Creek in 2005 as a part-time worker after her friend Joelle told her what a great place it is to work at. Grace hopes to get her Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, continue on to Veterinary School and eventually become a research veterinarian for a major grain company.
Melissa Abate and Dave
Melissa Abate came to Hidden Creek Farm in 2003 - Here is her story
   I was moving to Bethlehem and needed to find a place to keep my horse. I didn't know anyone out this way and no one I spoke to could recommend a place. But then my friend  Susan told me Anne had just built a beautiful barn less than 10 minutes from where I was going to live. I contacted Anne and loved the place from the moment I saw it. And Anne and I hit it off so well that without looking at any other barns in the area I moved there a month later. I was HCF's 3rd boarder!
 
   At the time I had no children (Dave was my child and Anne can tell you how neurotic I once was with him!), and I spent a lot of my spare time at the barn. Anne needed extra help so I decided to go to work for her part-time. I worked and boarded with her for 3 years and what a great time it was! Everyone was so nice at the farm. I really miss Sunday morning egg bagels!  Anne and I went all over with our horses trail riding. She even braved hunter paces with me and my nutty OTTB when no one else would. Image was one of the few horses that could keep pace with Dave, who WILL NOT walk on hunter paces and we even managed to win a few!

   Then in November of 2005, my husband and I adopted a beautiful, healthy baby boy that we named Riley. Since Riley came along, my horse life (along with the rest of my life) has completely changed. Dave was only being ridden very lightly so after 3 years at HCF, I moved Dave to a farm where he could be on full-time turnout to help manage his arthritic hocks.
 
   Children take up a lot of your time and I was doing self-care at the new farm to help save money. Between taking care of Riley, working a full-time job and still juggling all of the household responsibilities, it was getting harder and harder to get to the barn during the week so my husband and I decided to put in a run-in shed and some pasture at home. I brought Dave home a couple of weeks before Christmas of 2006. He is now 21-years-old and his hocks are giving him more trouble these days. Between that and his spit-fire attitude when he is ridden, he hasn't been a safe reliable mount so he's pretty much living the retired life in my backyard with our mini-donkey, Ario. It is a lot work having him home, but he deserves nothing but the best in his retirement years as he worked hard for much of his life and he took good care of me for many years. And I feel extremely blessed to be able to still have Dave as I know many Moms have to give up horses completely when their children are so little.
 
   I have many wonderful memories of my time at Hidden Creek Farm. I've made many lasting friendships from my time there and am greatful to have been able to board there. And I am thankful for all that Bob & Anne did for me & Dave while we were there. I've been gone from there for almost 2 years now but Anne & I still enjoy a wonderful friendship. It truly is a wonderful place to board at! 
The Abate Family and their Farmette
Ashley Dible
a.k.a. "Barn Ashley" or "Witchy Poo"

  Ashley came to Hidden Creek Farm in the winter of 2002, when she was still in high school. She worked for Anne even after graduating, while attending college. 
     
Andrea McQueen
Linda Sigman with Ms. Blackberry
   Linda met Anne & Bob in 1998 when they were looking for a second horse to buy, and came to her farm in Bedminster. They didn't buy Linda's horse, but she became a life long friend. One of Anne's closest horse buddies. Linda has lived and traveled to many countries, has experienced so many different things in life that she is truly one of the most interesting people to know, and just as enjoyable. A few years ago Linda was looking to start a house & pet sitting business. While she got on her feet, she worked part time at Hidden Creek and managed to sneak in a few horses she was training to board temporarily at the farm. Although her business grew, she became weary of the winters in N.J. and bought a beautiful home in South Carolina, near her daughter Lori. She comes back to NJ often to work for the clients already established in this area, and has started up the same business in SC.  A very knowledgeable and gifted horsewoman, and one of Hidden Creek's favorite people!
Jessica Vezza
   Jessica Vezza has been involved with horses almost her entire life. She met Anne & Bob at a boarding facility in Long Valley in 1998. When they bought their own farm, Jessica followed as a part timer at Hidden Creek. It couldn’t have come at a better time for her, for she recently lost her beloved dad. The people at Hidden Creek helped Jess get through the toughest time in her life. Anne's home cooked meals and Belgian waffles helped too.
When Jess saved enough money to buy a horse of her own, there was no question where she would board her horse! Jess purchased Gunner from a horse friend that was going away to college and spent many hours trail riding with Anne, and training him. When Gunner started to have issues with his feet, Jess found him a great home in VA where he would be loved and lightly ridden.
   Shortly after Jessica moved to Ohio with her mom, she was given a beautiful Thoroughbred mare named ‘ She Can Smoke’ aka Bella; and she is more horse than Jess ever thought she could handle. Truly a match made in heaven.  Twenty years of riding wasn’t enough to prepare her for this horse. She currently trains with Marilyn Sewell who has evented and trained horses all of her life.
Jess is currently showing in the 3’ – 3’3” jumpers, despite dreams of dressage, because Bella had her own idea of how things should be. Jess stays in touch with the Hidden Creek family as much as she can.