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About us:
Hill Country Riding Academy was founded by Stephanie and David Cook in
2008. Stephanie has been riding and training horses since the age of six in Central New Jersey.
There, she had opportunities to work with off-the-track thoroughbreds and train them to perform as hunters and jumpers. She
began teaching beginner riders at age 10 and continued until leaving for college. |
Stephanie graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the United States
Military Academy at West Point, NY. While there, she represented West Point in Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA)
shows as the leading open equitation rider for the team, qualifying for IHSA nationals all four years. As a cadet, she had
the unique opportunity to train with world-renowned trainers including: Colonel Neumann-Geissen of the German Army, Olympians
Iris Kellet (the first women ever on the Irish National Equestrian team) and Robert Hall, (trainer to Prince Charles and trained
by the Spanish Riding School) and spent weekends training for IHSA Nationals with Centenary College's accomplished riding
team.
After graduating from West Point with a Bachelor of Science
degree in English (and a minor in Electrical Engineering), Stephanie served in the US Army as a Military Police Officer. After
the Army, she was a Police Officer in League City, Texas and has been licensed as a police officer, Special Weapons and Tactics
(SWAT) team leader, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Law Enforcement instructor. She has conducted classes for law enforcement
personnel from local through university levels
Stephanie continued in the investigations field and spent several years in
the corporate world- working for insurance companies as a fraud investigator. She conducted thousands of investigations and
educated hundreds of employees about fraud laws, investigations and recognition. During this time, she was able to continue
her education: obtaining her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in December 2006.
| Family Portrait |
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| Alexis, Bryson, Danielle, TJ, Stephanie David & DJ |
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