NTEC: Training Staff Biographies

NTEC Training Staff

Christian Heineking

Christian Heineking joined the NTEC staff in 2008 after completing his German Reitlehrer FN certification and relocating to the United States. This master certification, which Christian earned at the German Riding Academy at Warendorf, is awarded only after the completion of five years of rigorous coursework and extensive testing of the candidate’s riding ability. Christian graduated at the top of his class in 2008. Although licensed to train horses and riders through the FEI levels in both dressage and jumping, Christian’s particular area of interest is training and competing in show jumping. Currently he leads the jumping training and lesson program at NTEC and is an avid competitor. Christian is equally comfortable working with young horses or the seasoned grand prix competitor and has had success at such venues as the Lexington National Horse Show in Kentucky, the Winter Equestrian Festival in West Palm Beach, and the Germantown Charity Horse Show in Tennessee.

Christan Heineking in Germantown

Christan Heineking

Shahram Aminzadeh

Shahram Aminzadeh is a riding instructor, trainer, and certified show jumping judge who has been riding and teaching at NTEC since 2005. He is certified by the American Riding Instructors Association as a Level II Dressage and Show Jumping Instructor. He began his riding career in 1993 in his home country of Iran, and in 2002 obtained a college degree in Equine Science, with a focus on equine breeding technology. In 2005, he and his wife Sara moved from Iran to the United States, and settled in the Dallas area.

With 15 years experience, Shahram trains and competes in both dressage and show jumping. He believes teaching others to ride is a form of art that requires perceptiveness, flexibility, and creativity, and by maintaining this philosophy is able to teach students of all personalities and levels of talent. Whether you are an experienced rider or just beginning, he believes success in equitation is achieved by being confident in your ability and achieving a mutual level of trust between horse and rider.

When Shahram is not instructing students or riding, he is continuing to expand his experience and education by translating instructional articles in general equine care, dressage, and jumping into his native language of Farsi. He is also currently working on the translation of an instructional riding book that concentrates on exercises for the horse and rider.

Allison Csaki

Allison Csaki joined the NTEC staff in 2009. She holds her British Horse Society Level 2 International Instructor certification and has ten years of experience teaching riders of all levels. She specializes in teaching children and strives to deliver lessons that are safe, positive, informative, and most importantly, fun!

Allison Csaki

Amanda Herrick Barrera

Amanda Herrick Barrera has been riding and showing horses since she was a child and has taken numerous mounts to regional and national success in hunters and equitation. Her favorite horse, which she showed with Jim and Joan Henson, was named Three Cheers. With this horse she won THJA and AHSA zone awards in the three foot hunters in 1993. Another winning mount was Gideon, a Dutch warmblood purchased from Kai Handt in 1997.

Amanda’s teaching career started after the untimely death of her father when Amanda was 19. She and her mother opened a small farm at that time to teach hunters and equitation. An instructor at NTEC since 2005, Amanda’s love is bringing up future riders with correct and safe basics which they can take on to any equestrian discipline.

Currently Amanda and her husband, Scotty, have three beautiful children Olivia, Luca, and Lorenzo. She has put her own riding on hold so that Olivia and her pony, Patchwork, can train at NTEC and attend dressage shows.