Page 90 - May 2021

THE BACKSIDE
ALEXIA WILLIS
“Go to clinics, learn basic horsemanship, surround yourself with better horsemen than what you are...”
A Trainer’s Perspective
by Emily Blankenship
HOME BASE:
Maysville, OK
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 34
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
Multiple open 1D winner, Prairie Circuit Finals Qualifier, stakes winning and multiple race winning Quarter Horses and Paints
When Alexia isn’t at work as an emergency medicine physician or spending time with her daughter, Posey, you can find her with her horses.
It seems Willis’ career as a breeder/owner/ rider is a natural advancement in a life spent around horses. She began riding horses at nine years old and later competed in high school rodeos. Her first barrel horse was a “weak kneed palomino Paint named Skippy.” Alexia purchased the horse for $400 and trained and sold him for $800, doubling her money. The rest is history. She took time out of her busy schedule to tell us a little more about herself in the latest installment of our Backside feature.
TELL US WHAT IT WAS LIKE RIDING BULLSEYE BULLION:
“Bullseye was trained and futuri- tied by Cody Bauserman, who set
me up for success by preparing Bulls in the correct fashion
with no shortcuts. He did the hard work; I just enjoyed the
horse afterwards. Bulls is one of the fastest and by far the most honest horse I have ever ridden. He was fun and easy for me to ride, very for- ward and confident. He is one of those horses that you can feel gathering and speeding up underneath you from the rear forward, that’s uncommon and a testament to how fast he is. He was a pleasure to run, and I am so proud
to have bred and raised him. There won’t be another like him.”
HAVE YOU HAD ANY HORSES DO WELL ON THE TRACK AS WELL AS IN THE BARREL PEN?
“I Hear Banjos is an APHA son of PYC Paint Your Wagon out of APHA Champion Shawne Wind. I bred and raised him and ran him on the track. He was a race winner and stakes placed but only won around $7,000. I sold him as a late 2 year old to Leslie Willis and he has gone on to be a very successful barrel horse with Doug Kerstetter.”
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN BARREL RACING?
After selling her first horse, Alexia says, “My dad gave me an extra $300, and I bought the APHA mare Running K Jewel, who really taught me the ropes of riding a competitive barrel and pole horse. She won for everyone who swung a leg over her.”
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOBBY BESIDES BARREL RACING?
“Working in my yard, spending time with my daughter.”
88 SPEEDHORSE May 2021
Kent Kerschner Photography
Alexia aboard Bullseye Bullion.
“He (Bullseye Bullion) was a pleasure to run, and I am so proud to have bred and raised him. There won’t be another like him.”