Bailey Alvarez stole the show at the Dixie Classic-Konra Minniear Memorial aboard home bred and raised geldings to pocket nearly $11,200. Her weekend standout was Jfive Heres Yoursign who topped the futurity average.
The 34th Dixie Classic-Konra Minniear Memorial boasted in huge incentive payouts with $50,000-added Future Fortunes Super Championship tour, $25,000-added Diamond Classic side pot, $20,000-added Tomorrow’s Legends open, junior and limited sire side pots and $10,000-added Top Shelf Breeders money. The $3,000-added 4D PoDunk Pony sidepot is for non-incentive horses and in 2025, added a $500-added 3D Poles class.
Bailey Alvarez and her home bred and -raised geldings took home nearly $11,200, after topping the $12,000-added futurity average and reserve derby honors as well as open wins to add to her race earnings. All three geldings she ran in Hurricane are out of Brookabella, a mare Alvarez’s sister rodeoed on in high school.
“She unfortunately got hurt and became our primary broodmare about six years ago,” Alvarez said. “She has had four babies and has three that are of competing age, which is who I competed on at the Dixie Classic. They all seem to carry her natural ability and good mind. We are excited to continue competing on them, as well as more of her babies in the future.”
Her race standout was 2021 gelding Jfive Heres Yoursign by Aint Seen Nothin Yet. “Queso” won the futurity average title, placed in the open, open average and side pots to earn more than $6,600.
“Queso is pretty lazy overall and more often than not, I have to zoom him around the warmup pen before our run to wake him up a little,” she added. “He has a very natural style and wants to stay correct. Cody Hyde helped train him and he knows his job and has been consistent so far in going in and doing it. He felt so smooth and fluid in our round one futurity win that I didn’t think it was that fast. He is deceiving. After a run, he goes right back to being lazy but expects his treats. He may be a little spoiled already.”
Mom to two and licensed clinical social worker who works as a psychotherapist full time also ran 2018 gelding Bellas Epic Booker by Epic Leader to the reserve derby championship with two runs of 14.938 and 14.888 which also won money in the open and various sidepots, and 2020 gelding Jfive Stoned N Vegas by French Streaktovegas.
“It’s a balancing act getting everything done and staying on top of the horses but it’s well worth it,” Alvarez said. “It is really neat when it all comes together and you see the hard work paying off. It’s so awesome having homegrown babies go and compete with top notch horses. My mom has built our small little program from the ground up and all credit goes to her for making this all get to this point. We hope to continue for years to come and I hope to one day see my daughter compete on our horses if she wants to.”
This article was originally published in the May 2025 issue of Barrel Horse News.
