PASO ROBLES – Entering the Open finals fence work at the 2010 National Stock Horse Association Futurity, Jake Gorrell knew exactly where he and Playin Ace High stood. Two rivals ahead of him after the herd and rein work — Phillips Ralls on Dom Dualuise and Todd Bergen on Red It One Time – were three points ahead of him. Then came the draw for order of go of what looked to be a thrilling finish to a week’s worth of top stock horse competition.

“It’s funny because I drew, then Phillip was right after me, and Todd Bergen was right after — the top three horses were all back-to-back-to-back in the same set,” said Gorrell, who had ridden Playin Ace High (Playin Stylish x Gold Cloud Miss x White Lighting Ike) to a 213 in the herd work, 217.5 in the reined work to set himself up for the final fence run. “I went first and just wanted to keep it clean — I just didn’t want to make a mistake.”

Kat Rodgers photo

Jake Gorrell gives Playin Ace High a pat after an NSHA Open Futurity Championship performance.

He didn’t, and neither did Playin Ace High, as their round-winning 220 fence score vaulted them past Bergen, Ralls and a red-hot Doug Williamson on Wright On Time to win the Open Futurity. The victory, Gorrell’s second in a pre-Futurity, earned $22,000. The colt is owned by Mike and Linda Silveira of Sanger.

“I just went in there, and I’ll tell you what – that was the smoothest running fence work I’ve ever had,” said Gorrell, who now is slowly gearing up Playin Ace High for a run at the Natoinal Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity in Reno, Nev., Sept. 20-Oct. 3. “He didn’t lean, he didn’t do anything like that. He was real strong, just smooth.”

The pair’s 650.5 composite score left them a half-point beyond the hard-charging effort of Williamson, the ageless 68-year-old legend who marked a 219 fence work score on Wright On Time (Lenas Wright On x Shiney Tari x Shining Spark), owned by Barbara Hastings. Williamson’s reserve Open Futurity title, worth $16,000, came on the heels of his championship the night before on Hes Right On in the 2010 Golden Hills Auto / Holy Cow Performance World’s Richest Stock Horse competition.

Kat Rodgers photo

Doug Williamson (left) and Jake Gorrell

“Doug’s a hero to all of us,” said Gorrell. “He’s a legend. He’s just enjoying life, and it shows. He just is doing so good, it’s amazing.”

In the World’s Richest competition, Hes Wright On and Williamson gained steam as they went, getting 214 points in the herd work, 217.5 in the reined work and 225 in the final fence work phase. Their winning 656.5 composite score earned them a champion’s purse of $18,000.

Finishing in reserve was Shawn Hays and Shine Smartly (Shining Spark x Smartly Dressed x Smart Little Lena), an 11-year-old mare owned by Walter Greeman and Tammy Hays. Shine Smartly earned her $12,000 second-place check with scores of 213 in the herd work, 222.5 in the reined work and 218.5 in the cow work, for a 654-point composite.

Gorrell, who along with his wife Sonia own and operate Gorrell Performance Horses in Hanford, says he’ll ramp up Playin Ace High slowly between now and the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity.

“We brought him home, and we’ll let him settle a little bit—let him relax and work on a couple little things we need to work on,” said Gorrell, who has NRCHA Hall of Famer Don Murphy giving a hand as “coach.”

“Don’s been here for three days and he’ll stay here until we leave for Reno. He’s kind of being a coach to a bunch of us young idiots, you know. We need some supervision,” he joked.

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