When Dulces Belle Starr and Jake Gorrell exited the pen at draw No. 7 in the first set of the fence work on the final day of the NSHA Futurity, Gorrell said he had no expectations that his composite score of 653.5 would hold up with nine sets of horses and riders still to come.

“I really didn’t think I had a shot at winning it,” Gorrell said. “I’m in the first set, which from a judging perspective, the first set is usually the worst because the scores are usually lower. And I’ve got all these guys running at me all day long. So all I did was go in there and make a smooth run.

Jake Gorrell

Dulces Belle Starr, a 3-year-old mare (Dulces Smart Lena x Seven S Belle Starr x Shining Spark), is owned by Bill Dickinson, of Temecula, Calif., who purchased her for $5,000 at the 2009 National Reining Horse Association Markel Insurance Marketplace Sale.

There was a tie for Reserve between 3-year-old stallion Howz My Rey (Dual Rey x Dox Madalena x Doc O'Lena), ridden by Paso Robles native Phillip Ralls, and 3-year-old gelding Nic It Smartly (Nic It In The Bud x Shining Smartly x Shining Spark), driven by Les Vogt of Pismo Beach, Calif. Both were also 1 and 2, respectively, in the Intermediate Open. Three-year-old mare Shes The Business (Sophisticated Catt x Little Plain Pep x Mister Dual Pep) and Tulare, Calif., trainer Monica DeBie won the Futurity Limited Open.

Derby

The Derby was a new addition to the NSHA Futurity lineup, and it was well received, with 50 entries to kick off the event.

Zane Davis

Montana cowboy Zane Davis has returned after spending a good part of last year on crutches, and he’s back to full form, winning the first ever NSHA Derby with the 2009 National Reined Cow Horse Association Futurity Open Champion and past NSHA Futurity Open Champion, 5-year-old gelding Reymanator (Dual Rey x Savannah Hickory x Doc’s Hickory), owned by John Semanik. The team won $10,000 with a composite score of 657.5. Reymanator has $144,465 on his Equi-Stat record.

Annie Reynolds, King Hill, Idaho, an Equi-Stat money-earner of nearly $1.5 million, brought her Very Smart Remedy lineup to Paso Robles and took home a wagonload of prizes as she captured the Reserve in the Derby Open aboard 5-year-old stallion Shiney And Verysmart (Very Smart Remedy x Shirley Shine x Shining Spark) to earn $8,000. Reynolds also won both the Futurity Non-Pro with 3-year-old mare Smart Magic Trick (Very Smart Remedy x Magical Lena x Little Lenas Legend) to earn $2,256 and the Derby Non-Pro, again with Shiney And Verysmart, to take home another paycheck worth $2,130. Shiney And Verysmart has $86,314 on his Equi-Stat record. Tish Wilhite and 5-year-old gelding The Fresno Fox (Heart Of A Fox x Oaks Jewel Doll x Doc Jewel Bars) took the Derby Non-Pro Reserve Championship.

Nics Back In Black, a 4-year-old gelding (Nic It In The Bud x Shinersdiamondjackie x Shining Spark) and Dom Dualuise, a 4-year-old gelding (Dual Rey x Smart Little XX x Smart Little Lena), both piloted by Phillip Ralls, tied for first place in the Derby Intermediate Open, and Ralls also finished the top three off with Very Smart Smoke, a 5-year-old gelding (Very Smart Remedy x Lil Brown Freckle x Just Plain Colonel).

The Derby Limited Open was won by 23-year-old Ryan Thomas aboard 4-year-old mare Fletch My Slippers (Royal Fletch x Roseanna Dual x Dual Pep). Reserve was captured by a young upstart all the way from New Caledonia in the South Pacific, Nicolas Barthelemy, who rode 5-year-old stallion Jans Rey Cuatro (Dual Rey x Haidas Jan x Haidas Little Pep).

Annie Reynolds