Jerry grew up in Gooding Idaho with a family of rodeo athletes.
Jerry began his rodeo career riding steers at the local rodeos. Continuing his love of the rodeo lifestyle, he tried his hand on various ranches learning the trade and building the skill sets needed to be a successful cowboy. Jerry never shied away from the rankest bronc in the pen, which lead him to qualifying to the Idaho High School State Rodeo every year and qualifying for the National High School Finals in the Bronc Riding, Calf Roping and Steer Wrestling. He completed his High School career as the Idaho State Champion Bronc Rider in both 1968 and 1969.
Jerry won the Idaho Cowboy Association Bronc Riding Title in 1975 and 1977. He also served as the ICA Bronc Riding Director for several years.
Jerry never lost interest in being involved in anything horse related.
Jerrys involvement in rodeo and the horse showing world, has been his most joyful, memorable, and life changing times of his life.
As a young boy, Jerry began his rodeo career riding steers at the local rodeos. Continuing his love of the rodeo lifestyle, he tried his hand on various ranches learning the trade and building the skill sets needed to be a successful cowboy. Jerry never shied away from the rankest bronc in the pen, which lead him to qualifying to the Idaho High School State Rodeo every year and qualifying for the National High School Finals in the Bronc Riding,
Calf Roping, and Bull Dogging. He completed his High School career as the Idaho State Champion Bronc Rider in both 1968 and 1969. Jerry also competed at the collegiate level before he hit the amateur rodeo trail. Giving credit to his success, Jerry thanks Bud Godby, Bud Brunson, Larry Robinson, Bob A. Robinson, and Jim Roeser for helping teach him to ride the rankest bucking horses.
In 1972, Jerry married the love of his life, Gayle Kendall. Together they had two sons, Jake, and Sam. The boys learned to love the sport just as much as Jerry, as they watched and supported their dad. Early on in his career he made a decision to put his family first and realized that it would be best to stay in the Northwest to compete in weekend rodeos. Jerry won the Idaho Cowboy Association Bronc Riding title in 1975 and 1977. He was also the ICA Bronc Riding Director for several years. With a young family in tow, Jerry could see that a career in bronc riding was not in the future for him.
Being neighbors to Jim Roeser brought a whole new world of horsemanship to Jerry's life. Jim being the successful cowboy he was, tried his hand in the Reined Cowhorse business, competing in the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurities. That is when Jim introduced Jerry to Ray Hunt and helped inspire Jerry's career as a trainer. There he started to start and train colts, until 1977 when he was asked to show and train a horse for Bob and Kate Baldwin. Triple Parfection, "Beetle" as the Gorrells would go on to call him, won the 1978 Idaho Reined Cowhorse Assn. Snaffle Bit Futurity with Jerry in the saddle and continued to win many hackamore and bridle classes throughout their career together. "Beetle" was instrumental in Jake and Sam's young years. At 10 years old, Jake was successfully showing "Beetle". Jake eventually went on to win the 1999 Idaho Snaffle Bit Futurity. To date, there are only two other father and son trainers to do this; Greg and John Ward and Jim and Jon Roeser.
Jerry trained and shod horses in Marsing, Idaho until a ranch opportunity came available in 1984 which took him and his small family to Glenns Ferry, Idaho. For 19 years they lived in King Hill and Jerry tried his hand in the Real Estate Business. That is when he started his own business, Snake River Properties, and spent his time as a real estate broker. Of course, in his spare time he continued to ride, shoe, train, and was also a hunting guide for Daniel Butler. Jerry and Gayle eventually sold their home in King Hill and built their dream home on a little piece of land in Glenns Ferry.
Jerry never lost interest in being involved in anything horse related. Throughout his boy's high school years, he served as an adult president for the 5th District High School Rodeo Association and was also a State Director. Both Jake and Sam, learned from their dad how to be a leader and a winner. They served as officers all through High School Rodeo and claimed many state titles. Jake qualified to state every year and was the 1991 5th District All-Around Cowboy his senior year. He was also State Boys Cutting Champion and the Silver State Invitational Boys Cutting Champion and reserve All Around Cowboy. Sam followed in his Dad and brother's footsteps, winning the 5th District Boys All-Around Champion three years, and was a two time Idaho State Boys All Around Champion, and placed 5th overall in the Bull Dogging at the National High School
Finals. Jake continued his career becoming a top trainer in the Reined Cowhorse Association, winning the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity in Fort Worth, Texas and earned his way into the Million Dollar Rider Club.
Jerry's time in Glenns Ferry, he also served on the Elmore County Planning and Zoning, Elmore County Fair Board, and was Chairman of the Glenns Ferry Rodeo Committee for 31 years, receiving the ICA Committee of the Year Award in 2008.
Jerry's involvement in rodeo and the horse showing world, has been his most joyful, memorable, and life changing times of his life. Watching his boys and three grandchildren, Jade, Bailee, and Chet grow up in the horse world, in his words, "Well it just doesn't get any better..."
Jerry and Gayle moved to Porterville, California in the spring of 2019, where they are closer to Jake, Sonia, and Chet and can continue to live the life Jerry absolutely loves.
This is truly an honor to be inducted into the Idaho Rodeo Hall of Fame!