Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 10, 1992 TAG: 9203100070
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Kathleen Wilson
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He and Bobby Phelps came all the way from Lynchburg for this. Friday through Sunday was car heaven for gearheads and motor freaks, with two levels of great looking cars you certainly never see out on 419.
Jason dreams of one day owning a brand new Lamborghini. Triple high-gloss black. Four speed with brown interior. Not that he's given this much thought. He doesn't have his license yet but will soon, he promises.
"Yeah, if you get your grades up," cracked Bobby, who at 16 is fully licensed.
Though the civic center was a sea of men wearing baseball caps, this wasn't just a guy thing.
"My favorite was the red '67 Mustang," said Faye Thacker, who was dressed to complement that car in a sharp red and black two-piece suit. Her husband John liked the '57 Thunderbird.
"I just don't remember them as being so big," she said.
Angela Pritchard, 13, and\ Chrystal Jones, 12, were showing their pastel-colored go-carts. The two Roanokers are the Virginia state champions and look forward to a new track in Waldron Park this spring.
These two were not the youngest exhibitors. Seven-month-old Michael Trout's bright red pedal fire engine just gleamed, right next to his mom and dad's dragster.
"He spent 12 hours down here with us yesterday on the floor," Susan Trout said of Michael, almost as proud of that record as the baby himself.
I liked the '71 marina blue Corvette Stingray convertible with 350/330 horsepower, whatever that means.
"I bought it from a woman who just kept it in a garage," swears its owner, Gene Sexton.
He's only put about 45 miles on the car in the past two years. When Gene takes the car out, he has to take his wife along as well to watch the car if he goes anywhere.
But of all those who visited the show, perhaps it was 2-year-old Kane Jones and his parents who enjoyed it the most. Kane has muscular dystrophy.
"If it weren't for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, he wouldn't have that wheelchair. He'd be in bed," said Tom Jones of Roanoke.
Tom said he's tired of all the negative publicity that fund-raising events like this one garner when people talk about giving money just out of pity.
MDA program coordinator Toni Ferguson pointed out that muscular dystrophy is in the top 10 nationally when it comes to ranking how much of what is raised actually goes to research and helping others.
There's a scene in "National Velvet" where Velvet Brown - played by 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor - walks into a stable, inhales deeply, rolls her violet eyes in delight and just sighs, "Horses!"
To people like this animals are more than just pets. They're a passion. And if you love dogs more than anything else, you were no doubt sniffing out the Salem Civic Center over the weekend.
Imagine a beauty contest where all the contestants are dogs.
There are little runway paths they walk. There are fluttering show mothers. There are even grooming rooms with blow dryers and brushes.
And applause.
The Roanoke and James River kennel clubs' dog shows were fun for all and a kid's dream come true.
While cocker spaniel owner and breeder Randy Penturff was showing his dogs, Teresa Stephenson was on the sidelines with Spencer and Justin Brown of Vinton, who came out to watch.
"Our dog would be running around and jumping all over everyone," 11-year-old Spencer said of his pet cocker at home.
It was an interesting sight from the stands. The civic center floor was filled with dogs and people. And none of the dogs was barking.
More people are turning out just to look than ever before, said Marlene Halsey, president of the Roanoke Kennel Club. This year there were almost 1,500 entries and 130 breeds shown.
"Some men support their families just by traveling the country showing dogs," she explained of the handlers on the floor. Marlene and her husband Bert travel the circuit and show other people's dogs.
She was wearing some incredible emerald and diamond jewelry. The ring was a spray of the sparkling green stones. Bert bought it for her on what she described as a "dog cruise," which is a voyage with others who show dogs, not a boatload of canines.
THE PARTY LINE: If you'd like to invite free-lance Mingling columnist Kathleen Wilson to a party or social gathering, call her at 981-3434; when asked for the mailbox, dial MING (6464) and press the key. Or write her in care of the Features Department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.
by CNB