Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 29, 1993                   TAG: 9306290039
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HORSE SHOW LIKELY TO TURN TO SPONSORS FOR HELP

But that may never be seen in Roanoke again.

Roanoke Valley Horse Show officials will be seeking corporate sponsorship of the event, most likely through one of two national Grand Prix organizations, for next year and beyond.

So next time, we may see "The Budweiser Grand Prix of Roanoke" or perhaps "The Rolex Grand Prix of Roanoke," to name a couple of the most active sponsors of such events.

"I think we'll be able to get a sponsorship," horse show manager Bill Munford said. "If the Grand Prix goes over well, then it's the kind of thing that sponsors are going to want to be a part of."

The Grand Prix of Roanoke never has needed corporate sponsorship because it was underwritten by late heiress Marion Bradley Via. Under her directive, advertising banners and the like were prohibited from the ring. Also through her instructions before her death this winter, the purse was raised to a record $125,000.

But now, uncertainties about the further dispersal of her estate have freed the horse show to pursue a corporate sponsorship. Another advantage of such a sponsorship would be an enhanced chance at some sort of television deal.

Still, help from the Via estate is not expected to run completely dry.

"I hope we'll be able to maintain the prize money where it is," Munford said.

The 22nd Roanoke Valley Horse Show ran an extra day and took in about $5,000 more than the previous year, Munford said. However, the finale, the Grand Prix, attracted a less-than-capacity crowd of 2,551.

This was the first year that the Grand Prix had been moved from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon, and Munford said show officials could have done a better job of getting the word out.

"We're going to have to get the public educated," he said. "For that, we're going to have to start advertising more."

Otherwise, the show as a whole must be deemed a success. More than 900 horses showed and a record 820 stalls were rented. The jumpers and saddle horse entries were way up over previous years.

It is likely there will be other changes in coming years. The Arabian classes may be in jeopardy both because of declining numbers and a shortage of underwriters for those events.

"I would say that definitely the Arabian halter classes will be dropped along with the Arabian hunter breeding classes," Munford said.

Something that shouldn't change is continued participation from some of the world's top riders in the Grand Prix, if for no other reason than the prize money.

Terry Rudd, the winner of the event atop P.S. Gazpacho and also the sixth-place finisher with Alf, pocketed $43,750.

That would seem to make up for travel costs to Salem and the $1,500 entry fee.