Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 15, 1995 TAG: 9504170048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The prize list for the 24th annual Roanoke Valley Horse Show had already been drawn up and was awaiting a trip to the printer. There was one holdup.
Part of the package was making members of the Junior League of Roanoke Valley, co-sponsors of the event with the Roanoke Valley Horsemen's Association, nervous. That was the section covering the final day of the weeklong event. Co-chairman June Camper had drawn up the schedule listing the traditional finale as the ``Rolex Grand Prix''.
The problem was that Rolex had not yet renewed its affiliation.
``It was time to print up the prize list and we hadn't heard anything from Rolex yet,'' co-chairman Mary McBurney said. ``They hadn't waited this long to tell us something last year.''
Not to worry. Rolex notified the National Grand Prix League that it would again be sinking a $10,000 sponsorship into the Grand Prix of Roanoke, it was announced Friday. The Grand Prix has become the signature event of the largest multi-breed show in the state.
The show runs June 19-25 at the Salem Civic Center, as usual, both indoors and outdoors.
``It's an important, well-run event and we and the sponsor want to be part of it,'' said National Grand Prix League president Mike Parish by telephone from his St. Paul, Minn., office Friday. ``This is one of our major sponsorships.''
For the first time, the purse for the Grand Prix will be $50,000, down $25,000 from last year. The thinking behind that move, Camper said, was a smaller purse requires a smaller entry fee. In theory, at least, that could make for a potentially larger field of horses.
The entry fee last year was $750 and has been reduced to $600 this year.
``We've looked into this and we think our prize is still in the top 10 percent in the country,'' McBurney said.
It's still a far sight from the $125,000 that was offered when late patron Marion Via was alive, but this is a different era. Prize money is down at Grand Prixs all over the country.
The jumper classes have been expanded in Roanoke this year. Both the Junior Amateur Owner and the Preliminary (horses that have either won less than $2,500 in a career, or have won that or more but have been competing for only a year or less) Divisions have been divided into low and high classes to accommodate the younger and/or less experienced horses. Again, the assumption is more horses will be encouraged to enter.
Also new is the $5,000 Futures Jumper Classic that will take place June 24. That competition will be oriented to horses that are too inexperienced for the Grand Prix.
``We think the Futures is going to be very good,'' Camper said. ``Whoever wins could be one of the top Grand Prix horses in the country next season.''
More jumper classes include the $7,500 Welcome Jumper Stakes on April 22, the $10,000 Open Jumper Stakes on April 23, and the $10,000 High Junior Amateur Owner Stake on April 24.
Others championship events are the $2,900 saddlebred Grand National Juvenile Three-Gaited Stake on April 23, the $3,000 Five-Gaited Grand Championship, and the $2,000 Three-Gaited Grand Championship, both on April 24.
The uproarious Jack Russell terrier races will be on April 23.
New this year will be the Mighty Mules Exhibition the nights of April 20-22. That spectacle involves demonstrations normally associated with horses such as dressage, hunter over fence, side saddle, and Western reining.
by CNB