A NEBRASKA CABLE TV NETWORK PONIED UP $266,500 FOR ROY ROGERS' STUFFED AND MOUNTED HORSE, TRIGGER, AT AN AUCTION IN NEW YORK ON WEDNESDAY. THE MOVIE COWBOY'S FAITHFUL COMPANION WAS BOUGHT BY THE CABLE COMPANY RFD-TV IN OMAHA, NEB, AT A CHRISTIE'S AUCTION OF ITEMS FROM THE NOW CLOSED ROY ROGERS AND DALE EVANS MUSEUM IN BRANSON, MO. TRIGGER'S SALE PRICE OUTPACED THE ESTIMATE OF $100,000 TO $200,000 IT WAS EXPECTED TO FETCH, WITH MANY OTHER ITEMS ALSO SELLING FAR ABOVE ESTIMATE. RFD-TV'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER STEVE CAMPIONE SAYS ROGERS REFLECTS THE COMPANY'S VALUES. THE NETWORK AIRS MAINLY AGRICULTURAL, EQUINE AND COUNTRY LIVING PROGRAMMING. THE COMPANY'S OWNER, PATRICK GOTTSCH, WANTED TO BUY THE WHOLE ROGERS COLLECTION BUT DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO WORK OUT A DEAL, CAMPIONE SAID. 'IT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION A LITTLE TOO LATE', HE ADDED. 'BY THE TIME WE LINED UP THE RIGHT FINANCING AND KIND OF GOT OUR ARMS AROUND THE VALUE OF THE COLLECTION, IT WAS LITERALLY 24 HOURS AGO.' AUCTIONEER CATHY ELKIES SAID IT WAS THE 'MOST COLOURFUL, EMOTIONAL AND SENTIMENTAL' SALE SHE HAD EXPERIENCED IN HER 20 YEARS AT CHRITIE'S. MANY OF THE BIDDERS IN THE PACKED HALL CAME IN WESTERN ATTIRE AND COWBOY BOOTS, AND THERE WERE MORE THAN A FEW TEARS. ROGERS' SON ROY JR CRIED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SALE AS HE SPOKE OF THE FAMILY'S DECISION TO AUCTION ROY'S BELONGINGS. 'WE HOPE YOU GET A PIECE OF ROY AND DALE AND TAKE IT HOME AND YOU'LL PASS IT ON TO YOUR CHILDREN', HE SAID. ROY JR SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT THE COLLECTION P FOR AUCTION, BUT HE SAID ROGERS HAD TOLD THE FAMILY TO SELL THE MUSEUM COLLECTION IF IT STOPPED MAKING MONEY AND BECAME A BURDEN. 'YOU'RE SMILING OUT OF ONE SIDE OF THE FACE AND CRYING OUT THE OTHER', HE SAID. AS FOR TRIGGER'S NEW OWNER, CAMPIONE SAYS RFD-TV HOPES TO START ITS OWN WESTERN MUSEUM AND IS LOOKING TO BUY MORE ROGERS ITEMS. IN THE MEANTIME, TRIGGER WILL BE PUT TO PASTURE AT EITHER THE NETWORK'S OFFICE LOBBY OR GOTTSCH'S HOUSE UNTIL FINAL PLANS ARE MADE.
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