|
A SPECIAL BREED IS BORN
A look into the rich, colorful
history of the special Clydesdale breed begins in the
early 19th century, along the River Clyde in
Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The region, located in a valley, or " dale, II
was known for its rich soil and abundant crops. The
farmers were in great need of strong horses for
hauling, plowing and carting all the necessary farm
equipment and workers.
One of the Dukes of Hamilton, a local wealthy
landowner, imported to the region six
Great Flemish Horses, a breed that had already been
regularly shipped to Scotland to be used as warhorses
and for farm work.
The Duke made his six prize horses available for
breeding to local mares, and the Clydesdale breed was
born.
People from outside Lanarkshire began to refer to the
big, powerful horses as "the Clydesman 1 s
horse," a name that eventually became
"Clydesdale."
During the initial years on the road, the Clydesdales
were transported by train. Before truck transport was
introduced in 1940, the horses, wagons and harness
equipment had to be unloaded from the trains, put on
local trucks and then unloaded again wherever the
horses were stabled.
Now, the horses travel in style aboard custom-designed
tractor trailers. And their travels take them
throughout North America and occasionally overseas.
Appearances for this year include performances at the Mardi
Gras celebration in New Orleans, and at major
sporting events, including Nascar racing, as well as
the Orange Bowl and Rose Bowl parades, and many county
and state fairs, to name just a few.
The Clydesdales travel to hundreds of appearances each
year to meet cheering crowds and happy faces. Whether
it's a parade in Iowa or a rodeo in Texas, the
Clydesdales are often the.hit of the big crowds that
turn out to see their favorite horses. The Clydesdale
hitches travel some 100,000 miles a year, and with
each mile they cover, so continues the Anheuser-Busch
tradition.
CLYDESDALE FACT SHEET
THE CLYDESDALE BREED
Farmers living in the 19th century along the banks of the River Clyde in
Lanarkshire, Scotland, bred the Great Flemish Horse, the forerunner of the Clydesdale. These first draft horses pulled loads of more than one ton at a walking speed of five miles per hour. Soon their reputation spread beyond the Scottish borders.
In the mid-1800s, Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to the United States where the draft horses resumed their existence on farms. Today, the Clydesdales are used primarily for breeding and show.
THE
BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES
They were formally introduced to August. A. Busch Sr. and Anheuser-Busch on Apri17 , 1933,
to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. August A. Busch J r .wanted to commemorate the special day. T o his father's delight, the hitch thundered down Pestalozzi Street carrying the first case of post-Prohibition beer from the St. Louis brewery .
HITCH
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for one of the six hitches (five traveling and one stationary), a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age. He must stand 72 inches, or 6 feet, at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color, have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face, and a black mane and tail.
Each hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of feed, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and
30 gallons of water per day.
HITCH
LOCATIONS
Five traveling Budweiser Clydesdale hitches are based in St. Louis, Missouri;
Menifee, California; San Diego, California; Merrimack, New Hampshire; and San Antonio, Texas. The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis, Merrimack and Ft. Collins, Colorado.
The Budweiser Clydesdales also may be viewed at Grant's Farm, the 281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family, in St. Louis and at the following Anheuser-Busch theme parks: Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida, and at the Sea World theme parks in Orlando, Florida; San Diego, California; and San Antonio, Texas.
CLYDESDALE
OPERATIONS
Based in St. Louis, Clydesdale Operations is responsible for maintaining and scheduling the five traveling hitches. They receive thousands of requests for the "gentle giants" every year. Each request is evaluated on the type of event, dates, history of appearances in that particular area and other input from Anheuser-Busch management representatives.
STABLES
The official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales is an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis. The building is one of three located on the brewery grounds that are registered as historic landmarks by the federal government.
HANDLERS
Expert grooms travel on the road with the hitch. They are on the road at least 10 months every year. When necessary , one handler has night duty to provide round-the-clock care for the horses, ensuring their safety and comfort.
TRANSPORT
Ten horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in
three 50-foot tractor trailers, which weigh 24 tons when fully loaded. Cameras in
the trailers (with monitors in the cabs) enable the drivers to keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo during transport. The team stops each night at local stables so the "gentle giants" can rest. Air-cushion suspension and thick rubber flooring in the trailers ease the rigors of traveling.
DRIVERS
Driving the 12 tons of wagon and horses requires quite a bit of strength and skill. The 40 pounds of reins the driver holds, plus the tension of the reins, equals 75 pounds. All hitch drivers are put through a rigorous training period before they are given the reins. HARNESS
Each harness and collar weighs 130 pounds, and the entire set of eight is valued at more than $70,000. The harness is handcrafted from brass and leather. Pure linen thread is
used for the stitching. The harness is made to fit any horse, but the collars come in different sizes and must be individually fitted like a suit of clothes.
NAMES
Duke, Captain, Mark and Bud are just a few of the names given to the Budweiser Clydesdales. Names are kept short to make it easier for the driver to give commands to the horses during a performance.
HORSESHOES
Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about five pounds
more than twice as long and five times as heavy as the shoe worn by a riding horse. A horse's hoof is made of a nerveless, horn-like substance similar to the human fingernail, so being fitted for shoes
affects the animal no more than a manicure affects people.
WAGON
Turn-of-the-century beer wagons have been meticulously restored and are kept in excellent repair. The wagons are equipped with two braking systems: a hydraulic pedal device that slows the vehicle for turns and descents down hills, and a hand brake that locks the rear wheels when the wagon is at a halt.
DALMATIANS
Dalmatians have traveled with the hitch since the 1950s. In the early days of brewing, Dalmatians were bred and trained to protect the horses and guard the wagon when the driver went inside to make deliveries. The black-and-white spotted dogs were swift enough to keep up with the wagons, and their light-colored bodies and markings made them easier to see during the twilight hours. Today , the Dalmatians are perched atop the wagon, seated next to the driver .
|
