Budweiser Clydesdales

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 1 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
The Budweiser Clydesdales have been the symbol of Anheuser-Busch for more than 75 years. They were formally introduced on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition for beer. August A. Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch III. presented a hitch of horses to their father to celebrate the day. To their 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 hitches, 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; and have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face and a black mane and tail.

Hitch Locations
Traveling Budweiser Clydesdale hitches are based in St. Louis, Mo.; Boonville, Mo.; Merrimack, N.H.; and San Antonio, Texas. The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser Busch breweries in St. Louis, Merrimack and Ft. Collins, Colo.

The Budweiser Clydesdales also may be viewed at Grant’s Farm in St. Louis and at the following Anheuser-Busch theme parks: Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., and Tampa, Fla., and at the SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando, Fla.; San Diego, Calif.; and San Antonio, Texas.

The Clydesdale Dalmatian
On March 30, 1950, in commemoration of the opening of the Newark Brewery, a Dalmatian was introduced as the Budweiser Clydesdales’ mascot. Now, a Dalmatian travels with each of the Clydesdale hitches.

The Budweiser Clydesdale Stables are home to approximately 35 Clydesdale mares, stallions and foals. Anheuser-Busch has one of the world's largest herds of Clydesdale horses and owns approximately 250 nationwide. Grant's Farm, where up to 15 foals are born each year, is one of the breeding operations for the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales.
Only the finest Clydesdales become part of the Budweiser teams. The physical requirements are strict. The ideal Budweiser Clydesdale should possess the following characteristics:
• The full-grown Clydesdale should stand 18 hands (about 6 feet) at the shoulder and weigh between 2,000 and 2,300 pounds.
• The ideal horse is bay in color, has a blaze of white on its face, a black mane and black tail.
• Most important, the Clydesdale will have white feathering on all four legs and feet.
• All hitch horses are geldings, characterized by their even temperament and stronger, more natural draft horse appearance.