For today's stroll you'll want to bring along your cameras, you wouldn't want to miss having your picture taken with the...

BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES!

One of my favorite things as a child was to visit Bush Gardens in my hometown of Tampa so I could go see the Clydesdales, I thought they were the most magnificent animals in the world and I still do. I also couldn't wait for them to appear in our local parades, from the Plant City Strawberry festival to Tampa's own Gasparilla Parade, they were the highlight of the day for me! I'm sure you've all seen them in the Rose Parade and many other nationally televised parades as well.

One of the first things I did when Corey was old enough to say "Horsey" was take him for a visit with my old friends and have his picture taken with them...come along with me and let me introduce you...


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, show and of course advertising.
On April 7, 1933, August A. Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch III surprised their father, August A. Busch, Sr., with the gift of a six-horse Clydesdale hitch to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition.

Realizing the marketing potential of a horse-drawn beer wagon, the company also arranged to have a second six-horse Clydesdale hitch sent to New York on April 7 to mark the event. The Clydesdales, driven by Billy Wales, drew a crowd of thousands as they clattered down the streets of New York City to the Empire State Building. After a small ceremony, a case of Budweiser was presented to former Governor Alfred E. Smith in appreciation of his years of service in the fight against Prohibition.


This hitch continued on a tour of New England and the Middle Atlantic States thrilling thousands on its way. The Clydesdales made a stop in Washington D.C. in April 1933 to reenact the delivery of one of the first cases of Budweiser to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The actual delivery had been shipped by air and presented on April 7, 1933. The St. Louis hitch, driven by Art Zerr, also toured in celebration, stopping in Chicago and other Mid-western cities.


Shortly after the hitch was introduced, the six-horse Clydesdale team was increased to eight. 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. Today, Anheuser-Busch owns approximately 250 Clydesdales; they continue to be an enduring symbol of our heritage and tradition.

If you've never heard of the Budweiser Clydesdales, then you've probably been living in a cave for several decades. These high-stepping horses make hundreds of public appearances each year in addition to appearing in television commercials and other Budweiser beer advertising.

The Super Bowl is coming! And I'm sure we will see these wonderful animals again this year. Ads from Anheuser-Busch are among the most anticipated during the Super Bowl, an event watched as much for the ads during the commercial breaks as for the sport. The company has a lock on the ads, with exclusive rights in the alcoholic beverage segment through 2012.

One of the most memorable commercials was the one that aired after the attacks on the United States, September 11, 2001. I save it and watch it again and again. If you missed it, please use the link below - - Budweiser's Tribute to 9-11
( I don't often include links with my stroll)

I'm not promoting drinking beer and I don't care if you do or not, this was about the horses and the company that brought them into our lives and for that I say Thank You Budweiser,

"This one's for You!"

See You in February!


Strolling Down Memory Lane With Candy - Main Page
9-11 Budweiser Tribute