Rudy, one of the famous Anheuser Busch Inc. Clydesdales, is seen here at his home away from home the stables at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The famous horses and beer wagon will appear today at the fairgrounds and Brockway’s Fourth of July parade Friday. (Photo by Larry McGuire/The Punxsutawney Spirit)
PINE CREEK TOWNSHIP -- The Anheuser Busch Inc. Clydedales, one of the best-known advertising icons in the world, have been visiting Jefferson County this week and will appear in Brockway’s Fourth of July parade.
In preparation for the parade, the famous horses have been stabled at the Jefferson County fairgrounds, Pine Creek Township.
Amy Trout, one of the handlers of the Budweiser Clydesdales, said the horses are probably one of the third most-known company icons in the world — behind Ronald McDonald and Mickey Mouse — and travel all over the United States.
She said this particular group of 10 horses is based out of Merrimack, N.H., and travel about 320 days out of the year.
“Our territory is pretty much anything east of the Mississippi River, Canada and down into the Florida Keys,” Trout said.
Local Budweiser wholesalers requested that the horses travel to western Pennsylvania this week and march in the Brockway parade.
Trout said Anheuser Busch Inc. has the largest independent herd of Clydedales in the world, numbering about 250.
There are six different crews of hitches such the one visiting Brookville, each consisting of 10 horses.
The handlers travel only with male horses — or geldings — almost 100,000 miles per year, she said.
“We take them to over 500 shows per year, so millions of people are able to see the Clydesdales in a given year,” Trout said.
Trout said Anheuser Busch Inc. has its own breeding program at Grant’s Farm, St. Louis, Mo.
“You can always go in and visit the mares and the babies,” she said. “They don’t travel; just the geldings make the hitch.”
The horses are retired at age 15 from active duty in the hitch.
“As we have horses that are getting older, we’re always looking for new horses to bring into the mix,” Trout said.
“Usually, they are four or five years old before they’re physically big enough and mature enough to come into the hitch. Some of the horses may not make the final cut, because they may not travel well, or drive well, for whatever the reason may be,” she said. “We’re constantly trying to weed out the horses that don’t work for our program and sell a lot of them that don’t meet our criteria. We’re real specific about our size and color requirements for the horses to make the hitch.”
If a horse doesn’t make the hitch, Anheuser-Busch will offer them for sale at one of the national Clydesdale sales around the country.
Trout said the Clydesdale breed of horse originated in Scotland and was used to carry knights into battle during medieval times.
“They were bred to be this big, because they had to carry a 200-pound man that was wearing 100 pounds of armor,” Trout said. “The horses also had armor strapped on their bodies, and they were expected to charge into battle all day long.”
Trout said after the wars were over, it was discovered the horses had another unique trait: They can walk at a pace of more than five mph carrying twice their body weight.
Clydesdales weigh 2,000 pounds and can easily pull 4,000 pounds.
“If you were in the beer business, or milk business, or delivering some kind of dry goods, that was the fastest way to get your products delivered back then,” Trout said.
The Clydesdales were scheduled to appear at Major League Baseball’s All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, but it didn’t work out.
The Clydesdales will continue to travel to several different events in New York.
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