ASHLAND, Ohio – They are famous worldwide for their appearances in parades, commercials and even Presidential inaugurations, so it’s no surprise that hundreds of area residents lined up for a glimpse of Budweiser’s legendary Clydesdales.
As part of Ashland’s bicentennial and Balloonfest festivities, the huge draft horses are making their home at the Ashland County Fairgrounds through July 6.
The 10-horse East Coast team rolled into Ashland Monday in three huge red trucks bearing the Budweiser name. Accompanying the horses were a 10-man crew, two dalmatians who serve as mascots, and the 3-ton red 1903 Studebaker wagon the horses pull.
Tuesday afternoon, visitors to the fairgrounds had the opportunity to watch as the crew cleaned and groomed the Clydesdales. Many had to wait up to an hour in line for the chance to watch as members of the crew cleaned the horses’ hooves and changed their horseshoes.
Each horseshoe weighs more than 5 pounds and measures about 20 inches.
While some horses were being reshod, others were taken across the fairgrounds for their baths. According to Dave Thomas, hitch supervisor for the East Coast Clydesdale team, it is very time consuming to take care of the 10-horse team.
“Each horse is groomed daily, trimmed once a week and given a full bath once a week,” Thomas said.
When the horses are hitched to the wagon, Thomas said, only eight of them pull the wagon, with two kept as alternates. Each pair of horses serves a different role as they pull the wagon. The back two are known as the wheel team. They are usually the biggest horses and the ones who can back up and turn the wagon. Next are the body team, the swing team and the lead team.
Clydesdales have a long, rich history. The breed was developed more than three centuries ago for farmwork in the region of Clydesdale, Scotland. The Budweiser Clydesdales made their first appearance on April 7, 1933. The original two six-horse hitches were a gift from August A. Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch to their father to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.
Thomas said that to be eligible for the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch team, a horse must be at least 3 years old, stand about 18 hands – or 6 feet – at the shoulder, weigh around 2,000 pounds, be bay in color, have four white legs and a blaze of white on the face and black mane and tail. They also look for horses with a gentle temperament, as Clydesdales meet millions of people every year during their stops around the country.
Feeding the horses is a massive undertaking, requiring large amounts of food, which the team had shipped in to Ashland ahead of their appearance. Thomas said each horse eats 40-50 pounds of hay, 20-25 quarts of feed and drinks about 30 gallons of water each day.
The Ashland Bicentennial Committee was responsible for bringing the Clydesdales to Ashland. The city is celebrating its 200th anniversary and Ashland’s Balloonfest is celebrating 25 years. Mansfield Distributing sponsored the Clydesdales’ visit.
The Clydesdales will also be available for public viewing Thursday, July 2 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Ashland County Fairgrounds.
Those wanting to see the Clydesdales all hitched up to their red wagon will have two opportunities. The horses will be available for photo opportunities at Balloonfest festivities from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday evening at Freer Field. Area residents will have one last opportunity to see the Clydesdales during the “Star Spangled Celebration” bicentennial parade in downtown Ashland. The parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4.
