ST. LOUIS -- In conjunction with the company's exhibit at the 2012 NACS Show in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Anheuser-Busch will bring the world-renowned Budweiser Clydesdales to the Las Vegas area October 6-9.
As a proud supplier to the convenience and petroleum industry, Anheuser-Busch will offer the opportunity to sample the company's latest innovations, interact with company executives and see the world-renowned Clydesdales up close. Stables for the eight-horse hitch will be located at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino during the event for daily viewing.
The Clydesdales' appearance in Las Vegas is one of hundreds made annually by the traveling hitches. Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to America in the mid-1800s. Today, the giant draft horses are used primarily for breeding and show.
Horses chosen for the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch must:
- Be at least 3 years old;
- Stand approximately 18 hands--or 6 feet--at the shoulder;
- Weigh an average of 2,000 pounds;
- Be bay in color;
- Have four white legs; and
- Have a blaze of white on the face, and black mane and tail.
A gentle temperament is very important because hitch horses meet millions of people each year.
A single Clydesdale hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of feed, 40 to 50 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.
Each hitch travels with a Dalmatian. In the early days of brewing, Dalmatians were bred and trained to protect the horses and guard the wagon when the driver walked away from the horses to make deliveries.
The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis, Mo.; Merrimack, N.H.; and Ft. Collins, Colo. They also may be viewed at Grant's Farm in St. Louis and at Warm Springs Ranch, the more than 300-acre Clydesdale breeding farm located near Boonville, Mo.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch brews Budweiser and Bud Light, among other brands. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev.
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