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Featherlites transport historic Bud Clydesdales
10/11/2006
CRESCO, IA (October 11, 2006) — The association of Clydesdale draft horses to Budweiser began in 1933. Today, thousands of people across the country experience the tradition of the Budweiser Clydesdales at fairs, festivals and various events. Helping to bring the Clydesdales closer to the public are three new 47-foot Featherlite trailers that transport the Clydesdales, the beer wagon and the horse harnesses.
Five traveling Budweiser hitches tour the country regularly – the St. Louis Hitch, West Coast Hitch, East Coast Hitch, San Diego Hitch and San Antonio Hitch. Three of the five hitches use Featherlite trailers. The newest three Featherlite trailers, which Budweiser received in September, will be used for the St. Louis Hitch, which travels around the middle third of the country.
Of the three Featherlites used by the St. Louis Hitch, two trailers will haul ten Clydesdales with the third trailer transporting the wagon and equipment, including the harnesses. The hitches travel to over 1000 events annually, according to Budweiser Manager of Field Operations Dave Hennen. While at an event, the Clydesdales will be on display for the public to view. Periodically throughout the event, the Clydesdales will parade around pulling the historic red beer wagon.
Inside the two horse trailers that Featherlite custom built for Anheuser-Busch, cameras allow the drivers to monitor the horses on a television in the cab of the truck. Featherlite installed a custom thick one-piece rubber floor inside the trailer to help keep the Clydesdales, which can weigh from 1800 to 2300 pounds, comfortable when traveling down the road.
Featherlite is a leading manufacturer of standard and custom models of horse trailers, in addition to livestock, utility, recreational, car, race, mobile marketing, emergency response and commercial trailers.
Budweiser beer, a product of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, was introduced in 1876. The tradition of the Budweiser Clydesdales began in 1933 when August A. Busch, Jr. presented his father with a team of Clydesdales and a red brewery wagon to celebrate the end of Prohibition. Anheuser-Busch owns anywhere between 225 and 250 Clydesdales at a time.
For more information on Featherlite trailers, call 800-800-1230.
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