Elmer "Lloyd" Matherne
February 15, 2010
Attempt to raise rates denied by insurance dept.
February 18, 2010Listen for the clippity-clop of the Clydesdales at several of the areas Mardi Gras parades this season.
These 2,000-pound, behemoth beauties are some of Budweiser’s most well-known ambassadors, featured in several marketing campaigns for the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
In 2009, conflicting events prevented the hitch of horses – one of five hitches that travel throughout the United States – from marching in the local parades. This year they return to the Tri-parish area courtesy of the Buquet Distributing Company, which has sponsored the Clydesdale appearances on and off for the last 15 years.
Carleton Casey, general manager of the Buquet Distribution Company, is excited to have the Budweiser Clydesdales back for another year.
“We’re just happy to be able to do something for the community that they are going to appreciate,” Casey said.
During previous visits, the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center has been the temporary home for these gentle giants. A tent and horse stalls were assembled in the parking lot, and the public was free to view the horses during specified times each day. This year, the honor of housing the Budweiser Clydesdales goes to the Black Star Ranch of Houma. According to Casey, the reason for the switch all came down to a matter of convenience.
Ranch manager Ellen Guidry and the Black Star Ranch staff are looking forward to the horses’ arrival this month.
“We are very excited and can’t wait to see them,” Guidry said. “They are such beautiful animals, and we are very privileged that they approached us to use our facility.”
The Clydesdale breed originated in Scotland and was brought to America in the 1800s. These majestic creatures later became a part of Budweiser’s history in 1933.
To commemorate the repeal of prohibition, August A. Busch Jr. presented a hitch of Clydesdales to his father, who was actually expecting an automobile. The first case of post-prohibition beer was drawn through the streets of St. Louis on this hitch.
In order to become part of a Budweiser hitch, a Clydesdale must possess certain traits. The horse must be a gelding (neutered male), stand at least 6 feet tall at the shoulder, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color (reddish-brown) with a black main and tail, have a blaze of white on the face and white feathering on all four legs.
Don’t forget to spot the Dalmatian seated next to the driver of the famous red, white and gold Studebaker beer wagon. This breed of canine was brought aboard in the 1950s to protect the hitch while the driver went inside the buildings to make deliveries. A mascot’s mascot, the Dalmatian is the official sidekick for the Budweiser Clydesdales.
