the Clydesdales are coming to the rally!
Here Comes the King: The Budweiser Clydesdales Are Coming to La Crosse and The Big River Rally!
The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will march through downtown La Crosse on Saturday June 28th
The eight-horse hitch will be harnessed to the iconic turn-of-the-century beer wagon on starting at 2:00 PM at The Big River Rally on the La Crosse Oktoberfest Grounds.
The procession will travel south on 2nd Street, around the La Crosse Center to Riverside Park, and return to the Oktoberfest Grounds rear entrance. For a better view of the Clydesdales Route, see the procession map below.
Photo opportunities will be throughout the procession and for a limited time afterwards at The Big River Rally.
The Clydesdales’ appearance at The Big River Rally is one of hundreds made annually by three teams of traveling hitches. Brought to the U.S. from Scotland in the mid-1800s as draft horses used for farm work, they can pull loads of more than one ton at a walking speed of five miles per hour.
Clydesdales today are used primarily for breeding and show.
The Clydesdales have been the mascot of Anheuser-Busch for over early 90 years! They are staples of fairs, festivals and sporting events and have marched in two presidential inauguration parades!
It is a true honor to have the Budweiser Clydesdales at The Big River Rally. We hope that you and your family can take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy these amazing and gentle giants.
In addition to the appearances they make across the country, the Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed in St. Louis at the Anheuser-Busch brewery and at Grant’s Farm as well as at Warm Springs Ranch, the 300-plus acre Clydesdale breeding farm located in Boonville, Missouri. For more information, visit www.BudweiserTours.com.
Event subject to alteration or change. Rain or severe weather activity can result in cancellation.
Fun Facts:
Each hitch horse will consume as much as one to six pounds of whole grains, minerals, and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.
To qualify as an Official Budweiser Clydesdale it must be a gelding at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat, four white stocking feet, a white blaze, and a black mane and tail.
The official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales is an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis. The stables are registered as National Historic Landmarks and people jokingly sayn; “Wow! They really DO live like kings…”
Expert grooms travel on the road with the hitch. They are on the road at least 10 months every year and receive expert care all along their travels.
Each harness and collar weighs approximately 130 pounds. Handcrafted with solid brass, patent leather, and stitched with pure linen thread. The harness is made to fit any Clydesdale; however, collars come in various sizes and must be individually fitted to the Clydesdale like a finely tailored suit.
Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about 5 pounds (five times as heavy as the shoe worn by a light horse)
Dalmatians have traveled with the Clydesdale hitch since the 1950s. The Dalmatian breed has long been associated with horses and valued for their speed, endurance, and dependable nature. Similar to with firefighters, they’ve been known as coach dogs, and as stalwart companions to the horses. Today, the Dalmatians are perched atop the wagon, proudly seated next to the driver.