Gentle giants coming to Princeton

The Budweiser Clydesdales will be trotting into Princeton for the Homestead Festival in September. (Photo contributed)

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PRINCETON — The thunder of not-so-little hooves will be heard on the streets of Princeton next month.

The Budweiser Clydesdales will be coming to town to take part in Princeton’s Homestead Festival Parade. The horses will be presented by LRB Distributors Inc. of Dixon, the local distributor of Budweiser and all the Anheuser-Busch beers.

Having the Budweiser Clydesdales in Princeton is happening because of a multi-year effort by Dave Cain, general manager of LRB Distributors. Cain said he has requested having the horses come to Princeton and Dixon for a number of years but never had any success until now.

“There’s a lot more demand than supply for the Clydesdales,” Cain said. “You’ve got to get your timing right.”

Five traveling hitches of Clydesdales make about 300 appearances annually, and Cain said most of the appearances are at bigger, more high-profile events. He’s pleased the organizers try to fit in smaller events whenever possible and is glad this is Princeton’s and Dixon’s turn.

The horses will appear in Princeton, Amboy and Dixon while they’re in the area. Locally, a single Clydesdale horse will appear at Darius-Miller Park from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10 for a photo opportunity with the public. People are encouraged to bring their cameras to have a picture taken up close with a Clydesdale.

The big excitement will come two days later when the eight-horse hitch will be harnessed and hitched to the famous red Budweiser wagon at the Homestead Festival Parade on Sept. 12. The hitching will take place at Darius-Miller Park beginning at noon, and the Clydesdales will parade in the Homestead Festival Parade which is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

Cain said he’s been in the area for 32 years and knows the Clydesdales have never appeared locally during that time. He suspects September’s events will be the first time ever the horses were in Bureau County.

Cain said having the horses come to town is good both for local communities and for his business. He said the Clydesdales are perhaps the most recognizable symbol of a food product in the world.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to help market our beer brand,” he said. “This elevates the image of our beer brand, and it just delights the public. You thrill people from 2 to 92.”

Princeton City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh, who with his wife, Crystal, is one of the three lead couples for the festival, said the Budweiser Clydesdales will be great for the Homestead Festival.

“They’ll bring in people from all over the area,” he said.

Cain agreed.

“It’s a win/win situation,” he said. “Princeton will be touched for a long time to come.”

The Budweiser Clydesdale fact sheet

• The Budweiser Clydesdales were formally introduced on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of prohibition for beer.

• A Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least 4 years of age. He must stand 6 feet at the shoulder, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds; be bay in color; and have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face and a black mane and tail.

• Each horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.

• Appearances are typically sponsored in part by the local Anheuser-Busch wholesalers, and thousands of requests for the “gentle giants” are received each year. Each request is evaluated on the type of event, dates and history of appearances in that particular area.

• The 10 horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor-trailers.

• Each harness and collar weighs about 130 pounds. The harness is made to fit any horse, but the collars come in different sizes and must be individually fitted like a suit of clothes.

• Clydesdale horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about 5 pounds.