Budweiser Clydesdales coming to Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in Canton
CANTON ‒ The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be clip-clopping into town this summer for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.
The iconic horses will be making multiple appearances in Stark County starting July 24 and during festival events, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce announced.
Appearances will include at Kent State University at Stark in Jackson Township in conjunction with the Balloon Classic presented by Aultman, as well as The Canton Repository Grand Parade.
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"We're celebrating a milestone year for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival and are thrilled to bring the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales to Stark County's largest and oldest family traditions," Denny Saunier, president and CEO at the Canton Regional Chamber, said in a prepared statement. "... We'd like to thank Anheuser-Busch for their support of these tremendous events and the opportunity to have the Clydesdales involved for the community to enjoy."
Eight horses will be harnessed and hitched to a red, white and gold beer wagon at the Balloon Classic on July 28 and July 29 and in the Grand Parade on Aug. 5. Also known as the “Gentle Giants,” the horses will participate in several local activities during their stay before leaving Stark County on Aug. 6, the chamber's news release said.
A full schedule of their visit to Canton will be released soon, the chamber said.
The local appearance will be among hundreds made annually by the traveling horses. Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to America in the mid-1800s. Today, the large draft horses are used primarily for breeding and show, the news release noted.
Horses chosen for the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch must meet specific criteria, including being at least 3 years of age, standing approximately 18 hands – or 6 feet – at the shoulder, weighing an average of 2,000 pounds, being bay in color, having four white legs, and a blaze of white on the face and black mane and tail, the chamber said. A gentle temperament is also essential.
Each hitch travels with a Dalmatian, which has become an iconic part of the Budweiser Clydesdales' image. In the early days of brewing, Dalmatians were bred and trained to protect the horses and guard the wagon when the driver went inside to make deliveries, the chamber explained in the announcement.
The Budweiser Clydesdales can be viewed at the Anheuser-Busch brewery and Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as at Warm Springs Ranch, the 300-plus acre Clydesdale breeding farm located near Boonville, Missouri.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Budweiser Clydesdales to appear at Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival
