The Budweiser Clydesdales are an annual part of the St. Louis Cardinals’ opening day festivities, but it’s a tradition that's been in place only since 1983 after first trotting around the warning track during the 1982 World Series.
The Clydesdales are celebrating their 90th anniversary this year and have become, according to AdWeek, “possibly the most successful living marketing tool in the history of American industry.”
When the Clydesdales arrive at Busch Stadium, they arrive in style. Lauren Lambeth, handler and part of the Clydesdale team, says there are two semi-trailers for the horses and one semi for the wagon and harnesses. The hitch consists of eight horses, but two spares always travel along, just in case.
“We typically say it takes four hours to get the Clydesdales ready for an event,” says Lambeth.
That includes, potentially, a bath (they are bathed once a week, minimum), cuff and brush, cleaning their horse feathers (the white hair on their legs, washed with purple shampoo for brightness), feeding, walking, braiding and tying of the mane and tail.
The hitch this year may have some rookies in front, as well as a rookie Dalmatian. Lambeth says best friends Sparky and Cash have been the lead team for a number of years, but at age 15, Sparky was retired last year. He spends his days at the brewery stables greeting guests and posing for pictures. His friend, Cash, is “on vacation,” hanging out with Sparky.
“We may see if [Cash] is ready to go out for opening day, that’s completely up to him,” says Lambeth. “He’s going to let us know in his own way. It’s just based off their personality. It’s just like we are, you know? Sometimes you don’t act yourself, or you’re a little tired.”
As far as the dalmatians go, the St. Louis hitch has two, Bud and Gus, who live in a kennel at the stables. Bud is who people usually see on the wagon during opening day, but this may be Gus’s year to break into the bigs.
There are three Clydesdale operations to cover the hundreds of appearances they make each year, and the horses are all a bit different. Lambeth says the West Coast team has lighter colored horses, better suited for the hot temperatures of California and Arizona. The East Coast team, which spends time in New England and cooler climes, are very dark. Meanwhile, the Midwest team based in St. Louis tends to be the brown color we’re all used to seeing.
Each Clydesdale eats between one and five pounds of grain at day, depending on the horse, and up to 50 pounds of Timothy hay each day. Special Timothy hay shipped from Idaho to wherever the Clydesdales are, even on the road, to ensure consistency.
It only takes two Clydesdales to pull the wagon. They can pull twice their body weight (and they weigh in around 2,000 lbs.) but eight horses pulling ensures they’re not working too hard. And it looks great.