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Published on February 19, 2024
Mesa Welcomes Anheuser-Busch's Majestic Clydesdales: Experience Equine Elegance & Beer HeritageSource: Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC

Horsing around town just got a whole lot grander. The iconic Budweiser Clydesdales, a beloved symbol of the brewer's heritage, are set to clop into the Valley, specifically Mesa Market Place, and beer aficionados and horse lovers alike can mark their calendars for March 1. Anheuser-Busch's gentle giants will be prancing in free for all to admire starting at 11 a.m., so bring the kids and the cameras but leave your beer fears at home — this is a family-friendly shindig.

As reported by 12news, these horses aren't just pretty faces with their feathered hooves trotting across the nation's roads. They're walking, neighing testaments to the end of Prohibition, first stepping into the public eye back in April 1933 when the Busch family celebrated the legalization of beer by parading them, hitched to a beer wagon, down the streets of St. Louis. A second team even delivered a case of beer to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, clearly understanding the significance of the horses which went beyond the beer wagons they towed.

But that was then, and this is now, where the Clydesdales' operations are like a meticulously oiled machine. Detailing the behind-the-scenes action, Anheuser-Busch explains the horses' road life is a carnival of equine logistics. With a team of handlers that remains on tour for up to 10 months a year, these horses are living their best lives, chewing through 20 to 25 quarts of grains and 50 to 60 pounds of hay daily, gulping gallons of water that would make even a fish blush.

Traveling to Mesa isn't just about trailers and routines — it's also about finesse in the driver's seat. These drivers simultaneously manage the weight of 40 pounds of lines, feeling the pull like an additional 75 pounds thanks to the mighty power of the hitched beasts. While doing their job, the drivers must keep an eye on their precious cargo with cameras mounted in the trailers. The horses themselves enjoy the ride, resting each night at local stables, assuring they're primped and pampered on arrival.

When not grandstanding at events, the Clydesdales reside at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis or can be found frolicking at Warm Springs Ranch, their Boonville, Missouri breeding establishment. They're no strangers to showbiz, boasting a résumé that includes countless Super Bowl commercials since their TV ad debut in 1975. So, if you've got a hankering to see these supersized specimens of equine elegance, head on to Mesa Market Place — no beer purchase necessary, just a thirst for American tradition.