The world famous Budweiser Clydesdales will appear at Goshen (NY) Historic Track on Sunday, June 16, at the close of the day’s racing program, which starts at 1 pm.
The eight horse hitch will be
harnessed and hitched to the famous red beer wagon at Historic Track to “take a
lap” after the races. Admission is free for children 12 and under; adult
admission is $5 and includes a program for the day’s racing card. The track is
located at 44 Park Place in Goshen.
The Clydesdales’ appearance
in Goshen is one of hundreds made annually by the travelling hitches.
Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to America in the
mid 1800s. Today, the giant draft horses are usually primarily for breeding or
show.
Horses chosen for the
Budweiser Clydesdale hitch must be at least three years old, stand
approximately 18 hands – or six feet – at the shoulder, weigh an average of
2,000 pounds, bay in color, have four white legs, a blaze of white on their
face and black mane and tail.
A gentle temperament is
important, as hitch horses meet millions of people each year. A single
Clydesdale consumes as much as 20-25 quarts of feed, 40-50 pounds of hay and 30
gallons of water a day.
Each hitch travels with a
Dalmatian. 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 Budweiser Clydesdales can
be seen at the Anheuser-Busch breweries in St. Louis, MO, Merrimack, NH and Ft.
Collins, Colorado. They can also be seen at Grant’s Farm in St. Louis and
at Warm Springs Ranch, the 300 plus acre Clydesdale breeding farm near
Boonville, MO.
The track does not have a
parking lot, but Main Street in Goshen, adjacent to the track, offers parking,
as does the County Government Building, a block from the track.
The Harness Racing Museum (www.harnessmuseum.com), adjacent to the
track at 240 Main Street in Goshen, will be open and free to the public, as
always, on June 16 and visitors are welcome before and after the Clydesdales’
appearance on the track.
For more information, contact
Goshen Historic Track at 845-294-5333 or info@goshenhistorictrack.com.
