Budweiser Clydesdales coming to Dewey Beach parade June 23

From offering a year-round, dog-friendly beach to the annual Running of the Bull, Dewey Beach takes pride in its animal-friendly events.

The town will soon add a new event, when it hosts the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales Thursday, June 23.

Starboard owner Steve Montgomery pitched the idea of inviting the Clydesdales to town commissioners during their March 12 meeting. He said representatives from Budweiser contacted him shortly after the Big Barrel Country Music, scheduled for June 24-26, was canceled in February.

Montgomery said the plan was to create a family-friendly parade around 5 p.m., Thursday, June 23. He said the horses would unload on Bayard Avenue, make their way down to Route 1, head south to the Rusty Rudder circle on Dickinson Avenue and finish on the public bayside beach in front of Lighthouse Cove’s Qué Pasa on Van Dyke Avenue.

There will be no alcohol, which, said Montgomery, means a lot of people will be able to come to this event.

“We’re going to make it fun,” he said. “We’re going to make an event out of it.”

According to the official website, the original six-horse Clydesdale hitch was a gift in 1933 to former Anheuser-Busch President August Busch Sr. from his sons to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition. The hitch was increased to eight shortly after being introduced.

Only the finest of Clydesdales become a part of the Budweiser team.

To qualify for one of the traveling hitches, a gelding must be at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder, weigh 1,800 to 2,300 pounds, have a reddish-brown bay coat, four white legs, a white blaze, and a black mane and tail.

Each horse consumes up to 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay, and 30 gallons of water per day.

Each Clydesdale harness and collar weighs approximately 130 pounds. The horseshoes measure more than 20 inches from end to end and weigh about 5 pounds.

Ten horses, a beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor-trailers, and weigh more than 12 tons when ready to roll.

Dalmatians have traveled with the Clydesdale hitch since the 1950s.

Commissioner Dale Cooke said time was of the essence because Anheuser-Busch needed to know the town’s desire to host the horses immediately.

“If there’s a problem, you need to speak up now,” he said. No one objected.

A self-described horse person, Commissioner Gary Mauler said he thought the event would be phenomenal.

“I think it’s great,” said Commissioner Courtney Riordan, especially after finding out the town did not have to pay the $200,000-fee associated with scheduling a visit from the Clydesdales.