Plant Riverside District is honored to welcome one of the Budweiser Clydesdale Horses on Friday, March 15 between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Martin Luther King Jr. Park for a meet and greet and photo opportunity. This event is free and open to the public. We welcome all to visit with one of these Gentle Giants.

The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales, the symbol of quality and tradition for Anheuser-Busch since 1933, are scheduled to make an appearance at Plant Riverside District in conjunction with St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

The Clydesdales’ appearance in Savannah is one of hundreds made annually by the traveling hitches. Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to America in the mid-1800’s. “We are excited to bring the Clydesdales back to Savannah this year for the 200th Anniversary of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade” said Will Dorminy, President Southern Crown Partners.

Horses chosen for the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch must be at least three years of age, stand approximately 18 hands – or six feet – at the shoulder, weigh an average of 2,000 pounds, must be bay in color, have four white legs, and a blaze of white on the face and black mane and tail. A gentle temperament is very important as hitch horses meet millions of people each year.

A single Clydesdale hitch horse will consume as much as 20-25 quarts of feed, 40-50 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per 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.