BENTONVILLE (KFSM) — The famous Budweiser Clydesdales made an appearance in Bentonville Friday (Nov. 17).
The horses made an appearance at Sam's Club.
The eight Clydesdales were hitched to the wagon along with Clyde the Dalmatian, the one seen in the commercials.
Budweiser Clydesdale Handler Rudy Helmuth said they are an American icon for Anheuser-Busch, with a very rich history.
“They date all the way back to 1933 when August Bush Jr. actually presented a gift to his father to celebrate the repeal of prohibition and today we get to carry on that legacy and we`re just excited to be here in Arkansas,” he said.
There are three sets of Budweiser Clydesdales that travel about 300 days a year.
Helmuth said it`s very rewarding to bring these animal celebrities to cities across the country.
“A lot of people don`t get to see them up close and personal, they just see them on TV. This gives us an opportunity to bring them into your town and they are actually able to see what a Clydesdale looks like. They truly are gentle giants. They love people, they are very docile in nature,” he said.
Each Budweiser Clydesdale weighs about 2,000 pounds, and their harnesses cost $10,000 each.
Morgan Matthews, a senior beer buyer at Sam`s Club, said he`s been in the industry for a long time, but it was the first time he's seen eight horses at one time.
“The best thing about it is this type of event is really hard to come across. For us to be able to have it in our parking lot, to have people be able to walk away from their desk for a little bit, take a breath, and be able to come out and see something as phenomenal as these animals are is very exciting and it`s my pleasure to bring it here,” he said.
The Budweiser Clydesdales will be at the Benton County Fairgrounds from 1 to 3 Saturday(Nov. 18). Pictures are allowed.