News Release

For Immediate Release For More Information, Contact Deputy Manager Sandy Woods @ 530-273-6217

Budweiser Clydesdales Will Strut and Prance At Grass Valley's Draft Classic Event

Nevada County's Classic has been selected for a visit from the

Budweiser Clydesdales and their red, white and gold beer wagon, known to millions from their appearances in television commercials.

The Budweiser Clydesdales will make several appearances at the 21st annual

Draft Horse Classic and Harvest Fair, running from Thursday September 20th through

Sunday the 23rd at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

Clydesdale Operations in St. Louis schedules the popular teams, picking from the thousands of requests received for the big every year.

The Draft Horse Classic, held each fall at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in

Grass Valley, has become one of the most highly regarded draft horse shows in the nation. The Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company has acknowledged the event's importance by sending their big horses to visit.

Once a destination is decided upon, three 50-foot tractor trailers transport the team and its colorful wagon to waiting fans. The big horses ride on thick rubber flooring in trailers with air-cushion suspension. Cameras in the trailers and monitors in the cabs let handlers keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo. The team stops each night for rest at a stable.

There are five traveling hitches of Budweiser Clydesdales, covering a total of

100,000 miles a year in their special big rigs.

The Budweiser Clydesdales are scheduled to arrive in Grass Valley on Tuesday,

September 18 th . The famous horses have represented the Anheuser-Busch Brewing

Company for 70 years.

Originally from Scotland, the Clydesdale takes its name from that country's river

Clyde. Farmers in the 19th century, along the Clyde's banks, bred the Great Flemish

Horse, forerunner of the Clydesdale. Their ability to pull loads of more than a ton at a walking speed of five miles an hour quickly spread their reputations beyond Scotland's borders.

Six performances will present competitions between the most talented drivers and best trained draft horses as the Gentle Giants perform crowd-pleasing maneuvers in pairs, three, and four abreast. They'll skid logs, pull classic antique farm wagons, and demonstrate how the draft horse started American farming.

Performances start Thursday evening, September 20th at 6:30 p.m. Following performances are Friday, September 21st at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 22nd, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, September 23rd at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Budweiser

Clydesdales will impress draft horse fans with their tremendous teamwork in all of the evening performances and in the Sunday late afternoon performance. Tickets to the performances may be purchased through the Fair office at (530) 273-6217. General seating tickets for performances are $15, reserved seats are $18; tickets purchased after September 19 th are $3 additional.

Throughout the four-day event admission to the grounds is free. There visitors will find old-west musical stage entertainment, Art at the Classic - a world class western art show - vendors with western wear/paraphernalia, clogging jamborees, lumberjacking shows and hundreds of magnificent gentle giant draft horses.

The Fairgrounds will open Thursday at 4 p.m., Friday at noon, and Saturday and

Sunday at 8 a.m.

The Nevada County Fairgrounds is located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass

Valley, 50 miles northeast of Sacramento, off Highway 49. For tickets or more information call the Fairgrounds office at (530) 273-6217 or visit their web site: www.nevadacountyfair.com.

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