It’s opening day for the Boston Red Sox today. They’ll start the season in The Bronx, against their arch rivals, the New York Yankees.
“Hope springs eternal,” is the long-time spring motto of Red Sox fans.
Halfway across the nation, another Hope is having an opening day, and other fans are lining up to catch a glimpse of the stars.
Today is “opening day” for public tours?at Anheuser-Busch’s Warm Springs Ranch in mid-Missouri. More than 35 baby Budweiser Clydesdales are expected to be born this year at Anheuser-Busch’s state-of-the-art Clydesdale breeding farm.
This includes Hope, the star of Budweiser’s award-winning and top-ranked Super Bowl commercial, and Stan, the first-born Budweiser foal of 2013, named after all-time baseball great Stan Musial.
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Video: who could forget Hope, the foal in the Budweiser Clydesdale commercial? Here’s a little more information on her and the commercial.
Later this week, on April 7, the Clydesdales will celebrate a major milestone – the 80th anniversary of their association with Anheuser-Busch. The Budweiser Clydesdales have been an integral part of Anheuser-Busch’s heritage since April 7, 1933, and their strength and majesty symbolize Budweiser quality and team spirit. They were formally introduced to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition for beer.
John Soto, supervisor of Warm Springs Ranch, has been providing care for the Clydesdales for 33 years. In fact, he was the inspiration for the handler featured in the “Brotherhood” Super Bowl commercial that won USA Today’s AdMeter.
“Since the Super Bowl, many people have asked me what it feels like to have been portrayed by an actor on such a large stage,” Soto said. “I tell them I’m humbled and lucky, but that’s really how I feel every day, getting to share my life with and care for these beautiful animals, each of which has their own personality.”
Warm Springs Ranch features a 25,000-square-foot breeding barn with a veterinary lab and 10 pastures, each with a customized, walk-in shelter and free-flowing water dispensers. The farm sits on 300-plus acres of land, allowing the Clydesdales plenty of room to exercise and roam.
Dedicated staff is on site around the clock to ensure the baby Clydesdales are welcomed into the world in comfort and safety. Those Clydesdales born with the proper markings for a Budweiser Clydesdale – a bay coat, a blaze of white on the face, four white stocking feet, and a black mane and tail – have a future spot on one of the traveling hitches.
About the tours: The ranch offers twice-daily tours every day except Wednesday. The tour costs $10 per person and lasts one-and-a-half hours. To reserve a tour spot (reservations are required) or for more information, visit?www.warmspringsranch.com.
According to Budweiser, some tour dates, particularly Saturdays, already are sold out because the popularity of the Super Bowl spot has piqued the public’s curiosity around the training of Budweiser Clydesdales and how they spend their early years.
