FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The world famous Budweiser Clydesdales, the symbol for Anheuser-Busch since 1933, are scheduled to make several appearances in the area this Friday, including one in Fairhope in conjunction with the Maids of Jubilee 25th Anniversary Mardi Gras parade.

The eight-horse team will be harnessed and hitched to the famous red beer wagon at the Fairhope K-1 Center Feb. 20, from 2-5 p.m.

That evening at 7, the “Gentle Giants,” as they are often called, will participate in the MOJ parade.

The Clydesdales’ appearance in Fairhope is one of 300 made annually by the five travelling hitches. Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to America in the mid-1800s. Today, the giant draft horses are used primarily for breeding and show.

Horses chosen for the Budweiser Clydesdale Hitch must be at least 3 years old, stand approximately 18 hands (6 feet) at the shoulder, weigh an average of 2,000 pounds, be bay in color, have four white stockings and a blaze of white on the face and black mane and tail. A gentle temperament is very important, as hitch horses often 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 o water per day.

Each hitch travel with a Dalmatian dog. 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.