Clydesdales highlight partnership at State Fair
Anheuser-Busch, Folds of Honor mark 15 years together
Evan Brandt/MDN Todd, the Budweiser Clydesdale, gets the spa treatment during a hot day at the North Dakota State Fair Wednesday.
Submitted Photo Anheuser-Busch donated $5,000 to Folds of Honor during an appearance by the Budweiser Clydesdales at Tuesday’s rodeo at the North Dakota State Fair. Holding the check are, from left, John Butz with Magic City Beverage, Rodney “Rocky” Sickmann with Folds of Honor, and Dustin Wald with Magic City Beverage. Sickmann is a former Marine who was among hostages held captive in Iran by an Islamic revolutionary group. He was released in January 1981 after 444 days.
Evan Brandt/MDN Todd, the Budweiser Clydesdale, gets the spa treatment during a hot day at the North Dakota State Fair Wednesday.
Submitted Photo Anheuser-Busch donated $5,000 to Folds of Honor during an appearance by the Budweiser Clydesdales at Tuesday’s rodeo at the North Dakota State Fair. Holding the check are, from left, John Butz with Magic City Beverage, Rodney “Rocky” Sickmann with Folds of Honor, and Dustin Wald with Magic City Beverage. Sickmann is a former Marine who was among hostages held captive in Iran by an Islamic revolutionary group. He was released in January 1981 after 444 days.
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As the Budweiser Clydesdales trot through the North Dakota State Fair this week, they're doing more than drawing crowds. They're helping mark 15 years of partnership between Anheuser-Busch and the nonprofit Folds of Honor.
Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled U.S. military members and first responders. Since the partnership began in 2009, Anheuser-Busch and its network of wholesalers have contributed more than $33 million to the organization, helping fund more than 6,600 scholarships nationwide.
In North Dakota alone, 78 scholarships have been awarded through the program, totaling $340,500.
To celebrate the anniversary, Budweiser has released special patriotic packaging and launched a year-round donation option tied to product purchases. The Clydesdales' nationwide tour, including this week's appearance in Minot, helps spotlight the mission of Folds of Honor in communities across the country.
The Budweiser Clydesdales themselves are a symbol of tradition dating back to 1933, when they first made a cross-country tour to celebrate the end of Prohibition. Each horse stands about 6 feet tall at the shoulder, weighs roughly 2,000 pounds, and must meet strict criteria for appearance and temperament. The iconic hitch team travels in style, with hand-crafted red beer wagons and specially trained handlers caring for the horses along the way.