1826 the horses had become known as Clydesdales in recognition of Lanarkshire’s River Clyde region.
BREED
Scotland’s iconic Clydesdales
The official seal of approval arrived when a breed society was established in 1877, followed by the export of numerous Clydesdales in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It’s estimated that between 1884 and 1945, over 20,000 horses were shipped overseas, with around 1,600 stallions leaving Scotland in 1911 alone, bound for countries throughout the British Empire,
Born and bred in Scotland, Clydesdales have travelled far and wide, writes MATHILDE GREGOIRE.
T
as well as to North and South America, continental Europe, and Russia. When Clydesdales arrived in Australia during the early days of settlement, their strength was put to good use.
here’s no mistaking a
But the Clydesdale comes from
Capable of serious heavy lifting, the
Clydesdale! Their size alone
humbler beginnings. In the 1700s,
breed became popular and in 1918,
is enough to etch them on the
with the aim of improving local horses’
the Commonwealth Clydesdale Horse
memory – probably one of the reasons why, back in the day, the US brewery
suitability for farm and other heavy work, Flemish stallions were imported to the county of Lanarkshire in Scotland
Society Australia held its first meeting – an organisation which today still promotes and preserves the breed through the Clydesdale stud book.
Budweiser chose to feature a team of
and crossed with native mares. Shire
these impressive draught horses in their
blood was later introduced to boost
But by the early 1900s, the global future
famous advertising campaigns.
the breed’s size and power, and by
of Clydesdales looked gloomy. With a
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