Caitriona Murphy

BEER giant Budweiser has scrambled to reassure fans of its iconic Clydesdale horses that they are not being shelved, even though this year’s main Christmas advertising campaign will not feature the famous heavy horses.

Clydesdale horses have been associated with Budweiser since 1933 and starred in the brand’s Christmas advertising since the 1980s, pulling a jingling red carriage through the snow.

A massive outcry from fans of the Clydesdales prompted Budweiser to issue a statement promising that the horses will reappear in the 2015 Superbowl ad.

“We are excited to see exactly how much the Clydesdales can still touch the hearts and minds of our passionate fan base,” said Brian Perkins, vice president of Budweiser. “There have never been any plans to remove our beloved Budweiser Clydesdales from our brand identity. In fact, we can confirm they will return to the Super Bowl in 2015. And they are stars of our new online holiday campaign that has been in production for months.

“Let me be clear,” added Perkins. “Straight from the horse’s mouth: The Budweiser Clydesdales are here to stay and will continue to play a central role in our campaigns, including holidays and Super Bowl.”

In the mid-1800s, Canadians of Scottish descent brought the first Clydesdales to the United States where the draught horses were used on farms. Today, the Budweiser travelling hitches are on the road for at least 10 months every year, parading and making guests appearances at events.

To qualify for one of the famous travelling hitches, a Budweiser gelding must be a bay gelding with four white socks and a white blaze, standing at 18 hands high.

Ten horses, the famous red, white, and gold beer wagon and other essential equipment are transported in three 50-foot tractor-trailers.

The official home of the Budweiser Clydesdales is an ornate brick and stained-glass stable built in 1885 on the historic 100-acre Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis, Missouri.