The Budweiser Clydesdales arrived in Indianola on Thursday, led by Cash and Sparks, the team’s leaders. They were driven by two Iowa natives.
Brady Janssen, a native of Clarksville, has been on the team for 6 years. Janssen grew up on his family business with Clydesdales and draft horses. He started on the Budweiser team as an intern while studying agricultural science at Iowa State University. Janssen graduated from the university in 2017.
“It’s a very good job,” Janssen said of his time with his colleagues, which fluctuates between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds. “You can travel all over the country and get paid to be with horses – not very many people can do that.”
Janssen said that every horse has its own unique personality.
“They really are our employees,” he said.
Manny Raber has been on the team for 26 years after growing up on the family farm with Clydesdales in Hazelton. Raber said she did the job on the street for about 10 months a year, which can make it difficult for a family. But he said he had managed to get it working so far.
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“I see them for a few weeks at a time and they are always happy to see me,” said Raber. “But sometimes they are also happy to see me go,” he added with a smile.
Janssen said the minimum requirements to work as a Budweiser Clydesdales team rider are at least 21 years old, familiar with Clydesdales or draft horses, hold a commercial driver’s license and be willing to travel.
The famous Clydesdales made it to Indianola thanks to a phone call between Niki Herbold and Anheuser-Busch and Nick Huberty, Fareway Director of Carbonated Beverages. Hebold is Key Account Manager for Fareway and Anheuser-Busch.
“I had the easy job,” said Huberty. “All I had to do was say ‘yes’.”
Huberty said he wanted to bring the team to Indianola because “our rural communities don’t get as much attention with such things as our larger communities.”
And he said it was easy to represent the Indianola Fareway management team.
“Oh yeah, they were really excited,” he said.
Fareway and the Warren County Cattlemen have teamed up to offer a $ 5 grilled dish at the event. The proceeds went to the region’s first aiders.
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The event was so well received by local residents that traffic along West 2nd Avenue stalled in front of the fareway and Indianola police officers were on hand to help control the crowd and traffic.
Amber Pederson of Prole and her daughter Grace Pederson were in town for the big event.
Grace, 4, said she thought the horses were “chic” while Amber’s word was “huge” for her.
Lauren Lambeth has been a handler on the Clydesdales team for three years.
“Oh, yes, they are all prima donnas,” she nodded while keeping a close eye on the Indianola people around the horses. “Especially the management team.”
Lambeth said the ages of the horses on the team ranged from Sparks, who is 15, to the youngest, Jay, who is 7. She said the team’s home base is St. Louis. Before traveling to the Des Moines area, they were in Dallas, Texas. After Des Moines, it’s off to Lawrence, Kansas.
They stopped at Prairie Meadows in central Iowa on Wednesday, October 6, and were scheduled to stop by Smash Park in West Des Moines on Saturday, October 9, from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
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Teresa Kay Albertson covers the southern suburbs of Des Moines for the Register and Indianola Record-Herald. You can reach them at talbertson@registermedia.com or 515-419-6098.
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