June 5, 2021

GRANT’S FARM (CLYDESDALE ADVENTURE)

10501 Gravios Rd, St. Louis, Missouri 63123

“Grant's Farm is a historic farm and long-standing landmark in Grantwood Village, Missouri.” Wikipedia

Grant’s Farm is owned by the Busch family of Anheuser-Busch fame. It was the home of Augustus Busch, who was gifted a team of Clydesdales at the end of prohibition. In a marketing ploy, Busch took the team of horses to Washington, DC and presented President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the first case of beer brewed after prohibition. The gesture was such a hit that the Clydesdales became a permanent mascot for the Budweiser brand.

Busch started using Grant’s Farm as the breeding and training facility for his Clydesdales. Today, there are three 8-horse hitches traveling the country based in three different parts of the country. Grant’s Farm is home to the central U.S. team. The breeding and training facility has been moved to Warm Springs, MO, which I visited earlier this month.

The Clydesdale Adventure, a 1.5 hour walking tour, was exactly what I was hoping for. I learned a lot about the history of the hitch and its association with Budweiser. We also got to get close to several of the horses in their paddocks. Because of COVID, the St. Louis touring hitch was home in St. Louis, we got to see some of the horses that travel with that hitch, got to see and pet two Dalmatians that travel with the hitch, and got a chance meeting with Roger, one of the drivers of the hitch. We also got to see a couple of horses that have been featured in some of the Budweiser commercials. The tour is rather expensive at $25, but for a Clydesdale lover it was worth every penny.

Grant’s Farm also has a walking tour of the Busch mansion and family stables, though it is difficult to find information about that part of the farm. There is also a wildlife preserve, which can be toured by tram (another $25). I did not take advantage of either other options (I was there for the Clydesdales).