The name picked for the Budweiser baby is “Hope,” so proper for a horse that tugged at the strings of all our hearts. He didn’t have to kiss a model or dress in a tutu to win the USAToday “Best Super Bowl Ad” contest. All he had to do was to run back to his trainer and give a horse hug, which, by the way, is one of the greatest type of hugs a human can receive.
If you are one of the three people in the world that missed seeing the ad, this is the extended version, including a lot which was edited out in the commercial. For all the rest of you, including you he-man, macho types, grab a dish towel. You’re going to cry, too.
Annonymous
I have watched and re-watched this a hundred times over and feel the all too familiar lump in the throat every time. Then comes that very last scene and there seems to be a tear on my cheek before I realize. By far my FAVORITE ad EVER!
BlessUsAll
I was one of the three, Jerry. I hope the other two find this blog, with its “extras” beyond the ad.
The lump in my throat started early, and moved its way up to my eyes, which spurted with tears when I saw the words: “Three Years Later.” The reunion of man and horse gives me “Hope” that the wild horses will one day return to their range. To their families, their friends — their God-given and God-ordained freedom. To just be.
BTW, I don’t believe a man can properly call himself a man if his heart doesn’t soar at ad’s end.
Leslie M. Kuretzky
Hope is a beautiful name and very fitting. This has to be the BEST Commercial I have ever seen. In all my 48 years on this Earth too.
sherriey
me too…i was one of the three….THANKS!!! Jerry….you made my day!
that was beautiful!
BlessUsAll
Now the third of the three needs to appear!
Watching Hope as a colt on the Bud ad reminded me that today I learned of another species whose babies are called colts (both male and female; there are no fillies): http://raptoreducationgroup.blogspot.com/2009/05/young-sandhill-cranes-are-called-colts.html
Cute, huh? Soon this colt will be flying — maybe right over Hope’s head!
Glenda
Hope was indeed HER new name. The foal in the ad was a new filly that had been born. But yes, all the team horses are males!
Jade
I’ve probably watched this 10 times in the last 48 hours….and I am still grabbing a Kleenex before it’s even over! LOL Will save this and continue to watch it when I want to just soar….
Lorrie
Lovely first time I have watched it – but my concern is why are there going to be 30 new foals this year at the breeding farm? What happens to the “culls” at the breeding farm? Are they sent to Belgium to be slaughtered and eaten? Why did the Busch family sell to a Belgium company when they are the largest importers of horse meat?
BlessUsAll
I’m glad you raised those issues, Lorrie. Where did you hear that there would be 30 foals bred at the Clydesdale farm? When did the Busch family sell to a Belgian company? Which one? I’m not doubting your statements; I just want to be 100% informed.
Speaking of concerns, I can’t bear seeing horses confined in heavy carriage-hauling tack, but I purposely overlooked that scene in order to appreciate the sweetness of the reunion.
Suzanne
BlessUsAll, I do believe that Busch sold it’s brewery to Belgian interests. Must have been a couple of years ago or so. This is a cause for concern as the Belgians are notorious eaters of horse flesh. How anyone could do this to any animal is beyond me. I do not know what happens to horses culled from the Budweiser Clydesdale program. I pray that they all find loving homes. If anyone knows anyone who is even mildly pro-horse slaughter, show them this commercial.
God bless all the pretty horses.
Smith Steeds
This commercial tugged at the heart strings and thanks to habitat I will always have that with two of the greatest horses (Emmitt and Fame) in the world I had received through them habitat. I’ll always have you in my heart and hope to see you soon, my friends, Thank You!
Leslie M. Kuretzky
I had a feeling she was a filly. Anyways, regardless, just adorable 🙂
Barbara
The BEST!!!!!!!!!
Robynne Catheron
Great name, I love it. FYI, the foals are sold, yes, but they bring upwards of $5000 from private parties, mostly, and there is a waiting list. Kill buyers don’t want foals, they don’t have enough meat on them. Another FYI, that was Tommie Turvey, Equine Extremist in the video. He trained both the foal and horse for this commercial. He’s a fantastic trick trainer and rider, and his shows are not to be missed. Gosh, I love this video. I could watch it a hundred times and never get tired of the joy it brings me. I think it’s their best by far.
Valerie W.
Cute name, however, the foal they named “Hope” is a girl, a filly. The other foal is a boy, a colt, born 36 hours before her, &,he’s also in the commercial, was named “Stan”, in honor of the great Stan Musial,who recently passed away, formerly with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. Only male Clydesdales can be picked to pull the famous Budweiser wagon, &, they have to have all the perfect markings & color. So, to be correct & fair, there were 2 foals portrayed in this sweet commercial. They breed “so many” to ensure there are enough teams to travel all over this country, & the world, those not making it on a 8 horse hitch are kept for breeding & to be “ambassadors” at various locations. These horses are treated like royalty, they live far better than many people do, their breeding farm near Columbia, Mo. is beautiful, & also they’re kept at Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, as well as at the Brewery Stables in St. Louis. Believe me, I do not think any of these much loved horses end up with questionable futures. Oh, these horses love being in the public, they love people, are super gentle, & actually enjoy their “job”, remember, there are 8 horses pulling that wagon.
BlessUsAll
I just remembered: I met a couple of the “cast-off” Bud Clydesdales. Don’t recall if they were seniors retired from pulling the wagon or “extras.” Their adopter was my dog’s vet. They lived on his spacious farm with his other horses. He treated them like royalty. I don’t doubt the brewery folks made sure that he would be a top-flight parent of — or servant to? — these gentle giants. A young girl who couldn’t get out of her wheelchair to pet them was close by me, so I picked her up and brought her close to the muzzle of one of the Clydesdales. She stroked him. Her face glowed.
BlessUsAll
P.S. Two of my dear departed dogs are buried — by my sweet vet — in a plot directly “underhoof” of his Clydesdales.
Therese Ryan
I must be one of the three who didn’t see the commercial. I love this & your letters as well. Thank you for sending this. Big hugs to you & this beautiful baby.