Budweiser has a new star for this year’s Super Bowl commercial.
Meet Jake — the first Clydesdale foal to be featured in one of the brewery’s classic commercials in more than a decade.
Jake was born at Warm Springs Ranch near Boonville last year and trained at Grant’s Farm in St. Louis. He appears throughout the commercial as a disappointed little guy who is told he cannot be part of the Clydesdale hitch because he is too little.
Called “First Delivery,” the 98-second spot opens with the hitch preparing to drop off a load of kegs. After the wagon is packed and the team is ready to depart, one of the kegs falls off.
The foal is the only one to notice, and without hesitation, he jumps the fence and begins to nudge the keg with his nose to catch up with the hitch.
He trots through the backcountry to the music of “Let Your Love Flow” by the Bellamy Brothers, taking shortcuts to meet the hitch. He rolls the keg along a country road, pushes it down an embankment and watches it tumble into a stream.
Meanwhile, the hitch has parked in front of a bar in town when the driver notices the missing keg. At that moment, we see the foal turn onto Main Street as his fellow Clydesdales and a few onlookers watch him push the keg toward the bar.
Inside, the locals are unwinding after a day of work when the foal rolls the keg through the front door. Just before they show up, one of the locals is repeating a joke: “So a horse walks into a bar ... ”
The story closes with the driver shaking his head as the screen reads, “Delivering since 1876.”
Growing up Clydesdale
Twenty to 30 foals like Jake are born at Warm Springs Ranch each year, where the iconic Clydesdales are bred for teams that appear in parades and other promotional events.
To become a Budweiser Clydesdale, a horse must fit exact characteristics and measurements — stand at least 18 hands high (6 feet); be a gelding and at least 4 years old; and have a bay coat, four white stockings, a white blaze of white on his face, a black mane and a black tail.
Warm Springs Ranch, 30 miles west of Columbia off Highway 98, is the largest Clydesdale breeding facility in the United States, according to Anheuser-Busch. About 65 horses live there.
Choosing Clydesdales for commercials is not an exact science. Horses that aren’t suitable for promotional events may be a good fit for television, said Amy Trout, the manager of Warm Springs Ranch.
This year, the team wanted an impressionable yearling with the classic look. Jake fit the mold — the stocking feet, the bay-colored coat, the black mane and tail.
“There are lots of challenges with training a baby (for a commercial),” Trout said, “but they’re curious enough, and they’re willing to learn and try.”
Clydesdales typically need additional training for television spots, but the trainers use their natural curiosity to encourage the proper behavior.
“The team comes out here and we talk about animal safety and they tell us what they need, and we get them ready to go,” Trout said.
Super Bowl history
The Budweiser Clydesdales were introduced to the public on April 7, 1933, to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition. Since then, they have become a symbol for the Budweiser brand, along with the beer wagon and a Dalmatian that often sits beside the driver.
“First Delivery” is the Clydesdales’ 47th appearance during the Super Bowl.
“Budweiser’s Super Bowl legacy is an important part of our brand history,” said Kristina Punwani, head of marketing for Budweiser USA.
“And through the decades, we’ve secured a place in the hearts of millions of fans with our unforgettable characters, quotable one-liners and heartfelt commercials,” she said.
According to Sports Illustrated, the best commercials featuring Clydesdales include “Fetch” (2009), showing a Clydesdale chasing after a giant stick; “Puppy Love” (2014), showing affection between a yellow lab and a Clydesdale; and “Respect,” which aired in 2002 and showed the horses traveling to New York and bowing where the Twin Towers would have stood.
“American Dream” in 2006 was an earlier commercial featuring a foal who puts his head through a harness and tries to pull a wagon. He struggles until a pair of sly older horses push from behind.
A man in the barn turns to the Dalmatian at his side and says, “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Meet Jake yourself
Warm Springs Ranch is holding its Football & Foals watch party at Warm Springs Ranch starting at 4 p.m. before the Super Bowl, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Clydesdale foals will be in attendance, including the hero of the commercial.
In addition to meeting the foals, guests will have photo opportunities, an exclusive tour and can watch the game in the tent next to the stables.
The event includes appetizers and dinner in a heated tent, plus other benefits. Guests over 21 can purchase tickets at WarmSpringsRanch.com for $100.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet the stars of the newest Budweiser commercial right here on their home turf, during the big game,” Trout said.
“We’re looking forward to a great turnout by giving fans the opportunity to celebrate the decades of legacy and history the Budweiser Clydesdales have with the Super Bowl,” she said.