SALAMANCA – To celebrate their 81st anniversary, the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will visit Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel in Salamanca, on Wednesday. The eight-horse hitch team’s upcoming visit is one of numerous appearances it will make throughout North America in 2014, and the horses never fail to draw a crowd wherever they go.

And, there is much more than just meets the eye, as an exceptional level of care and a proud heritage are inextricably bound to each of the magnificent creatures.

On April 7, 1933, August A. Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch III surprised their father, August A. Busch Sr., with the gift of a Budweiser Clydesdale hitch to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition.

At the time, the horses were a relatively new breed, as farmers living in the 19th century along the banks of the River Clyde in Scotland bred the forerunner of the Clydesdale, called the Great Flemish Horse.

Today, a team of dedicated handlers work to ensure the well-being and quality of care provided to the Budweiser Clydesdales.

The expert handlers travel with the hitch, and are on the road at least 10 months every year. When necessary, one handler provides around-the-clock care for the horses, ensuring their safety and comfort. Each hitch horse will consume as much as 20 to 25 quarts of whole grains, minerals and vitamins, 50 to 60 pounds of hay and 30 gallons of water per day.

To qualify for one of the traveling hitches, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least 4 years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat, four white legs, a white blaze, and a black mane and tail. As the horses are being transported in the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales trailers, mounted cameras are connected to monitors in the cabs that enable the drivers to keep a watchful eye on their precious cargo during transport.

The team stops each night at local stables so the “gentle giants” can rest. Air-cushioned suspension and thick rubber flooring in the trailers ease the rigors of traveling.

In addition to the expert handlers and wagon drivers, no hitch is complete without a Dalmatian. The breed is associated with horses and valued for their speed, endurance and dependable nature. Dalmatians serve as companions to the horses and were first introduced as part of the Budweiser Clydesdales team in the 1950s.

The public can witness this care level of care and heritage with the Budweiser Clydesdales up close and personal at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel on Wednesday, from noon-2 p.m., free of charge. Plenty of free parking is available at Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel along outdoor lots and the hotel parking ramp. In addition, during the event, guests can receive $10 in free slot play and enter for a chance to win a PlayStation 4. More information about the event is available at www.senecaalleganycasino.com.