Behind the Scenes of Budweiser’s Newest Clydesdale Commercial
By: Brittany Bevis
When millions of people tuned in to watch Super Bowl LIII earlier this month, they were treated to a number of entertaining commercials. In 2019, the cost of a 30 second ad aired during the telecast was a whopping $5.24 million. For the companies that choose this advertising method, the pressure is on to develop a unique concept and follow through with flawless execution in order to maximize on the costly investment.
Last year, Budweiser announced its commitment to brew their beer with 100% renewable electricity. To bring this message to the Super Bowl, the company created a concept entitled, “Wind Never Felt Better,” a commercial featuring the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales, alongside wind turbines, all set to the soundtrack of Bob Dylan’s, “Blowin’ in the Wind.”
We had the opportunity to speak with Shelby Zarobinski, one of the seven handlers that travels and works with the Budweiser Clydesdales, and who was one of the drivers in the commercial, to find out more about these incredible animals. As a handler, Shelby is responsible for all aspects of the care and transportation of the team, which include grooming, feeding, and exercising the horses, as well as cleaning, harnessing, and everything in between. In addition, Shelby and the other handlers must hold a Class A CDL in order to transport the horses and equipment with three semi trucks. Shelby is a member of the West Coast Team, which was selected for the Super Bowl commercial because of their close proximity to the filming location at Tejon Ranch in California. Joining Shelby atop the hitch was her assistant supervisor, Todd Radermacher.
“We filmed for two days on location at Tejon Ranch,” she says. “The film crew had two hours per day to film the horses pulling the wagon. The main shot was around dusk, so the mornings were spent perfecting camera angles. The film crew used two main cameras, a drone and a chase car with a camera boom attached. The production crew spent hours matching both cameras to get the same angles of the hitch as it went down the road.”
“The filming days started as usual, tending to the needs of the horses that include feeding, exercising, grooming, and washing legs to get ready for the shoot. The horses were then transported to the location for filming and braided prior to being harnessed. Once harnessed, we went from point A to point B multiple times to catch the right light and camera angles needed. It’s pretty amazing to see how hours and hours of filming are pieced together flawlessly to create a spectacular commercial.
The West Coast Team is one of three hitches of Clydesdales that travel the country. The West Coast Team is based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. The St. Louis Team is based out of St. Louis, Missouri. The East Coast Team is based out of Merrimack, New Hampshire. There are also two other locations where the Clydesdales reside, Grant’s Farm in St. Louis, Missouri, and the training and breeding farm at Warm Springs Ranch in Boonville, Missouri.
Each hitch travels with 10 Clydesdale geldings, ranging in age from five to eleven years, and two Dalmatians. The Dalmatians join the crew when they are eight weeks old, and there are always two dogs, so that the newest puppy has a more experienced companion to learn from. April is the veteran Dalmatian on Shelby’s hitch and is three and a half years old. She was featured in the Super bowl commercial. The newest member of the crew is Auggie and is 11 months old.
Being a member of a hitch team isn’t for the faint of heart. Shelby explains that the teams are on the road for an average of 330 days a year performing at sporting events, fairs, account calls, and parades. The handlers must be trained to handle horses that are 18 hands tall and weigh an approximate 2,000 pounds. But Shelby and her fellow handlers wouldn’t have it any other way because they have the opportunity to care for, and get to know, some of the most recognizable horses in the world.
