Eastern Iowa Man Was Lead Driver for the Budweiser Clydesdales
An eastern Iowa man who grew up Amish never imagined the horses would've led him to life-changing opportunities.
According to KWWL, Robert Detweiler of Oelwein was raised Amish under strict order and only had an eighth-grade education. Because of this, he never imagines that something like working for Budweiser would ever be an option. Horses changed all of that.
KWWL reports that Detweiler has always been involved with horses as his father was into draft horses, and show horses, and "he has the record of selling the highest priced Belgian stallion ever." Detweiler was working on multiple breeding farms in his early twenties when he got the call of a lifetime. Budweiser called and asked him to be a harness cleaner for its East Coast hitch. After an interesting turn of events when their lead driver transferred and another driver their shoulder, Detweiler became the lead driver. He drove the Clydesdales for over 10 years.
With the job came countless opportunities. He got to travel and perform all over the world, meet celebrities, and perform in FIVE Super Bowls, THREE presidential inaugural parades, and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Now, that's a resume!
Detweiler left Budweiser in 1998 and went back home to Oelwein. Now, he works as a Breeding Farm Manager for Anderson Farms. He may be out of the Budweiser business, but KWWL reports that he has two brothers that work for the company, one of which is even featured on the green holiday can holding the horses' reins. Looks like a love for Clydesdales runs in the family. Check it out below.