After 50 years at The Big E, the Hallamore Clydesdales won’t be returning as they have officially retired.
But that doesn’t mean New England’s largest fair will be without Clydesdales.
Instead, the Clydesdale legacy will continue with Hobby Knoll Stables (HKS), of Duxbury. The traveling horses include Kramer, Ritz, Bridget, Levi, Nick, Thatcher, Carl and Harley.
Phillip and Andrea Anderson, owners of Hobby Knoll Stables, said bringing their horses to The Big E has been a dream of theirs.
For more than 20 years, the couple have offered a horse-drawn carriage service, attended other fairs, horse shows and have hosted various community events.
“It’s a big undertaking,” Andrea Anderson said. “We have huge shoes to fill, and we are aware of that. We are going to try our hardest and do our best.”
The horses will be in Farm-A-Rama during the day from Sept. 13-29 and will be part of The Big Parade each night at 6 p.m. Fairgoers can also watch them get washed, groomed and hitched for The Big Parade around 3 p.m. each day between the back entrance of Farm-A-Rama and the Young Building.
A 3-year-old Clydesdale named Harley will be the youngest horse there. She will be pulling alongside her mother, Bridget. They will be the first multigenerational duo on the team.
“Harley is as feisty as her mother and loves her meal times,” the website states.
These will be the only Clydesdale at The Big E in 2024. The Budweiser Clydesdales will return to the fair in 2025. They have been coming to The Big E on a biannual rotation for three decades.
