The Budweiser Clydesdales, one of the most visible symbols of the Anheuser-Busch Companies, will make three appearances in the Tri-State this week.

The first will be in Ironton from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday and all are in connection with Anheuser-Busch honoring Eagle Distributing Company of Ashland, Ky., with the Ambassadors of Excellence Award.

“Eagle Distributing Company was one of only six distributors in the entire network of more than 600 independent distributors nationwide to win this prestigious designation of Ambassador,” Casey Hill, president of Eagle, said.

The honor comes from a three-year scoring process and the Clydesdales will present the Big Jake Award, which is a bronze Clydesdale, as part of the Ambassador award.

The association of the Clydesdales with Anheuser-Busch dates back to 1933 when August Busch Sr., was given six Clydesdales by his sons as a way to mark the end of Prohibition.

The draft horse breed comes from Clydesdale, Scotland, and was originally used in farming and hauling coal. While the horses are still used commercially, Clydesdales are also ridden for pleasure and shown.

The businessmen quickly saw how the horses could be used to promote their beer and had the horses travel the eastern part of the United States. Today the company has 250 Clydesdales in its stable and features them from time to time in commercials.

Eagle Distributing is part of the Triple Crown Beverage Group that also includes Spriggs Distributing Company in Ironton and Eagle Distributing Company of Huntington, W.Va.

“To win such an award from the world’s largest brewer is acknowledgement of the great consolidated team we have put together,” Nick Williams, general manager of the three companies, said. “We truly have one of the best teams in the beer distribution business.”

The Ironton route will go from the Splash Park to Center Street to Third Street and end at the Ro-Na parking lot.

The Clydesdales will also appear in Ashland on Friday and Huntington on Saturday.