Express Clydesdales’ naming contest settles on ‘Nation’ as the favorite
More than 4,000 people from 12 countries helped christen the newest Express Clydesdale of Express Employment Professionals with the name “Nation” as part of an online poll.
The two-month-old black-and-white Clydesdale was one of two horses born this spring at the Express Clydesdale barn in Yukon. The rambunctious youngster weighed 122 pounds at birth and is expected eventually to stand more than 8 feet tall. Nation spends his days eating and sleeping with his mom, Ruby, nearby.
The other new addition is a filly named Jewel who was born shortly before Nation. The two are part of a program that began in 2015 to help offset a dramatic decline in the breeding ofClydesdales.
The name “Nation” was nominated in honor of a 13-year-old with the last name of Nation who has been visiting the Express Clydesdales barn since he was a little boy. The final poll results included:
• Nation — 1,952 votes, 46 percent
• Norman — 1,556 votes, 37 percent
• Noah — 390 votes, 9 percent
• Nyle — 344 votes, 8 percent
“We are thrilled that our new Clydesdale has a strong name chosen by beloved fans,” said Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the board of Express. “Our team at the barn has done a wonderful job taking care of these beautiful horses during the first few critical months of life, and we look forward to the day Nation and Jewel can join the rest of our Clydesdales on the hitch.”
The new foal can be seen at the Express Clydesdales Welcome Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Express Clydesdales Welcome Center is at 12701 W Wilshire Blvd. in Yukon.
The Express Clydesdales make nearly 200 appearances annually at Express offices throughout the U.S. and Canada, with many of the promotional appearances serving as an opportunity to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities.
The Express Clydesdales have participated in many nationally recognized parades and promotional events, including: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Tournament of Roses Parade, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Savannah, Georgia, and in Chicago. The award-winning Clydesdales earned the title of World Champion eight-horse hitch at the 2015 World Clydesdale Show in London, Ontario, and won first place in the four-horse, six-horse, and elite six-horse hitch competitions at the 2014 Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee.
In 1998, Funk, who owns Express Ranches, visited the long-standing Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Saskatchewan. It was there that he fell in love with the rare and beautiful black-and-white Clydesdales, and started purchasing them to become ambassadors for Express Employment Professionals.
Throughout the years, the Express Clydesdales have enjoyed many historic moments while representing Express Employment Professionals, including escorting Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge at the Calgary Stampede in 2011.