Company looks to reacquire its famed 'Heinz Hitch' Percherons
Hooved members of the Heinz Hitch served their condiment company and then their country.
H.J. Heinz Co. wants to adopt two of the eight Percheron horses it donated to work funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery now that their military hitch has ended.
"Heinz is committed to ensuring the health and well-being of the horses that have served our company and the U.S. Army," spokesman Michael Mullen said.
In 2007, Heinz donated its Percherons to the Army after the company determined it was too expensive to keep the team together. The premier promotional team pulled an antique wagon at parades throughout North America and Western Pennsylvania, beginning with the 1984 Pittsburgh Labor Day parade.
Justin, a three-time world champion Percheron, and Gordy are the first former Heinz horses from the caisson platoon up for adoption to the public. Until recently, it was a law that retired horses had to be transferred to another military or government agency, such as a police unit; the law changed in July.
Two other former Heinz horses — Garrett and Bob — have been transferred to the Indiana National Guard, where they serve in a caisson unit. Another was deemed medically unfit and lives at a veterinary school, said Chief Warrant Officer Anthony DiRenzo, the caisson platoon leader at Arlington.
"He lives a good life in the pasture and serves as a blood donor," DiRenzo said.
The three former Heinz horses remaining in the caisson platoon are in good health, he said.
The platoon has between 50 and 60 horses in service, DiRenzo said. Seven-horse teams pull caissons carrying the caskets of fallen soldiers to their final resting place. On average, they are used in eight funerals a day, DiRenzo said.
Horses are "retired" for a variety of reasons, including age, health, temperament and size, DiRenzo said.
The adoption program has a rigorous vetting process to ensure the horses go to good homes, said Maj. William Canda, company commander over the caisson platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard.
"These are retiring horses that have served our country," Canda said.
A review board soon will convene to decide which applicants are approved to adopt the horses. The deadline for applying ended this week.
If Heinz is approved, Justin and Gordy will be placed at a "world-class horse retirement farm," said Mullen, declining to say where.
The company plans to reacquire each of its former horses as their military service ends, he said.
"Heinz treasures these magnificent horses and their service to the company and their country," Mullen said.
Giving them up
Three years have passed since John Dryer said goodbye to his proud stable of draft horses known as the Heinz Hitch.
"It was a very bad time for me when those horses left," said Dryer, 73, of Avella, Washington County, a former Heinz employee who owns a 226-acre farm. "It was like losing kids."
The H.J. Heinz Co. informed Dryer in 2006 that the hitch's 22-year run would end. He said company officials decided the $500,000 needed each year to keep the team together was too expensive.
Unable to afford the horses, Dryer arranged for them to go to Arlington National Cemetery. He sold the team to Heinz for an undisclosed amount so the company could make the donation in August 2007.
"They had no reason other than money to get rid of the hitch," Dryer said. "We never did anything but bring honor and glory to the Heinz company."
Dryer started the Heinz Hitch in 1984 with two giant Percherons. Within two years, the hitch was eight members deep and pulled an antique Heinz delivery wagon at events across North America, including five Rose Bowl parades, 13 Calgary Stampede events and 15 Kentucky Derby races, Dryer said.
Its main rival for fame was Anheuser-Busch's Clydesdale hitches.
"We had a better hitch than Budweiser," Dryer said. "We were one of the premier, eight-hitch teams in the world."
Dryer knows Arlington was a good place for them to go.
"The only better place for them would be standing in my barn," said Dryer, who has never been to Arlington to see the horses.
King, the hitch's lead horse, was the last to be loaded on the trailer. As a handler yanked on the rein, Dryer couldn't help himself. He grabbed the man's arm and told him to never pull on one of his horses.
"Come on, son," Dryer said to King, and the 2,000-pound horse stepped right into place.
"Then he planted the biggest, sloppiest kiss right on my lips," Dryer said, "and I lost it."
Additional Information:
About Percherons
Percherons are part of a breed originally from France that once were used as war horses and later as work horses because of their size and strength. The breed typically weighs around 1,900 pounds, according to the Percheron Horse Association of America.
