Clydesdales & Collies & Sheep -- Oh My! (Posted on 04 Mar 2010 by Steve K)

Williamsburg, Va. (Press Release) – Busch Gardens’ Highland Stables has new tenants and a new look. Situated in the park’s Scottish village adjacent to the Loch Ness Monster, the Highland Stables has been a park icon for three-and-a-half decades. When Busch Gardens opens to guests March 26, the stables will feature the park’s own team of Clydesdales as well as a flock of black-faced sheep, two Border collie puppies and a Eurasian barn owl.

The sheep and dogs will eventually lead daily herding demonstrations both inside the stable’s pasture and in guest areas of the park.

“The dogs are only a few months old and are still too young to herd sheep. We will introduce them to the flock later this summer,” said Jay Tacey, Busch Gardens’ zoological manager.

Along with the new animals, the barn itself is getting a facelift. The gleaming white fencing and polished brass tack is giving way to a more rustic look and feel akin to barns found on farms dotting the Scottish countryside. New picket fencing around the perimeter of the pasture as well as an earth-toned paint scheme all around pays homage to traditional Scottish life on a working farm.

The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales—a fixture at the park since 1975—left at the end of 2009 soon after the Dec. 1 sale of the parks.

Busch Gardens’ new Clydesdales are black with a white blaze and other markings common to the breed of Scottish draft horses.

“They’re simply beautiful animals,” said Tacey. “These gentle giants are very popular with our guests, so we’re designing our demonstration programs that allow people to get even closer to these majestic animals. Combined with our sheep-herding demonstrations and our birds-of-prey exhibit, guests will experience farm life like never before.”

A new behind-the-scenes tour will feature up-close encounters with the park’s newest inhabitants. Check out buschgardens.com/va for additional information, and reservations for behind-the-scenes-tours of Highland Stables and all the tours offered at the park this year.

Busch Gardens is offering a new way to save in 2010. All season long, guests can save $5 on each single-day ticket by making the purchase at www.buschgardens.com/va. Busch Gardens also is retaining its 2009 pass prices, so a new 2010 one-year pass still costs just $99.95. Guests renewing their 2009 passes will receive additional cost savings. All passes include access to all of the park’s concerts, Howl-O-Scream, free parking, discounts on food and merchandise, and unlimited visits to the park. A single-day ticket costs $61.95. Residents of Virginia can still purchase the Fun Card, which also costs $61.95 and is valid for admission all spring and summer.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment operates 10 parks across the U.S. including SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio; Busch Gardens parks in Tampa, Fla. and Williamsburg; Discovery Cove and Aquatica in Orlando; Sesame Place near Philadelphia, Pa.; and water parks Adventure Island in Tampa and Water Country USA in Williamsburg.

The 10 parks play host to 25 million guests each year and employ 26,000 people nationwide. To learn more, visit www.SeaWorldParksandEntertainment.com or call toll-free (888) 800-5447. Additionally, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment created the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, a non-profit, private charitable foundation committed to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation, research, education and animal rescue programs worldwide. Learn more at SWBG-ConservationFund.org.