The Clydesdale Book

24/04/2024

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.” 🌺

~ Laurence Binyon.

29/03/2024

A mass gathering of heavy horses assembled at Scotland's iconic Kelpies structures today to celebrate the forthcoming 10th anniversary of the artworks

𝘐𝘔𝘈𝘎𝘌: 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥

22/03/2024

📕 Would you love to hear the amazing stories of the famous DB Clydesdales but haven’t had the opportunity to read our book?

Free FM are playing weekly episodes of our popular book, Behind the Reins, on their Historical Souvenirs programme every
Monday at 12pm. 📻

Take a listen to the latest readings here 👉🏻
https://www.freefm.org.nz/Programmes/Details.aspx?PID=75261fa4-70e8-4ee4-b76c-57cec17a60da

05/03/2024

🏆 Good luck to everyone heading to Land Rover Horse of the Year this week! Have an absolute blast!

💥 Here’s a flashback of our Clydesdales on display in the Main Arena a few years back. What a fabulous event to be involved with!

05/02/2024

🇳🇿 What a perfect piece to celebrate Waitangi Day.

‘The Land Of Milk And Honey’

We absolutely love this amazing artwork by Jo from Paint And Pony depicting our team of Clydesdales in the dart river valley, Glenorchy. 🏔️

This is one of our all time favourite photos of the team and the story behind the photo can be read in our book, Behind the Reins. Copies still available.

🇳🇿 Have a wonderful day everyone!

27/01/2024

Nick and Jill spent valuable time sharing their harness knowledge at Tinwald Farm, Cromwell, this week. Here they are putting a pair of Clydesdales to a Wagonette for the first time.

24/12/2023

💝 Merry Christmas to our wonderful friends, followers and readers. We hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday period with many of you finding a copy of ‘Behind the Reins’ under your Christmas tree! 🎄

16/12/2023

🎅 DON’T FORGET TO GET YOUR NOMINATION IN FOR OUR BOOK GIVEAWAY 🤶 Winner announced tomorrow!

🎁 We’re in the spirit of giving this season, and while we are so grateful to those who have purchased and enjoyed our book so far, we realise not everyone is in the position to purchase this Christmas.

✨ So we’d like to make Christmas a little more special for someone deserving this year. ✨

📕 We’re giving away a FREE signed copy of ‘Behind the Reins’ to one very deserving person (or family) this Christmas. Furthermore, we’ve saved one last Clydesdale Christmas tree decoration to give away too! 🎄

🗣️ We’re asking YOU to nominate someone extra deserving this Christmas, someone that’s had a particularly rough year, a person that would love to read this book but is not in a position to spend on themselves.

🙏 We’re asking you to be GENUINE in your nominations (please!) and tell us why this special person (or family) deserves this special gift. The nomination we feel is most deserving will receive a free book. The nominator can choose whether to keep the decoration to themselves or pass on.

🎉 Winner announced on Monday 18th of December (tomorrow!).

15/12/2023

🎅 CLYDESDALE BOOK GIVEAWAY 🤶

🎁 We’re in the spirit of giving this season, and while we are so grateful to those who have purchased and enjoyed our book so far, we realise not everyone is in the position to purchase this Christmas.

✨ So we’d like to make Christmas a little more special for someone deserving this year. ✨

📕 We’re giving away a FREE signed copy of ‘Behind the Reins’ to one very deserving person (or family) this Christmas. Furthermore, we’ve saved one last Clydesdale Christmas tree decoration to give away too! 🎄

🗣️ We’re asking YOU to nominate someone extra deserving this Christmas, someone that’s had a particularly rough year, a person that would love to read this book but is not in a position to spend on themselves.

🙏 We’re asking you to be GENUINE in your nominations (please!) and tell us why this special person (or family) deserves this special gift. The nomination we feel is most deserving will receive a free book. The nominator can choose whether to keep the decoration to themselves or pass on.

🎉 Winner announced on Monday 18th of December.

12/12/2023

DECORATIONS ARE NOW SOLD OUT!! Sorry everyone.

🎁 The last of our books are flying out the door for Christmas. 🎄 Don’t miss out on your copy - there are limited copies left. Every order before Christmas receives a Clydesdale Christmas tree decoration*. 🐴 What a beautiful Christmas gift to yourself or a friend!

📥 Message us for your copy today!

*while stock lasts.

04/12/2023

DECORATIONS ARE NOW SOLD OUT!! Sorry everyone!

🎅 Behind the Reins is the perfect Christmas gift for any equine lover, history enthusiast, or those who loved seeing the famous DB Clydesdales.

Order your copy before Christmas and receive a FREE Clydesdale felt decoration while stock lasts!

📧 Message us today for your copy.

16/11/2023

🌚 Here's your chance to grab your very own copy of 'Behind the Reins' at a special Black Friday price! 🌚

📨 Email us for your copy today!

⏰ Sale ends Friday 24th of November.

15/11/2023

🏆 This week we remember our time spent at the The New Zealand Agricultural Show. Every year our Clydesdale Team would be on display at the Show and also Addington Cup Week at Addington Raceway. These events were key highlights in the DB Clydesdales' annual calendar and the big horses were always a major hit for event attendees. ✨

📘 Read about the many race meetings & A&P show appearances in our book, 'Behind the Reins'. Contact us for your copy.

05/11/2023

💥 Here’s your chance to WIN a copy of our book 📕 plus you’re supporting a great cause! 🐴

Kicking off a Fri-yay in style 😎

Win your self a copy of The Wilson Sisters Horse & pony guide AND a signed copy of The Clydesdale Book Behind the Reins!

Want to get you hands on these stunning books.
All you have to do is like our page & comment below ⏬ it's that easy!! (We would appreciate a share, but not a comp condition ☺)

This comp starts now & will end in 1 week at 7pm on the 10th of November 2023.

Winner will be contacted 11th November 2023 and winner may collect the prize at the The New Zealand Agricultural Show 15-17 November 2023 or we will post to winner after the show.(will post to NZ address only)

You guys no the drill, This is our only page so do not accept friend requests via scam pages! We will never ask for personal details.

These 2 items where kindly donated by one of our members. This post is no way affiliated with or by Facebook.

(Rare Horse Society of New Zealand original book comp posted 4.44pm on Friday 3 November 2023.)

Edited to say spam pages have popped up 😡, we will ONLY comment 1 winner on the 11th November 2023.

29/10/2023

Please support the Rare Horse Society of New Zealand and purchase your signed copy of Behind the Reins at the The New Zealand Agricultural Show! 🐴

Straight from the horses mouth. Gordy approving one of our members signed copy of Behind the reins. He thought it was fantastic one of the stories he was read out of the book!

We can't thank The Clydesdale Book enough for signing these copies for us and thank you for those who pre ordered and collected over Otago Equine Expo + it's an amazing opportunity to fundraise as a percentage of each signed book goes to the Rare Horse Society of New Zealand

A small handful of signed books are still available so get in touch. Pre order now , you can save on postage too if your able to collect during our next event at The New Zealand Agricultural Show in November.

30/09/2023

✨ What a fantastic opportunity to support the rare breeds of NZ and Rare Horse Society of New Zealand ✨ Please follow their page for details and head along to the Otago Equine Expo + to get your signed copy of our book, Behind the Reins! 📕

🐴 The Clydesdale horse is recognised as a ‘vulnerable’ breed worldwide, so it’s important to continue to support this majestic breed that played such a large part in the making of this country. 💙

Do you want to get your hands on a signed copy of Behind the Reins.
Well thanks to The Clydesdale Book nows your chance!

If your coming to the Otago Equine Expo + you are first in line to pre order your own copy of, The Clydesdale book Behind the Reins -The story of the DB Clydesdales and a kiwi family.

Must pick up from the Rare Breed Horse Display @ Otago Equine Expo +

Limited signed copies.

Message us to pre - order to secure your copy these won't last long and this is a great way to surport us, as a percentage of the book sales goes to the society . If you still want a book but cant collect message us to go on the waiting list for after this weekend.

29/09/2023

✨ The brand new DB Clydesdale Team in all their finery step out for their first official outing at Karaka, 1986. Can you image what a task it had been to put this new team together in such a short time?

The horses had been sourced from all parts of New Zealand and had to be closely matched in size, colour and temperament. This was not an easy task by any means!

📧 Email us to get your copy of 'Behind the Reins' and read how Nick and his small team of staff managed to turn this bunch of retired farm horses, unbroken newbies and out-and-out bolters into a six-horse world-class brewery team in less than 12 months.

22/09/2023

⚠️You will have noticed we have closed our website, but you can still purchase books from us. 🙌

If you haven't read a copy of 'Behind the Reins', message or email us now to get your very own copy and see why so many others are loving these nostalgic and timeless Kiwi stories! 📘

31/08/2023

We brought all three Hitches together for the first time in honor of the Clydesdale's 90th anniversary

📍 St. Louis, MO

28/08/2023

🩵💙 Looking for a last minute Father’s Day gift?

‘Behind the Reins’ 📕 is the perfect gift for dads that are fond of a good brew 🍺 and appreciate the stories and scenes from the real back and beyond of New Zealand.

✅ $64.95 + p&p

📧 Contact us today to order your copy. We can ship the same day! 🐎 💨

20/07/2023

My two boys set up for the day! Horses fed! Cold day, Max and Nick happy with coffee in hand!!

24/06/2023

A fitting tribute to our little Dalmatian dog, Bonny. 💗 Thanks to the nzherald.co.nz.

To read the full story of Bonny and the other dogs that travelled with our Clydesdale team, you can still get your hands on a copy of our book, Behind the Reins. 📕

📧 Contact us today for your copy!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/our-treasures-bonny-the-dog-will-always-be-remembered/

Bonny will always be a part of New Zealand history.

28/05/2023

It’s amazing where you see tributes to our Clydesdale Team pop up. What a stunner this. 💙

24/04/2023

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. 🌺

13/04/2023

Looking back, it's amazing to see how Nick and Jill's tale unfolded. Following a downturn in farming in the mid 1980s, Nick and Jill found themselves living in Bourke, in the Australian Outback. Nick had been called on to train bulls and horses for films. Working alongside one of Australia's most renowned animal wranglers, the late Heath Harris, Nick looks back on this period as one of the most influential, and enjoyable, periods of his life.

A much younger Nick is pictured here enjoying a moment with his horse, and two bulls, Larry and Hamish.

📘 Read 'The Clydesdale Book' to see how this life-changing experience opened the next exciting chapter in Nick and Jill's career.

👉 https://theclydesdalebook.co.nz

05/04/2023

A while ago you will remember us posting a beautiful painting by artist, Jo S. Stacey of Nick and assistant, Lloyd, working two of our Clydesdales in the field. 🎨

🏆 Well, we received some wonderful news from Jo this week. At the recent Sydney Royal Easter Show Jo’s Clydesdale painting won the RAS prize - Best Rural Subject Painted In A Traditional Style. 👏 Isn’t it just a beautiful piece?

But there’s a special story behind this painting. Jo won a colouring competition as a child and the prize was a ride on the wagon with Nick and the DB Clydesdales. An experience, Jo says, has stuck with her for a lifetime.

She says, “Jill van der Sande these were your Clydes!!!! This is the first award I've received since I won that colouring in prize when I was 6 to ride on these Clydesdales!! How life weaves a curious tale. Thank you for the photo.” ❤️

👏 Congratulations, Jo. We think your work is beautiful. Who knew that colouring competition would lead to this lovely outcome so many years later?

11/03/2023

We may be biased, but we think Zulu 🐴 was the most dapper man at today’s Bridgerton Summer Ball. 😍✨

11/03/2023

While we are not doing weddings and special events anymore, this job was a bit of a one-off special ✨ We were excited to be part of the Bridgerton Summer Ball held at Matangi’s English Cherry Tree Manor 🍒 today. Our Friesian horse, Zulu, and Wagonette looked just the part amongst the fabulous costumes and activities. Enjoy these photos!

Fantess

01/02/2023

Do we have any dog fans? 🐶 Dalmatian dogs are traditional with horse-drawn carriages. In the 17th century dogs were trained to run alongside carriages for security. They were also used with horse-drawn fire engines!

🐕 A Dalmatian dog always rode on the wagons with the DB Clydesdales as a nod to horse-drawn brewery tradition.

Read about the dogs that travelled with the Clydesdales and their adventures in our book, Behind the Reins. 📕

👉🏻 www.theclydesdalebook.co.nz

27/01/2023

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. 🌹 Don’t find yourself in the dog box this year - treat your significant Clydesdale-loving other to their own copy of The Clydesdale Book to treasure for a lifetime. 🐴

💗 Use code VALENTINESDAY for a 10% discount.