This year visitors to the Kutztown Folk Festival will be able to admire close up the beauty and grace of magnificent Clydesdale horses.

A team of six championship horses from Clydesdale Ridge in Pottstown, PA will appear each day, June 28 to July 6, at the festival. The six-up hitch has been featured in the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC, is already scheduled for the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade next November, and has a busy schedule in our region for many parades and county fairs .

“This is a wonderful opportunity for adults and children alike to not only see these splendid animals but also to learn about them. This is definitely going to be one of the highlights in our 2008 program,” Festival Executive Director Dave Fooks said.

For Kevin and Lori Kollar, owners of Clydesdale Ridge, their love for these horses began with Ultra, a 6-year old Clydesdale with a medical condition headed for the “kill pen” until they rescued him. They named their farm Clydesdale Ridge and began to acquire other Clydesdales. Their new venture expanded to include a carriage service and renting hitch teams for events in the region and nationally. Coupled with their business plan is the farm's mission which is to provide the best in living and working environments for these amazing horses. In addition, the Kollars provide their Clydesdales free of charge for charitable events for children at the Dragonfly Camp , Westtown, PA, at French Creek State Park, and for sick kids at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the DuPont Hospital in Wilmington, Del.

There are 14 Clydesdales on the Kollar's farm which is believed to be the only premier farm of its kind in a three-state area. Their horse teams train together over several years, learning movements and turns.

Clydesdales typically weigh about 2000 pounds and often reach a height of 6 feet. They get their name from Clydesdale, Scotland where they originated and were among the sturdiest of farm animals. The breed, which is 300 years old, until the 1980's was in danger of extinction. Perhaps the Clydesdales' most widely recognized feature, in addition to their elegant size is the abundance of “feather,” long hairs that fall from just below the knees to cover the hooves.

The 2008 Kutztown Folk Festival will be held June 28 to July 6 at the Kutztown Fairgrounds, Kutztown, PA. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For more information, call 610-683-1537. Visit our website at www.kutztownfestival.com