In 1964, Lowenbrau Brewery of Munich, Germany brought its Westphalian stallions to the New York World’s Fair as a feature for their Lowenbrau Gardens. A few years later, these stallions would live on the Meister Brau, Inc. farm near Grayslake, Illinois.
The team of Westphalian draft horses named Pauli, Michel,
Gustl, and Blasi (and backup horse Dammerl) were driven by Rudolf “Rudi” Kurzenberger (1931-1991),
a native of Munich, Germany. The horses only understood German and were the
first of their kind in the United States.
The Westphalian stallions were prized by the 600-year-old Lowenbrau Brewery. The stallions pulled the brewery’s 5,000-pound beer wagon through the World’s Fair venue, adding to the Bavarian charm of its beer garden.
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When the World’s Fair ended in 1965, the plan was for the stallions to return to Germany, but they became some of the many fair attractions auctioned and sold. The stallions were purchased by Donald E. Gingery, chairman of the board for Peter Hand Brewery of Chicago. Gingery said, “I just had to have them.” Gingery was part of an investment group that purchased the financially troubled brewery, and renamed it Meister Brau, Inc. after its’ top brand.
Lowenbrau's team driver, Rudi Kurzenberger, was hired to remain with the horses and take over management of the hitch. As part of the purchase of the stallions, Gingery was required to pledge to the German Trade Minister that the horses would never be separated.
Meister Brau was the only company in the U.S. to own Westphalians and the only hitch to be comprised totally of stallions, which tend to be temperamental. The stallions were also of a rare color called chestnut or sorrel, and featured a white mane and tail.
With Meister Brau's brewery located in Chicago, the Westphalian stallions were brought to Illinois. They were initially stabled in Barrington (location unidentified), and then at the Robert E. Jones farm in Farmer City, Illinois. By early 1967, the stallions were moved to Winds Chant Farm, a Shetland pony farm near Grayslake.
The
45-acre farm was located east of U.S. Route 45 on the south side of Route 120. About
20-acres of the farm’s former site is now part of Almond Marsh Forest Preserve.
Meister Brau’s Lake County farm was open to the public for horse-drawn wagon rides, meet-and-greets with the famous horses, and tours of the farm.
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The brewery wagon and horses were transported in specially built vans. Part of the draw for spectators was to watch the process of the horses being unloaded from the vans, wearing the beautiful harnesses made in Germany for Meister Brau, and hitched to the brewery wagon.
In
1971, Meister Brau leased its famous Westphalian team, wagon and gear to Midwest
Park Service, Inc., the operators of Pioneer Park (today’s Blackberry Farm) in
Aurora, Illinois. The horses remained stabled at the Lake County farm where
Kurzenberger and his team continued to care for them. On days prior to their
appearance, the stallions were washed and brushed. They were transported in
Meister Brau’s vans to Pioneer Park and became a highlight of visitors to the
living history park.
At Pioneer Park, the Westphalians were given special care as there were less than 100 horses of the breed in existence. Only 14 registered stallions remained, eight in Germany and six at Pioneer Park.
Initially, Larry Mitchell, was the driver and trainer of the hitch at Pioneer Park. Brian Morrissey (1940-2023) later took over as driver of the hitch. Morissey was a co-owner and manager of Pioneer Park. The Westphalian stallion hitch made appearances at the park and elsewhere through 1974. If anyone has information about the stallions after 1974, please let me know.
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For a brief shining moment, Lake County, Illinois was home to the only “Westphalische Kaltblut” (Westphalian draft horses) in America. From 1965 to the early 1970s, Meister Brau’s stallion hitch was seen throughout the Midwest. Today, the appeal continues as collectibles of Meister Brau's famous hitch remain popular with breweriana collectors.
- Diana Dretske, Curator ddretske@lcfpd.org
Special thanks to museum volunteer, Al Westerman, for research assistance!
Sources:
Bess Bower Dunn Museum of Lake County, News Sun Collection
Lake County,
Illinois Maps Online https://maps.lakecountyil.gov/mapsonline/
“Pony Show
Slated as Eye Catcher,” Belvidere Daily Republican, August 7, 1958.
“See the
Lowenbrau Westfaelisches Kaltblut,” The Record, March 23, 1965.
“Bring on Your
Beer Barrels,” Illinois Press, October 16, 1965.
“Rare Stallions
Shown Here,” Chicago Tribune, November 28, 1965
“Grayslake
Corners Market on Rare Westphalians,” Chicago Tribune, April 23, 1967.
“Special Treat:
The Westphalian Horses,” Daily Herald, August 6, 1967.
“Plan Rural
Farm,” Chicago Tribune, July 21, 1968.
“In Illinois
State Fair Horse Show,” Daily Sentinel, August 11, 1969.
“Stallions Appearing,”
Daily Calumet, May 7, 1970.
“Famed
Stallions to be Displayed,” Daily Herald, July 8, 1970.
“Meister Brau’s
Stallion Hitch Comes to Meadowdale,” Cardunal Free Press, Carpentersville,
IL, August 7, 1970.
“Rare
Westphalisches Stallions to Make First Appearance Here,” Daily Herald, November
13, 1970.
“Young at Heart
Group Visit a Gem Museum,” Daily Sentinel, July 1, 1971.
“Meister Brau
Westphalian Hitch at Pioneer Park,” Cardunal Free Press, July 16, 1971.
“Famous Horses
in Parade,” Daily Chronical, Dekalb, Illinois, October 26, 1972.
“Meadowdale
Businessman Sponsor Meister Brau Hitch,” Cardunal Free Press, June 27,
1973.
“Westphalian
Hitch a Parade Special,” Arthur Graphic, Clarion, Ilinois, August 23,
1973.
“Parade at
Palestone Will Feature Westphalian Hitch,” Journal Gazette, August 25,
1973.
“Midwest’s
Savory Autumn,” Chicago Tribune, September 22, 1974.
“Nevermore the
Local Lagers,” Richard J. LaSusa, Chicago Tribune, April 24, 1977.
“The Last Call
for Chicago’s Last Brewery,” Jon Anderson, Chicago Tribune, February 27,
1979.
“Action Line,” Chicago
Tribune, August 30, 1979.
“Zither Player, Yodeler Thrilled Fans for Years,” Chicago
Tribune, November 27, 2003.
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