The Budweiser Clydesdales love their country, too.

The Clydesdales are accompanying Anheuser-Busch's "Here's to the Heroes Tour 2005," a 21-city tour boosting support for U.S. troops that is stopping in Bismarck this week.

Visitors can see the Clydesdales today in the Civic Center's Exhibit Hall Bay Area, but Anheuser-Busch's entire exhibit will be displayed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday in the Exhibit Hall.

Other animals on tour include a lemur, bald eagle and alligator from SeaWorld, and a donkey featured in Budweiser's recent Superbowl commercials.

In support of U.S. troops, a mobile recording studio also allows visitors to film a 10- to 30-second personal message to the military. The greetings will be played on American Forces Radio and Television Service at U.S. military outposts in more than 177 countries worldwide and on the Pentagon Channel, which reaches 150 United States military bases. Select videos also will appear on Budweiser's Web site, http://www.budweiser.com.

After covering more than 13,500 miles and collecting 7,300 messages, the exhibit expands on 150 years of Anheuser-Busch's military support, said Dominic Bellistri, geographic markiting manager for Anheuser-Busch.

"There are soldiers putting their lives on the line every day," Bellistri said. "We are doing everything we can to repay them."

The tour began in April, as a Clydesdale team started from each coast. After Bismarck, the two teams will meet in St. Louis for the July 4 finale.

Anheuser-Busch's exhibit supports the Department of Defense's "America Supports You" program, an ongoing nationwide project showcasing military support. Beginning Thursday, monitors playing messages of thanks from the U.S. military also will be on display at the Civic Center.

The Clydesdale team will appear Friday through Sunday at the McQuade softball tournament, to celebrate the tournament's 30th anniversary, said Shannon McQuade-Ely, president of McQuade Distributing.

Public support for the tour has been strong, said Pete Peterson, supervisor for the Clydesdale team visiting Bismarck this week.

"It's good for the troops to know that people are supporting them," Peterson said. "Despite people's political beliefs, this is an opportunity for people to tell the troops out there thank you."

(Reach reporter Maggie Stehr at 250-8261 or maggie@bismarcktribune.net.)