A Texas jury ruled that the American Quarter Horse
Association is violating
state and federal antitrust laws by banning cloned horses from its
prestigious registry, Betsy Blaney reports for The Associated Press. "Jurors didn't award any of the
$6 million in damages being sought by the breeders, but (attorney Nancy) Stone said her
clients' primary interest was 'to get these horses registered.'" No American breeding groups allow cloned horses to be registered. (Turner Strategies photo by Sally Harrison: Champion horse Royal Blue Boon, right, meets her clone, Royal Blue Boon Too)
The lawsuit was filed by a rancher and veterinarian, who "argued that the
association was operating a monopoly by excluding clones. The lawsuit
notes that the group already allowed other non-natural breeding
technologies such as artificial insemination," Blaney reports. "The 280,000-member association argued that its rules were fair in
requiring that all horses in its registry have a registered mother and a
registered father, which is impossible with clones. The group also said
it had the right to set its own rules as long as they were reasonable
and lawful."
American Paint Horse Association spokesman Billy Smith told Blaney breeders worldwide could be affected because semen could be
transported to other countries, though some international laws might not
allow the use of clones. Smith said Tuesday that a fundamental element to any breed registry
is the rules that dictate the qualifications for animals to get listed. (Read more)
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