Since the cloning of Dolly the sheep in 1996, cloning techniques have advanced significantly. While only a few can afford to clone their pets, like Argentine President Javier Milei who cloned his favorite dog, the practice has found a niche in the world of sport horse breeding, particularly in Argentina and to a lesser extent in Europe.
Among the elite Argentine polo players, cloning a top horse is as routine as buying real estate. A clone can cost around €150,000. Gradually, these cloned horses are making their way into high-level equestrian sports breeding. It all began in 2003 when the Italian team of Cesare Galli “created” Prometea, the first foal cloned from its own mother. In 2005, the French lab Cryozootech marked a milestone by producing reproductive stallion clones. One notable example is Pieraz Cryozootech, cloned from the 1994 world endurance champion, who had been gelded. In 2006, E.T. Cryozootech became the first clone of a horse that had competed in the Olympics, finishing fourth in show jumping at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
The FEI’s Stance on Clones
Initially, the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) banned clones in 2007. However, the regular birth of clones led the organization to allow their participation in all FEI-managed competitions by 2012. This theoretically permits clones to compete in the three equestrian disciplines of the Olympics: dressage, show jumping, and eventing (which includes dressage, show jumping, and cross-country). A major milestone was achieved in 2013 when a clone won a national-level equestrian competition for the first time.
But will we see a cloned horse win at the Olympics? For the 2024 Paris Games, it seems unlikely based on the current lists of pre-selected horses. Cloned horses remain relatively few compared to the tens of thousands of traditionally bred sport horses. Additionally, most cloned horses are intended for breeding rather than competition, making the chances of an Olympic victory slim.
The Impact on Horse Genealogy
Regardless of Olympic outcomes, cloning is profoundly changing horse genealogy. For centuries, horse lineage information has been straightforward: a stallion and a mare produce a foal. Historically passed down orally, these records became written studbooks and later digital databases from the 1980s. The accuracy of genealogical information is crucial for breeders and buyers, as it can significantly increase the value of a foal, even one that has never competed. Prices for such foals can reach up to €100,000 for an embryo from a champion mare, though the outcome is uncertain.
For comparison, a good racehorse can sell for around €150,000, with record prices nearing one million euros. The high value placed on the pedigree of sport horses inevitably creates tensions in the equine reproduction market. Technologies like artificial insemination allow the most sought-after stallions to sire thousands of offspring. The renowned Diamant de Sémilly, a champion show jumper, has fathered over 4,500 foals.
Challenges in Registering Clones
Clones are imperfect genetic copies of a single horse, akin to twins. Reproductive cloning aims to introduce new breeding stock into the market but risks reducing genetic diversity. If top-performing horses like Diamant de Semilly were cloned repeatedly, we could see thousands of descendants from the same lineage over several generations.
Registering clones in genealogical databases presents another challenge. Each registry has its own rules, with most refusing to list clones. In Europe, only two registries, the Zangersheide in Belgium and the Anglo-European Studbook, accept clones. For instance, the French horse and riding institute’s database, Infochevaux, records clones as offspring of the cloned horse’s parents.
A flexible database like Wikidata, which uses graphs, could solve this issue by creating a specific lineage for clones. This system could specify that a clone originates from a single “parent.”
Ethical Implications of Cloning
The advancements in cloning also raise ethical questions. If we could clone a champion from a single hair, would we need to monitor top sport horses 24/7 to prevent unauthorized cloning? This would be impractical and unethical for such sensitive and social animals. As cloning technology progresses, it will undoubtedly prompt further ethical debates in the coming years.
Cloning in equestrian sports is pushing the boundaries of breeding and competition, challenging our traditional understanding of lineage and raising profound ethical questions. The journey of cloned horses from the lab to the competition arena is still unfolding, and its full impact on the sport remains to be seen.
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Ethan Reynolds is a culinary expert and recipe creator for Lady and The Track. With a degree in culinary arts and over a decade of experience as a professional chef, Ethan brings his love for cooking to the site’s recipe section. He specializes in creating easy-to-follow, delicious recipes for home cooks, from weeknight meals to gourmet dishes. Outside the kitchen, Ethan enjoys teaching cooking classes and experimenting with new flavors.