(4-21-24) Cloning horses has resulted in some interesting stories of the clones that they have produced. Cloning is allowed for some breeds…but the world of thoroughbred and quarter horse racing have decided against it.
Technology has improved over the years and cloning techniques have improved and for those breeds it has helped to develop them.
On August 6th, 2020, the world’s first successfully cloned Przewalski’s horse, named “Kurt” in honor of Kurt Benirschke, M.D., was born in Texas at the veterinary facility of a ViaGen Equine collaborator, Timber Creek Veterinary. The foal, born to a domestic surrogate mother, is a clone of a male Przewalski’s horse whose DNA was cryopreserved 40 years ago at the San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) Frozen Zoo®. The colt’s birth revives genetic diversity that had been lost to the world and has now been recovered due to this important partnership between Revive & Restore, ViaGen Equine and San Diego Zoo Global.
‘Kurt’ was cloned from a cell line stored in the Frozen Zoo since 1980. That stallion was born in 1975 in the UK, was transferred to the US in 1978 and lived until 1998.
The world’s second successfully cloned Przewalski’s horse, ‘Ollie’ in honor of Oliver Ryder, Ph.D., Kleberg Endowed Director of Conservation Genetics at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, is at his current home at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The foal, born Feb. 17, 2023, and his surrogate mother, a domestic quarter horse, were recently moved from his birthplace at ViaGen Pets & Equine cloning facility in Texas.
‘Ollie’ is the genetic twin of ‘Kurt’. The two will be used to become breeding stallions when they reach maturity at about 4 years of age
Argentine polo player Adolfo Cambiaso turned two of his top polo horses into clones…there are numerous clones produced. The clones continue to sell and to be very successful.
Dolfina Cuartetera
She was a legend in Argentina’s polo Hall of Fame and winner of the most prestigious awards for horses in the sport. She was as fast as she was agile, as explosive as she was docile, a mare with the stamina and strength to outrun and outlast any other.
Aiken Cura
In 2006, when Cambiaso’s stallion Aiken Cura limped off the field….it became clear that the his horse’s career was in his final days that is when he asked a veterinarian to save some of Aiken Cura’s skin cells.
KHEIRON CLONING
Both had offspring cloned in Texas…now in Argentina Gabriel Vichera who has a cloning company, Kheiron Biotech, which is dedicated to cloning horses for Argentine polo.
Clem. McMahon (IRL) & Pacino – 2012 Aga Khan, Dublin Horse Show
Pacino, by Diamant De Semilly and out of a Muguet Du Manoir mare, was bought as three-year-old and produced by Clem McMahon. Pacino competed at the World Breeding Championships for young horses in Lanaken as a six-year-old, and as an eight-year-old was making his mark on Nations Cup teams. Clem and Pacino were on the Irish team that won the Hickstead leg of the Nations Cup in July 2012, and the following month did the same in Dublin, resulting in Ireland lifting the Aga Khan trophy. Pacino finished the year as the leading eight-year-old showjumper in the world.
Pacino would pass away in 2013…Clem said he decided to take tissue samples from Pacino. Seven years later…Pacino II, the clone of Pacino, was born in 2020.
Before Pacino…Cruising was cloned after his death in 2015. One of his first clones was Cruising Arish, was born in 2012, who along with another Cruising clone, Cruising Encore are now standing at stud at Hartwell Stud in Ireland.
Facebook page – Cruising Clones
How big of a deal was Cruising?
Cruising’s pedigree is world-class. He is by the Irish Draught stallion Sea Crest, a Grade A showjumper. Cruising’s dam, Mullacrew (ISH), was an international showjumper by the sire Nordlys (TB). The grey Irish Sport Horse stallion was considered one of the world’s most significant sires of the 21st century. The stallion was for many years the predominant choice for many international breeders. Cruising sired champion progeny that have achieved some of the highest accolades in elite equestrian sport. Cruising is the only stallion in Ireland to have a 5* rating for his own showjumping performance and the performance of his offspring in both eventing and show jumping. Cruising’s impact on the international circuit will be felt for many years to come due to the high profile progeny like Flexible (USEF horse of the Year 2012), Mr Medicott (USEA Horse of the Year 2012) and Mr Cruise Control (who topped the British Eventing rankings for 2013). Plus his clones that have been born since his death,
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