The legendary show jumper Arko III has been successfully cloned. In August 2021, a foal with the genes from the exceptional British stallion was born in the US to continue his legacy.
Earlier this year, the equine industry mourned the death of five-time British Show Jumper of the Year, Arko III. Then in August, a remarkable moment in history occurred. Gemini Genetics, a genetic preservation company, partnered with the world leader in animal cloning, ViaGen Pets and Equine, to clone the famous Arko III.
Arko III was an international show jumping legend
The Oldenburg stallion Arko III was a son of the famous Argentinus out of Unika. He was considered the number one show jumper in Europe from 2004 to 2006. In total, he earned more than 1.2 million pounds during his career. He also had a great influence on breeding. The stallion became the sire of many world-class horses.
The owners mourn his death
Pat, John and Lisa Hales of Shaw Farm mourned the loss of their exceptional stallion. The owners of Arko III are internationally known for their success with the Oldenburg stallion and received several awards during his career. Despite all this, the family remains hopeful for the times ahead. They are convinced that in the future “many more champions will be bred from this wonderful bloodline”.
Clone created from skin sample
To create Arko’s clone, a skin sample from him was genetically preserved. This was done by the UK-based genetics company Gemini Genetics. The tissue sample was then sent to partner ViaGen Pets & Equine, sister company of Stallion AI Services, to complete the process.
Regarding the birth of Arko’s clone, Gemini Genetics CEO Lucy Morgan says, “Gemini Genetics are thrilled and highly privileged to have facilitated this amazing revival of Arko III via his genetic twin“.
ViaGen Pets & Equine President Blake Russel commented: “The ability to play a part in reproducing a phenomenal genotype like Arko III is what makes our effort worthwhile.[…] I hope all can see that cloning technology is a powerful advanced reproductive technology that can bring great opportunity“.
Cloning has many purposes
Cloning doesn’t have to be used exclusively for reviving unique horses. Genetic conservation can also be used to preserve rare breed populations and females. The technology can also be helpful to dog and cat owners who have had to say goodbye to their animals too soon.
Source: Everything Horse
