Champion Cloned

<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061116/ap_on_re_us/cloned_horse" >Champion barrel racing horse cloned</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>Barrel racer Charmayne James knew scientists had figured out how to clone mice, sheep and cats. But if any creature deserved to be cloned, she thought it was her gelding Scamper, the retired 10-time world champion.<br />n<br />nThe result, Clayton, has exceeded James' expectations. The foal even bristles, just like Scamper, when touched on a certain spot behind his ear.<br />n<br />n"Scamper was one of the greatest horses ever, and I know that now more than ever," James said. "I wanted to get in and save his genetics, because if they were ever able to clone a horse, Scamper would be the horse to clone."</blockquote><br />n<br />nI saw this story and found it interesting. Like I saw over at <a href="http://northviewdiary.blogspot.com/2006/11/scamper-cloned.html">Northview Diary</a>, if there was ever a horse worthy of cloning, scamper would be one of them. He is a tremendous horse. It leads to some interesting questions in my mind after reading the article though.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>The PRCA has no limits on using cloned horses in competition, but Clayton wouldn't be allowed in any events sponsored by the American Quarter Horse Association, which does not register horses that are cloned or their offspring.</blockquote><br />n<br />nIf a cloned horse cannot be used in an AQHA sponsored event, what about progeny of a cloned horse? That's what Charmayne plans on using Clayton, Scampers clone, for is breeding purposes. If the cloned horse itself is not "right" somehow to compete, what makes its progeny okay to compete? It would really be interesting to know the answer to this.<br />n<br />n<strong>A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy? Albert Einstein</strong>