Jury Deems AQHA’s Denial of Registration to Cloned Horses to be a Violation of Antitrust Laws

On July 30, a jury verdict was handed down in a trial that began on July 17, challenging the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) rule preventing registration of cloned horses.  The jury determined that banning cloned horses from the AQHA registry violates state and federal antitrust laws.  The jury did not, however, award any of the six million dollars in damages sought by the plaintiffs.  The lawsuit was brought by two horsemen in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, in Amarillo, Texas.  The men own Quarter Horses used for AQHA-sanctioned horse races.  Their complaint claims that the AQHA created a monopoly by banning cloned animals from the registry.  The AQHA approved Rule 277 in 2004, which prohibits the registration of cloned horses and their offspring in its registry. 

To see the text of the complaint, please click here.

Written By Gaby Gilbeau – Research Assistant

 

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

@PSUAgLawCenter

July 31, 2013