AMARILLO, Texas (AP) - A Texas jury has ruled that the nation's pre-eminent quarter horse association violated antitrust laws by banning cloned horses from its prestigious registry.
Attorneys for two ranchers who sued the American Quarter Horse Association said Tuesday's verdict doesn't automatically require the group to register clones. That step could come at a later hearing.
The case is being closely watched by breeders nationwide. It could set a precedent because no U.S. groups currently allow registering of clones.
The 280,000-member quarter horse association is trying hard to safeguard its registry, which adds financial value to listed animals. The group says its rules are fair in requiring that all registered horses have a registered mother and father.
The ranchers say that amounts to monopoly.
A call to an association attorney wasn't immediately returned.