A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit judgement issued January 14 ruled in favor of the American Quarter Horse Association in the cloning lawsuit originally filed by the Abraham & Veneklasen Joint Venture. The Fifth Circuit’s judgement reverses the District Court’s original judgement; the court ruled that the plaintiffs’ evidence did not prove a conspiracy to restrain trade because AQHA is not a competitor in the market of elite Quarter Horses, according to a statement on the AQHA website.
Click here to read the Fifth Circuit Court’s opinion.
In January 2014, APHA filed a friend-of-the-court brief along with a number of other organizations urging the Fifth Circuit to overturn the original ruling that would have required AQHA to register clones. The brief cited concerns that the federal verdict inhibits an association’s right to adopt, administer, interpret and enforce its own rules. Read the January 7, 2014, APHA.com news story here.
“This ruling is a significant step toward ensuring that association members can continue to make rules in a democratic process,” APHA Executive Director Billy Smith said.
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About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded. APHA creates and maintains programs that increase the value of American Paint Horses and enriches members’ experiences with their horses.