Field of clones: How horse replicas came to dominate polo

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Adolfo Cambiaso cloned his flagship mare Cuartetera in 2016, leading to unprecedented dominance in polo through La Dolfina.
Argentina has become the world center for horse cloning, with over 150 cloned horses and an industry now considered mature.
The cloning process uses somatic cell nuclear transfer, similar to creating Dolly the sheep, but challenges include mitochondrial DNA differences and epigenetic alterations.
Success rates in cloning remain low, with high costs (~$40,000 per horse) and ethical dilemmas regarding animal welfare and fair competition.
Advances in cloning include using stem cells (like bone marrow) for healthier births and genetic editing (CRISPR-Cas9) to modify genes like myostatin.
The ethical debate has shifted from clone health to concerns about inbreeding depression, lack of transparency, and objectification for human entertainment.
Cloning has applications beyond polo, including species conservation, livestock breeding, and cloning pets, but faces technical hurdles like oocyte sourcing.
Kheiron Biotech in Argentina has produced around 1,000 cloned horses and pioneered gene editing, demonstrating the commercial viability of cloning.
Despite improvements, significant losses occur: only ~5% of embryos result in healthy foals, with complications during birth being common.
Cambiaso defends cloning for its sporting benefits, while critics argue it intensifies manipulation of animals for entertainment.

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