THE great stallion Arko III has been cloned. The August-born clone was revealed to the world this week and will carry on the legacy following the stallions passing earlier this year.

The cloning was the combined efforts of Gemini Genetics and ViaGen Pets and Equine, generated from a small skin sample from Arko original that was genetically preserved.

Arko’s owners, Pat, John and Lisa Hales of Shaw Farm Stud are excited about the development. “It was an extremely sad day for our family when we lost Arko, he was truly a horse of a life time. The birth of his clone was very emotional.

“We believe it is not only exciting for our sport worldwide but especially for the future of British breeding for years to come. We look forward to breeding many more champions from this wonderful bloodline,” the Hales family commented.

By the world famous Argentinus out of Unika (Beach Boy), Arko III was the number one show jumper in Europe in 2004, 2005 and 2006 when ridden by Britain’s Nick Skelton.

He earned over £1.2 million in prize money and was British Show jumper of the Year five times, as well as siring a number of top horses, including the stallion Argento (John Whitaker) and SFS Aristio, ridden by Ireland’s Anthony Condon.