It has been announced via release by the American Quarter Horse Association that on Wednesday, January 14, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued its opinion in the AQHA’s appeal of the judgment entered by the District Court in the cloning lawsuit.

The release states that the Fifth Circuit’s opinion, which reverses the District Court’s judgment and renders judgment for AQHA, holds that the plaintiffs’ claims against AQHA fail both because the plaintiffs’ evidence did not prove a conspiracy to restrain trade and because “AQHA is not a competitor in the allegedly relevant market for elite Quarter Horses.”

“We always knew our case was sound,” said AQHA Executive Vice President Don Treadway. “Obviously, this decision lifts a huge burden from the shoulders of our association, and we are relieved to finally have a judgment in our favour,” Treadway continued. “We have not yet had time to fully absorb the written opinion of the appellate court, but we are grateful for our legal system and for the tremendous support we continue to receive from our valued members and, of course, our employees.”

View information regarding AQHA’s cloning lawsuit, including the Fifth Circuit’s opinion, by clicking here.

Additional information will be provided as it is available.

(With files from AQHA)