134 SIDELINES JANUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
The original Sapphire, Holsteiner gelding, Mark Watring, and the colt Saphir, Sapphire’s clone.
Photo Courtesy of Mark and Jenny Watring
value of the technology. It isn’t just jumpers. Adolfo Cambiaso
has cloned an entire string of polo ponies.”
Why Clone?
For many, it’s to preserve a bloodline; for others, to re-connect
with a treasured partner. The cost - $165,000 for one exact
genetic copy of your horse or pony – seems to be worth it. In order
to clone his gold medal gelding, Mark entered into partnership
with Kathleen, Sapphire’s original owner and a veterinarian, who
agreed in writing that Mark would retain full rights as rider and
trainer if Saphir exhibited jumping talent like the original.
“I went to the Pan Ams because
I wanted to qualify for the 2004
Olympics and actually winning
the gold was icing on the cake,”
recalled Mark. “The horse was just
on fire the entire week. They kept
setting the courses tougher and
tougher and people were having
problems everywhere. It was
Sapphire’s week.”
In 1998 Mark bought Sapphire.
His friend Edgar Pagan had a
bunch of new horses and he
wanted Mark to see them, but Mark
was drawn to a gray gelding in the
crossties. Mark persisted, Edgar
resisted, and in the end Mark tried
the unshod gray gelding who hadn’t
been ridden. “The expression in
his eye – he has a huge eye, it’s
absolutely stunning, and that’s all it
took,” said Mark.
Sapphire and Mark clicked. In
2001 the American Grand Prix
Association named Mark Rookie of the Year. The following year
winning a grand prix put Mark and Sapphire into fourth place
for AGA Rider and Horse of the Year. Then they jumped into the
record books at the Pan Ams hosted by the Dominican Republic.
He loved Sapphire, and the only way to perpetuate his great heart,
athletic talent and bloodline was through cloning technology.
Interesting Idiosyncrasy
If Mark had any doubts, they were dispelled when Saphir
was born in February 2010. The first time they met, a small but
Continued on page 136
Mark Watring and Spectacular,
Sapphire’s first foal, thanks to
cloning technology.
