Gem Twist, Murkas Gem & Gemini – Where The Clones Came From

Commonly referred to as the greatest showjumper of all time, Gem Twist was a world-renowned thoroughbred gelding who had a successful show jumping career between the years of 1985-1997. Bred by Frank Chapot, Gem Twist was a consistent winner of national competitions and was the only horse that had won the title ‘American Grand Prix Association Horse of the Year’ three times. His speed, scope and carefulness were all qualities that made Gem Twist ‘s career so successful. These attributes combined with his captivating presence earned him the nickname ‘America’s Great Grey.’ His vast array of fans and achievements brought a considerable amount of attention to the world of showjumping and by the end of his career in 2006 crowds gathered to honorary ceremonies that took place at Madison Square Garden, the USET Headquarters as well as the American International. This heavily attended commemoration only proves just how loved Gem Twist was.

Due to the gelding’s inability to reproduce, the Chapot’s made the decision to preserve Gem Twist’s tissue in the hopes of pursuing the cloning process. In an interview Frank explained their intention was not to replicate Gem Twist’s career success but to breed him as he wanted to ‘send some good ones into the future’. In 2008, the first clone, Gemini, was welcomed into the world. He has since lived in Europe where he has covered over 300 mares with fresh, cooled, and frozen semen. In 2011, the second clone of Gem Twist was born, Murka’s Gem. Like Gemini, he holds the exact identical profile to Gem Twist and has been utilized by trainers and Olympic riders for both eventing and show jumping. This cloning process of both Gemini and Murka’s Gem has allowed this magnificent bloodline to live on.