Response to the Recent Accusations and Further Falsehoods Created by Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West on the Setters West Web Page

Photo of Timbers Sagaceous Blue from
Setters West old web page
accessed by clicking here and still
present on the web as of March 24th, 2009

One should keep in mind that the recent information posted on this page revolves around one main issue: DNA and conclusive genetic testing.

However in regard to the information on the falsification of the F.D.S.B. and OFA registration of Setters West's Timbers Sagaceous Blue, it is very clear that Rick and Chris Taylor ~ owners of Setters West kennels in Montana as well as their veterinarian who stated in a purported "notarized" statement posted by the Taylors on the Setters West web page that he witnessed the whelping of Timbers Sagaceous Blue out of Ryman's Allegheny Sheba on January 20th, 1995 ~ have been in the process of manufacturing further falsehoods and fraudulent "documents" in order to try to convince the interested sporting public that they did not indeed falsify breeding records to promote and profit from their kennel enterprise.
.
Therefore, I am calling on Rick and Chris Taylor to come forth and produce all actual records of their stated alleged court action against me by Maurice Ryman ~ as that recent accusation made by Rick and Chris Taylor on the Setters West web page is nothing but another malicious and blatant falsehood manufactured by Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West and which I believe reflects much more on the Taylors' character and manipulative tendencies than it reflects on me ~ as no court action or judgement of this nature exists anywhere.
..

***ADDED NOTE ~ published February 26th, 2010

As of this date, Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West have changed and/or altered the content on a number of their web pages discussed here. However as previously stated, due to their previous and devious behavior and actions regarding this matter, we obtained screen shots of all the relevant Setters West web pages and will present them here. We are unaware of this date as to whether these pages have just been "moved" in order to further hide them, or whether they have been completely changed and dismantled.

***ADDED NOTE ~ published March 29th, 2009:

On Tuesday, March 24th, 2009, Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West had a direct link from the Setters West web page's home page to the purely malicious slander they have manufactured about me ~ however as of today (Sunday, March 29th, 2009), we were informed by concerned friends and long-time customers that although the direct link has been removed from the Setters West home page, the malicious slander ~ which Rick and Chris Taylor have completely manufactured about me ~ and which completely ignores the issue of DNA and GENETIC TESTING ~ is still on the Internet on the Setters West web page server and can be accessed by clicking here.

The linking of the Setters West slanderous web pages here does not indicate either implied or direct consent in any manner by us for Rick and Chris Taylor's publication of these malicious falsehoods, self-serving accusations and fraudulent and/or forged documents on the Setters West web pages or in any other venue (or any communication of these falsehoods by them by any other manner) past, present or future.

.
As far as the letter Rick and Chris Taylor "claim" was signed with Maurice Ryman's signature by me, the first time I ever saw that "letter" was on the Taylors' Setters West web page ~ earlier today, Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 ~ after I had been directed there by concerned people with whom I have done repeat business (and who know I don't make such claims lightly and without actual facts to back up those claims) ~ and I have never had any knowledge of such a letter's existence until seeing it on the Taylors' Setters West web site.
.
As I had corresponded with the Taylors at least several times (and they therefore had copies of my stationary), it would not be far-fetched to believe with their proven record of unethical and illegal behavior that these "letters" were indeed recently and personally "manufactured" by them ~ again, to try and convince the interested sporting public of their "innocence" in their prior fraudulent actions.
.
It is a fact that Maurice Ryman did not ever sign or have an opportunity to sign any correspondence from my kennels as he was not involved in any direct kennel business there ~ which makes the "letter" they have "claimed" to produce even more suspect as to its actual origin.
.
Besides other fraudulent and/or forged documents and letters Rick and Chris Taylor recently published on the Setters West web site, another "letter" they have somehow "produced" for publication on their web page, dated April 18th, 1994, is also a completely manufactured and fraudulent "document" created by the Taylors and was never written or signed by me.
.
Screen shots of these manufactured falsehoods, fraudulent and/or forged documents and outrageously false and malicious accusations created by the Taylors on their Setters West web page have been retained by us and may be published here in further discussions.
.
However the case is clear against Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West at this point ~ and we see no need to address any further falsifications and fraudulent "documents" manufactured by the Taylors on their Setters West web page at any but this time ~ as we have the conclusive genetic testing to prove our claims that Rick and Chris Taylor, of Setters West in Montana, knowingly and maliciously falsified F.D.S.B. records for Timbers Sagaceous Blue.
.
I had never heard of Rick and Chris Taylor until they approached me after an article about my English Setters had appeared in the April/May 1991 issue of Gun Dog Magazine. At the time they had in their possession (they told me) two Labrador Retrievers and an English Setter female which they claimed had Hip Dysplasia (they also sent photos of these dogs and letters with the same information above which I still have and will produce here).
.
I have never looked for another individual or enterprise to breed dogs for me, let alone someone like the Taylors who lacked any necessary experience in an endeavor such as this. It was rather them who approached me concerning the possibility of becoming "partners" of sorts ~ a prospect I made very clear to them was never going to happen even though they brought up the subject repeatedly.
.
Furthermore, besides NEVER even thinking of considering the Taylors as "partners" or "associates" in any manner ~ I would NOT have even sold them anymore dogs ~ as they had later stated in a letter to me (which will be posted here) that they had bred Fetters Allegheny Buck at six months of age ~ which I consider to be an act of incompetence due to a lack of experience and knowledge of breeding top quality gun dogs.
.
NONE of my male or female English Setters are bred before the age of two-and-a-half to three years old ~ and my females are never bred more than four times at most in their lives (and in many cases, less than four times).

In addition to these "letters", the Taylors also manufactured out of whole cloth a purported "letter" sent to them from my attorney.
.
While my attorney did indeed send the Taylors a letter, it contained NONE of the content the Taylors fraudulently produced on their Setters West web page. To date ~ and despite what the Taylors "claim" on their slander-ridden web pages ~ my attorney has NEVER received a reply from them.
.
A copy of this "manufactured" letter the Taylors "claim" was written by my attorney is being sent to our attorney ~ and we can guarantee he will NOT be happy with having these falsified words placed under his name (and an actual copy of the letter he really did send to the Taylors will be posted here in the future for comparison purposes so as to show the unscrupulous and shameful extent of Rick and Chris Taylors' continued fraud and falsification).
.
Once again, the genetic testing results are conclusive ~ which indeed has been the MAIN ISSUE here all along ~ and an issue which Rick and Chris Taylor in their diatribe against me on the Setters West web pages have somehow "conveniently" failed to address.
.
And the genetic testing results prove without a doubt that Timbers Sagaceous Blue could not have been out of the breeding between Fetters Allegheny Buck and Ryman's Allegheny Sheba as the Taylors continue to claim.
.
The upcoming letters (and other documents including photos, copies to be posted here) sent to me and my veterinarian by Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West in Montana will also verify the false and fraudulent claims the Taylors have made in reference to Ryman's Allegheny Sheba. These records will indeed show that the Taylors had Ryman's Allegheny Sheba spayed and that she could not have produced the one small litter which they have claimed ~ and which genetic testing has already conclusively proved.
.
In regard to the recent posting on the Setters West web page of a "notarized" statement from their veterinarian, our documents will prove that this "notarized statement" is nothing more than another manufactured and/or falsified document created by the Taylors again, in order to try and convince the interested sporting public of their "innocence."
.
If this letter was indeed actually signed by their veterinarian, W. Scott Damby, D.V.M., of Horizon Vet Service, HC 85, Box 4330, Lewistown, MT 59457, he will also face consequences which could in fact cost him his license to practice veterinary medicine. It is also curious that a veterinarian would not have his phone number present on his "stationary" as that is common practice with any veterinarians we have ever come across.

Additionally, there is no record (other than what the Taylors "claim" ~ or as they have lately become fond of saying, "interpret") that I ever wanted any further dealings with the Taylors or their kennel business. Since Rick and Chris Taylor also made this claim on their Setters West web page, I also call upon them to produce any "real and factual" evidence that any inkling of an interest by me in this regard ever occurred ~ or that I ever wished to be "associated" with their kennel in any way, shape or form.
.
As previously stated here, not only would I have never considered them as "partners" or any sort of "associates" in any type of breeding endeavor, I would not have even sold them anymore dogs due to their incompetent act of breeding a dog (Fetters Allegheny Buck) at six months of age ~ among other acts of incompetence and obvious indications of their severe lack of knowledge and experience in breeding top quality gun dogs.

If Rick and Chris Taylor are really and truly so interested in "proving their innocence" to the interested sporting public, I invite them to produce their own objectively observed genetic testing of Timbers Sagaceous Blue and any and all of her generational off-spring ~ which will indeed show the line breeding that is ACTUALLY present in her bloodline (bloodlines which I still breed and maintain) and NOT the out-crossed breeding which the Taylors claim her to be (the out-crossed bloodline which I also still breed and maintain as stated previously elsewhere on this page).

It is quite amazing to us that the issue here is "DNA and GENETICS" and that with all the rantings, ravings, blatantly false accusations and fraudulent "documents" the Taylors recently created on the Setters West web pages, that the issue of "DNA and GENETICS" somehow has never seemed to cross their minds ~ and in fact, is never once mentioned by them in their recent web page "production."
.
Perhaps the Taylors' "interpretive" skills are only at a satisfactory level when they are in the process of manufacturing even further falsehoods and forged and/or fraudulent "documents" ~ which have absolutely nothing at all to do with the real issue here.

I, John Fetters, am offering the Taylors an open invitation to appear in a court of law in Pennsylvania (by law, where the original transaction occurred) with me and prove their recent claims against me ~ as we are in the process of taking our information to Chicago and presenting it personally to the Field Dog Stud Book where this matter will be rectified once and for all.

It is truly regrettable that Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West have chosen the method they have in order to respond to the information we have posted here ~ as it unfortunately will not help those customers of theirs who find their dogs' registrations suspended due to the Taylors' selfish, fraudulent and dishonest actions in submitting blatantly false information to the F.D.S.B.

Until the Taylors are willing to produce their own independently and objectively acquired "factual" genetic evidence to dispute my claims here ~ which they will be unable to do as genetics do not lie ~ they should spend their time addressing the very real concerns of past customers whom the Taylors knowingly defrauded ~ and the very serious ramifications which indeed surely will occur.

To Top of Page

Timbers Ryman Major, Timber's Summer Eve, Timbers Ryman Tekke ~ Further Falsified Registrations by Setters West

Many people who set out to purchase an English Setter puppy spend a good amount of time researching various breeders and bloodlines to acquire a dog which they feel will best fit their hunting and companionship needs.
.
While the majority of breeders are careful and honest in their filings of registrations and their records of actual bloodlines when dealing with the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) and the F.D.S.B. (Field Dog Stud Book), it takes only an occasional breeder who resorts to fraud and dishonesty and/or theft to upset the balance ~ not only where the official records and registrations are concerned, but in the genetic balance of the pups they are selling as well.
.
Some dog owners say their particular dog's breeding does not matter to them ~ however when pressed, they will freely admit having paid much more for a pup which could be registered with the F.D.S.B. than they would have paid if the pup could not be F.D.S.B.-registered.
.
In addition to defrauding their initial customers who purchase pups directly from them with falsified registrations based on fraudulent bloodlines, these unscrupulous breeders affect countless other dog owners and breeders who have purchased dogs and pups bred from Sires and Dams of other owners and breeders who unknowingly possess the fraudulent bloodlines of the unscrupulous breeder's original falsified F.D.S.B. registrations.
.
These original breeders cannot be considered "innocent by-standers" by any stretch of the imagination ~ when they have made every effort to knowingly promote, perpetuate (and profit from) their prime act of dishonesty when fraudulent F.D.S.B. registrations are initially falsified and submitted by them.
.
Unfortunately, when caught and proved to have submitted falsified and fraudulent records, their dishonest acts cause other unknowing and innocent people to also suffer the consequences ~ and leave these other people no recourse than to go back to the source of the problem ~ the unscrupulous breeder who falsified bloodline records and submitted fraudulent registrations in the first place.
.
Below are thumbnail links for full-size screen shots of OFA on-line records (created March 10th, 2009) for three of Setters West's "purported" off-spring tracing back to the "spayed" Grand-Dam, Ryman's Allegheny Sheba ~ the "spayed" English Setter which Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West in Montana also claimed was the Dam of Timbers Sagaceous Blue (the latter whom they also claimed was whelped at Setters West in Montana when in fact she was NOT ~ and which is discussed in further detail elsewhere on this page).
.
Due to the dishonesty of Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West in manufacturing fraudulent bloodlines for the falsification of their breeding records ~ which have been proven to be false by genetic testings (see previous postings on this page) ~ any bloodlines out of these three dogs and any other generational off-spring of Timbers Sagaceous Blue will be adversely affected by the consequences of the Taylors' previous actions:
.

Link to screen shot of OFA page: Timbers Ryman Major

....

(click on the thumbnail above to view full-sized page)..Link to screen shot of OFA page: Timber's Summer Eve.,,, (click on the thumbnail above to view full-sized page)..Link to screen shot of OFA page: Timbers Ryman Tekke,,,,, (click on the thumbnail above to view full-sized page).

Once again, the purpose here is not to denounce or accuse all breeders of dishonesty ~ most breeders work hard to breed and raise their dogs more for the joy of ownership and love of the breed than for any other reward ~ especially for the "rewards" of monetary gain.

..

But again, Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West in Montana unfortunately are not the only breeders who have been proven by genetic testing to have committed fraud and theft with their use of falsified records.

.

As stated previously on this page, there have been other instances of fraudulent bloodlines and falsification of registrations of dogs bred by me (or "reportedly" bred by me and/or carrying the "Fetters" name) which are also presently being addressed by the proper authorities ~ and which will be further expounded upon in more detail here for the benefit of the interested public ~ in the very near future.

.

To Top of Page

OFA Records for Timbers Sagaceous Blue and Ryman's Allegheny Sheba ~ Falsification of Registrations by Setters West

OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) records are public and available on-line at the official OFA website, which can be accessed by clicking here.
.
As stated in the previous posting here, Ryman's Allegheny Sheba (whom Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West "claim" is the Dam of Timbers Sagaceous Blue) does not appear on the OFA's main listing page for Timbers Sagaceous Blue.
.
Anyone familiar with the OFA web site will know that if a dog is listed with them, that dog will also appear on the main page of a listing as Sire or Dam if their off-spring has also been registered with the OFA ~ and that OFA records are based on actual registrations which breeders and/or owners have made with the F.D.S.B. (Field Dog Stud Book) and in fact, carry the F.D.S.B. registration number on the OFA site.
.
By clicking on the thumbnail below, you will be taken to a screen shot (made on March 10th, 2009) of OFA's main listing for Timbers Sagaceous Blue ~ where her "purported" Dam, Ryman's Allegheny Sheba, is curiously absent from the page:

Link to screen shot of OFA page: Timbers Sagaceous Blue.....

......

(click on thumbnail above to view full-sized page)

.

It is however not a case of the "purported" Dam, Ryman's Allegheny Sheba, not being listed with the OFA ~ by clicking on the thumbnail below, you will be taken to the screen shot (made on March 10th, 2009) of the Vertical Pedigree for Ryman's Allegheny Sheba ~ whom the Taylors also claimed was never bred and was spayed by their veterinarian.

...

Link to screen shot of OFA page: Ryman's Allegheny Sheba.....
(click on the thumbnail above to view full-sized page).

In the OFA records, Ryman's Allegheny Sheba also appears as the Grand-Dam in the Vertical Pedigrees of a number of off-spring of Timbers Sagaceous Blue (once again, whom Rick and Chris Taylor also "claim" was whelped at Setters West in Montana and sired by Fetters Allegheny Buck).

.

Thumbnails for full-size screen shots of OFA on-line records (created March 10th, 2009) for three of these "purported" off-spring tracing back to the "spayed" Grand-Dam, Ryman's Allegheny Sheba, can be found in the following posting.

.

The information being provided here is for the purpose of informing the interested public to alert them to future inevitable ramifications from these fraudulent acts committed by Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West ~ and in hope that others might avoid any unfortunate occurrences in the future.

To Top of Page

The F.D.S.B. Registration of Timbers Sagaceous Blue ~ a Falsification Created by Setters West

Bossco and Piper ~ photo courtesy of: Branko's Beagles

"LEAFING THROUGH the pages of Better Beagling five years ago, Manitoba breeder Frieda Krpan spotted a familiar face. The dog in the photo looked an awful lot like Skooby Doo, a beagle pup she had sold to a Michigan hunter four years earlier. But the photo ran in an ad for a stud named Snow Run Dobie. The fellow who placed the ad was Joseph Kuklenski, owner of an upstart kennel that hoped to compete with Krpan's kennel, Branko's Beagles.

" 'We recognized our dog,' Krpan recalls, suspecting Kuklenski of trying to pass off Skooby Doo as one of his own dogs in order to found a brand on plagiarized genetic stock. But she couldn't prove it.

"She couldn't, that is, until she heard about a new canine identity test, conceived by Joy L. Halverson, a Davis, Calif. veterinarian ..."

from: "The Pooch Police are on the move" by Brigid McMenamin, "Forbes" magazine, May 31st, 1999 edition ~ full article by clicking here.

.

In recent years there have been an increasing number of cases involving breeders who are advertising and selling dogs which have had their registration and pedigree information illegally changed. Branko's Beagles was one of a number of upstanding and honest kennels who were victimized by this practice. The culprit in this saga, Joseph Kulenski ~ even though he denied switching registration papers, but which facts proved otherwise ~ was subsequently banned from the AKC and UKC registries, the two main registries for registering Beagles.

Before purchasing your next hunting companion, it is highly advisable to have a DNA test completed to make certain you are getting a pup from the breeding between the Sire and Dam the pup was advertised as being from.

Branko and Frieda Krpan worked hard to build their kennel's reputation and worked hard at maintaining their high standards, producing a number of champions. The unethical and illegal practice of switching and/or falsifying registrations unfortunately is not limited to Beagle breeders alone.

I would like to take this time to thank Branko and Frieda Krpan, proprietors of Branko's Beagles (contact information below), for all their help and guidance in issues pertaining to fraud and falsification of registration papers in regards to a female English Setter pup that was placed in the care of Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West, 1511 Timberline Road, Lewistown, MT 59457.

The particular dog in question is Timbers Sagaceous Blue, which the Taylors claimed came out of a breeding between Fetters Allegheny Buck (the Sire) and Ryman's Allegheny Sheba (the Dam).

However the Taylors claimed in a letter to me that Ryman's Allegheny Sheba was not fit to breed and was spayed (having never been bred), and supplied "veterinary records" as well ~ which were forwarded to me and my own veterinarian.

Ironically, the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) at one point not very long ago had Ryman's Allegheny Sheba listed on their site on the Timbers Sagaceous Blue main listing as the Dam (Ryman's Allegheny Sheba's name as Dam on that main listing has since been removed).

.

Still present as of this date however are the on-line OFA Vertical Pedigree records of Timbers Sagaceous Blue and the off-spring of Timbers Sagaceous Blue ~ where Ryman's Allegheny Sheba is still named ~ with the only pup showing having been whelped by her and listed with the OFA as Timbers Sagaceous Blue (out of the "purported" breeding between Fetters Allegheny Buck and Ryman's Allegheny Sheba ~ see following posts).

Despite what the Taylors claim (and have entered into OFA and F.D.S.B. records), the true Sire and Dam of Timbers Sagaceous Blue were both owned by me and were out of line-bred breedings done under my close personal supervision ~ and out of a bloodline which I have personally maintained and presently own.

.

Timbers Sagaceous Blue was NOT whelped in Lewistown, Montana, at Setters West, as Rick and Chris Taylor have claimed.

Instead, this particular dog was whelped at my kennel out of a line-bred Sire and Dam that were born and raised at my kennel from a pure line-bred strain.

Genetic testing has proven Timbers Sagaceous Blue could not possibly have been out of the Sire and Dam which Rick and Chris Taylor have claimed ~ and which they registered with the Field Dog Stud Book ~ due to the fact that the bloodline they claim she has is an out-crossed bloodline and the genetics do not match with their claims.

After repeated phone calls to Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West ~ and having them hang up on me ~ they were contacted by my attorney and have never responded. Further action has been initiated to correct this matter.

Anyone purchasing a pup from Setters West should be aware of these issues as it will affect the registration of any offspring with Timbers Sagaceous Blue in the line of breeding.

Other instances of fraudulent and falsification of registrations of dogs bred by me (or "reportedly" bred by me and carrying the "Fetters" name) have occurred as well ~ and are in the process of being addressed ~ and more information will be forthcoming on this page as well as actual records and documentation to prove these claims beyond all reasonable doubt.

To access Branko's Beagles website, click here ...
Owners: Branko and Frieda Krpan
P.O. Box 40St.
Laurent,
MB
R0C 2S0
CANADA
Phone: 204.646.2543
Fax: 204.646.2165
Email: frieda@brankosbeagles.com

To Top of Page