Please see the previous News page before reading this. This is a very short version of the tragedy that occurred. Being in graduate school, money and time was lacking and I had advertised that I was going to reduce my horse herd (I had 30) until such time as I completed my studies and obtained employment (the whole purpose behind my going back to college was to earn money to support my equine family). Rachelle had come and seen Magnifico and fell in love with him. I fell in love with Rachelle -- a very sweet person (so I thought). Her father, Dick Edwards, called me later and offered me a business arrangement. Dick Edwards made me a proposal tto go into partnership with him. He would use most of my horses in an equine center within a housing project he was building in Redlands. Anyone who bought one of his homes would have riding privileges. In addition, my stallions there would breed my mares and the offspring sold to his Turkish clients. There are big Arabian breeding facilities in Turkey and the offspring is prized for their athletic ability. Dick said he saw that same ability and quality in my Whispering Oaks Arabians, as well as the love I had for them, evident on my web site. He understood the financial burden we were experiencing while I went back to college and said he wanted to help us out. He even built into the contract that I could reclaim some of the horses when finances were better. So far as our partnership was concerned, I was to be paid 25% of the profits made from my horses, i.e. breeding and offspring sales. I was to continue advertising them and updating the web site; that is, I was to stay involved (which I did through many long phone calls to Rachelle, emails, and upkeep of the web site). I sent my 2 stallions (last uncut son of TLA Halynov and Explodent -- both Champion stallions and sires of champions) along with champion producing mares and 2 offspring. As you can tell from my last news post, I was really happy my horses were all at Rachelle Martin’s place in Redlands, and when I visited them and took Rachelle the papers, they were healthy and happy. Then Rachelle suddenly called me and needed the remaining unregistered colt papers transferred to her, reportedly for investors in the real estate deal; I explained I had already started registration. Unless she wished to be charged a late fee, she would have to register in my name and then I would sign the papers, just as I did for the other horses with her. Less than 3 months after I signed and mailed the papers to her, I was contacted by a person who was interested in buying Solstar, yet said Rachelle was reluctant to show her the papers. She tracked me down through my web site. I was in shock. Rachelle refused to answer my email asking her to talk to me, nor did she answer my phone calls. I blocked my number and she picked up and answered in a hostile manner once she recognized my voice and asked me why I was calling. I told her I wanted to discuss what was going on, and she replied I’d given her the horses and it was none of my business. When I pointed out that we had a contract, she was surprised and said her father was in critical shape in the hospital and she let me know the horses were none of my business, in so many words, and hung up on me. I had already told her that money was not the object and that I was just concerned about my horses and offered to work out a financial arrangement. I offered to let her keep all the money for the lease for Solstar, so long as I could get him back after the lease, should the person who called me not want him past the year she wanted to breed her mares to him. Nothing I wrote or said in that phone call made any difference. It appears she has done this before as she never gave me the actual address of my horses’ location (just directions) nor her home address, nor did her father. There is no place to serve papers if I went to court; I was only given an LA business address for her father and when I called, the receptionist would not tell me when her father would be there, or if he even worked there. I traced down the company accountant through LinkedIn and told him I wanted to send Dick flowers and he was shocked -- he obviously did not know anything about any hospitalization story. I asked him to call me back after he spoke to Dick or have Dick call me; no one ever did. Sheriffs will not get involved in civil matters and the contract I have says the case must go to arbitration before any legal action is taken. By that time, the horses would be dispersed; no way to trace them as she is obviously selling them without papers. Oh, I do know she runs a bar in Norco. If you have run across any of them, please contact me. The horses she sold or gave away are on my web site -- either the stallion or mare pages. They are: Hals Riverdance , IIWP Solstar, Mamma Mia (my halter champion daughter of Halynov). RS Silver Song , LTH Haleah , “Boots” or WOA Halyva Explosion (my last son of Solstar), WOA Halyva Romeo (my last son of Romanov); fortunately we were able to recover WOA Sheza Showoff . from a rescue center. Thank you, Lisa Bone! She heard from Rachelle that all the horses were gone, save Magnifico, and possibly Riverdance. I cannot afford the attorney cost of a law suit and reportedly Dick Edwards is a man of great means. I later learned from our equestrian Olympic trainer that Dick’s partner, Jane Un, was prosecuted for real estate fraud. This is apparently not the first time that shady deals have been perpetrated on honest people. Bad things happen to many good people and all you can do is walk away and leave hurt, anger behind. Again, if anyone has information as to the whereabouts of any of the above horses, please contact me. I am not concerned with any monetary payment -- just want to make sure they have good loving homes.

Our horses’ New Home in Redlands

Gorgeous Views -- Incredible Ranch!!

SAD NEWS UPDATE