Fetters Setters ~ The Ryman English Setters Story: 2009

The Ryman English Setter Story ~ Index

All Current Available Chapters of:

"The Ryman English Setter Story"
by John Fetters

© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
© 2011-2013 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
© 2014-2016 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved

June 13th, 2014
Note: All information herein and on all other Fetters Setters blogs/pages has been dutifully copyrighted under U.S. laws. Certain information is proprietary, available only because of the Fetters Family histories, documentation, photos, etc. This information is provided as a courtesy for the enjoyment and benefit of fellow sportsmen/women, dog lovers and others.. However, any use in any form intended for monetary profit purposes or attempts at monetary profit, is a violation of copyright law and will be prosecuted fully.

Click on links below to access individual stories ...
.......

............~~~ George H. Ryman: Separating Some of the Facts from the Myths

............~~~ Add a Dash of "Salemanship"

............~~~ An Inside Look at the Real Story of Sir Roger DeCoverly

............~~~ George Ryman's Personal Dogs

............~~~ George Ryman's Little-Known Behind-the-Scenes Creative" Breeding Program

............~~~ Introduction to George H. Ryman as "Big Game Hunter"

............~~~ A Visit to Shohola

............~~~ G.H. Ryman, Proprietor ... and Poet par Excellence

............~~~ The Ryman Fallacy

............~~~ The Sad Fate of Sloe Depot

,,,,,,,,,,,,~~~ Gifts for the Commando Family ~ A "BIG" Surprise


Thursday, March 12, 2009

More about George Ryman ...

The latest addition to "Fetters Setters ~ The Ryman English Setter Story" continues the little-known saga of George H. Ryman of Ryman English Setter fame.
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Most accounts of George Ryman and his Ryman Setter line are taken from other published accounts, re-told time and time again with the same information ~ some of the information incomplete and some outright erroneous.
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Through the meticulously kept records and documents of the Fetters Family English Setter History, now many little-known facts concerning George H. Ryman and the Ryman Setters can finally be brought to light. By any account, George H. Ryman was a remarkable man who left his lasting mark on English Setter gun dog breeding standards. We feel it is only fair to have the true story of this remarkable man and his remarkable dogs finally told here in a series of chapters written by John.
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The latest chapter, "George Ryman's Little Known Behind-the-Scenes 'Creative" Breeding Program" (found by clicking here) is sure to clear up more of the myths surrounding this man ~ and proves to be a another intriguing chapter in the George H. Ryman story.
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Posted by Fetters Setters ~ Classic English Setters at 12:44 AM 2 comments

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Thank you for your patience

Below is the beginning saga of "Fetters Setters ~ The Ryman English Setter Story." Certainly, there have been many stories about George Ryman and the Ryman Setters over the years, some factual, but many others drifting into the realm of myth rather than truth.

The first four articles below are original pieces by John Fetters, compiled from both memory and factual stories based on actual documentation which has been handed down through the Fetters Family English Setter histories.

There will be more of these stories as time goes by. George Ryman was a complicated man who had one main goal in life, a simple goal for a complex man: to produce the best English Setter bloodlines he could, and to have that legacy survive beyond him.

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Posted by Fetters Setters ~ Classic English Setters at 3:01 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Patience, please ...

“All good things come to he who waits.”

~~~ Old Proverb

Illustration from an early 1900s European postcard print


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Posted by Fetters Setters ~ Classic English Setters at 9:18 PM 0 comments
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George H. Ryman: Separating Some of the Facts from the Myths

By John Fetters

© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
© 2010-2012 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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March 1st, 2009....



For years a certain English Setter named Sir Roger DeCoverly has been synonymous with being the setter which launched George H. Ryman and his Setter Gun Dog line to fame.



With the above statement in mind, it helps to go back to the beginning and take a look at the true story of the man who became a legend ~ and to separate the facts from the myths of this legend of a man ~ that man being George H. Ryman and his dogs, the Ryman Setters.


George Ryman was a maverick and deep down inside this gun dog breeder was a firm hardness to achieve and maintain perfection in his breeding program..

That inner hardness was such a driving force that George Ryman was well-known for culling dogs which did not measure up to his strict standards and ideals.

While it is true that George Ryman did indeed employ culling practices in his breedings, this piece of information too regularly has been taken to the extreme ~ the result being exaggerated stories which far outweigh the actual facts.

Just as one would eventually discover in the many stories regularly found in early "dime store novels" of the early Western characters who became our childhood heroes, the stories of George Ryman's culling practices were (and continue to be) based on more myth than facts.

After all, why would anyone such as George Ryman invest such a substantial amount of money in dog breeding and then destroy so many dogs, dogs which were in demand, dogs which certainly and easily could have been sold to recoup his investment?..

As a young man living in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania area and just starting out with his breeding program, Ryman did not have the necessary facilities needed to breed, raise and train a large number of setters..

It was during this particular time period that Ryman incorporated "culling" as a means of selection to set the standards for his long-range breeding program. However one should keep in mind that the term "culling" does not necessarily always mean "killing.".

One should also keep in mind that a kennel operation in that day and age was a much more difficult endeavor than modern day kennels endure.

This was after all a time which was long before the development and wide-spread use of canine vaccines for such early killers as distemper and other often-fatal viruses and diseases.

Photos still exist of George Ryman with wheelbarrows full of deceased dogs, "evidence" some have very wrongly attributed to Ryman's personal culling practices..

However the facts of this particular series of photos is that while the dogs indeed were deceased, it was in fact a result of a distemper epidemic which had hit the Ryman kennels that year, and which managed to destroy a large number of the Ryman dogs..

Ryman may have in fact culled dogs which he observed were coming down with the disease in order to prevent another wide-spread epidemic..

Whatever other reasons there were, culling was a method used to save time and money and give Ryman a choice of one or two pups from each litter. These hand-picked choices would become the "blueprint" by which he would base his breeding standards and ideals..

These initial "blueprint" setters were not and were never offered for sale during their prime hunting and breeding years.

Instead, these "blueprint" setters would become his own personal shooting dogs first ~ then out of this group would be selected the outstanding sires and dams Ryman would use to further his breeding program.

Again, one should remember that in the early stages of his breeding program, Ryman did not have the necessary facilities to keep a large number of dogs..

And that with whatever methods he actually employed, it is still an indisputable fact that George Ryman was a breeder of many fine English Setter gun dogs.

He knew what looked good and knew what field qualities on "wild game" would be required as a result of his breedings as well.

Through his rigorous selection process, Ryman always kept the best setters for himself and held onto them until they lived out their natural lives or were of no further use to him, at which time he would finally offer them for sale.

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Add a Dash of "Salesmanship"

By John Fetters
© 2008-2013 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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March 1st, 2009
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Besides his acumen in breeding dogs, George Ryman possessed another talent which served him well in the beginnings of his breeding program.
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In addition to becoming a top-notch breeder, Ryman also became a master of self-promotion through the use of his widely-circulated Ryman's Gun Dog Kennels advertising brochures.
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Ryman's idea for these advertising brochures and subsequent success in this particular venture however must be credited to that of a contemporary of George Ryman's, a gentleman named Stanley Blake.
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Stanley Blake settled in Berry, Kentucky, in 1910. Eleven years later he owned 288 acres of land with a building and became the proprietor of the famous Blue Grass Farm Kennels.
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Stanley Blake, like George Ryman, was also breeding setters (and pointers) of the Dual Type. And with an outlay of $67,000 Blake became the owner and operator of what was known as the "World's Largest" gun dog kennels of that era.
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Blake's patronage and his dogs' bloodlines extended far beyond the limits of his immediate community, and records show that many of the dogs which came from his kennels won awards in the field as well as blue ribbons on the bench at the big dog shows of the time.
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George Ryman contacted Stanley Blake on three known occasions, with Ryman expressing an interest in the setter bloodlines Stanley Blake was breeding.
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At that particular time, anyone interested in dogs from the Blue Grass Farm Kennels could acquire a sales brochure for a 10-cent outlay.
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Looking at these sales brochures from the Blue Grass Farm Kennels and the subsequent Ryman's Gun Dog Kennels advertising brochures side by side, it is immediately evident that both brochures are almost exactly alike.
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And based on the timelines of the two kennels' brochures, it is also clearly evident that Ryman used Blake's brochure as the format for his own advertising.
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Ryman offered many setters for sale to the public which were not up to his own personal standards. These were setters of all different sizes, looks, colors and hunting abilities.
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Ryman even offered a free "Special Toned Whistle" to purchasers of his started and trained dogs, claiming these whistles were used in the dogs' training process.
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Looking through these early Ryman's Gun Dog Kennels advertising brochures, one will find a variety of many setters: from puppies to started dogs to completely finished setters. And even an occasional gun dog was offered which was a stated outcross between Gordon, Irish and English Setter blood.
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There were instances of breedings between German Drathar and English Setters as well. Ryman claimed the Drathar/Setter cross produced dogs with an "almost human brain."
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And anyone who is familiar with the actual facts of Ryman's early breeding program will tell you that many of the setters offered for sale through his brochures were mostly setters that didn't quite measure up to his own set standards ~ in either conformation, size or field abilities.
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Finally in 1916, Ryman's famous gun dog kennel operation was established at Shohola Falls in Pike County, Pennsylvania.
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With the operation's increased size, Ryman realized he couldn't continue to spend money on kennel operations and breedings and run the risk of ending up with nothing to show for his investments.
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Ryman knew of the success of Richard Llewellin and the setters Llewellin was exporting to the United States ~ many of them being the setters that were not up to the Llewellin standards and were of no further use in Llewellin's breeding program.
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According to the writings of A. F. Hochwalt, many Llewellin imports were suspected of being Llewellin culls, setters Richard Llewellin didn't care for and which were of no further use to him.
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Through the use of the Ryman's Gun Dog Kennels advertising brochures however, Ryman established a way of promoting and selling many setters.
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This gave Ryman the opportunity to thin out the ever-increasing population from within his kennels and afforded him the luxury of spending as much money as necessary to continue his breeding program and kennel operation.
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This return on his investment also enabled Ryman to have enough money left for trips to his Ryman's Hunting and Fishing Camp in Maniwaki, Quebec, located in an area north of Gatineau, northwest of Montreal.
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An Inside Look at the Real Story of Sir Roger DeCoverly

By John Fetters
© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved .
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March 1st, 2009 .
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This brings us back to the beginning of Ryman's breeding program and the widely known stud dog, Sir Roger DeCoverly..
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Sir Roger DeCoverly was without a doubt a fine-looking white, black and ticked setter.
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Possessing an "Eye for the Dog" as Ryman did, he decided to use Sir Roger DeCoverly for his breeding program based on the dog's conformation alone.
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The hunting abilities of Sir Roger DeCoverly were not a considering factor in Ryman's long-range breeding plans. It was strictly the dog's conformation which Ryman felt he had to have in order to set the "blueprint" for his line in its early stages.
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While Ryman appreciated Sir Roger DeCoverly's good looks, he did not care for his cumbersome movement, in the way the dog carried himself.
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With this in mind, Ryman knew he could do experimental test breedings and cull out the offspring that didn't quite measure up to and meet his strict standards.
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For years and years and to this present day, Sir Roger DeCoverly has been talked about and highly promoted as being the "Supreme Setter" by which George Ryman based his ideals and standards.
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To be honest however, anyone who knew George Ryman would tell you he didn't base his breeding program on just one particular dog, and certainly did not base it on the abilities or looks of Sir Roger DeCoverly alone.
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Instead, Ryman test bred large numbers of setter bloodlines to get exactly what he wanted for himself, then sold off the remaining dogs which he knew would become serviceable gun dogs.
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A classic example of one such English Setter is that of George Bird Evans' setter, Old Hemlock Blue, which Evans was only too happy to acquire from George Ryman.
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During the Ryman era, any setter from good foundation sires and dams could become a good serviceable hunting dog.
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The game bird population was so large and the daily bag limits were such that any setter worth its salt and taken to the field would just about train themselves ~ through accidental contact with game birds alone.
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George Ryman knew his dogs well and knew full well he could capitalize on this. In fact, one of Ryman's favorite quotes was: "Put him into the birds, he'll do the rest".
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This fact becomes very evident when we look into the bloodlines of the setters he used for breeding.
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Ryman's eventual success wasn't even brought about by being a master of setter breeding alone. Rather it all came about through the use of setter bloodlines that were being used by other breeders, coupled with some "luck" and the consistent and effective promotion through advertising of his line ~ according to his ideals of what he thought an English Setter should be.
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Certainly, Sir Roger DeCoverly was a very fine looking setter in the eyes of a young man such as George Ryman, who was just getting started in setter breeding. And it's not hard to understand why a driven young man like George Ryman could become so impressed by such a good looking setter.
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It should be noted however that Sir Roger DeCoverly was just a good looking English Setter with good conformation ~ and a setter who also was heavily promoted as being something he actually wasn't.
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As the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
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As for Sir Roger DeCoverly, beauty was as far as it went, and as far as George Ryman's concerns with the dog as well.
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Sir Roger DeCoverly never became a champion, never won any championship awards for field or bench show competition.
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There are no American Kennel Club or Field Dog Stud Book records giving Sir Roger DeCoverly credit for winning any championship trophies or ribbons.
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It could in fact make one ask, if Sir Roger DeCoverly wasn't a champion, then why photograph him with a table full of trophies and ribbons?
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However the reason for this has already been stated: for promotional and prestige reasons.
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In the book, "Cream of Setterdom" by Willoughby, Sir Roger DeCoverly is credited with producing three winners, (Shooting Dog, Amateur All-Age and Open All-Age) ~ but absolutely no champions.
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Sir Roger DeCoverly is not mentioned at all in "Setters Ancient and Modern" by M. Barnes. Nor is he ever mentioned in "The Modern Setter" by A. F. Hochwalt in his 1923 edition.
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Once again, Sir Roger DeCoverly never won a championship anywhere ~ despite the widely circulated staged photos of the dog with numerous trophies and ribbons around him.
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He was used by George Ryman only to improve the conformation in Ryman's bloodline because of his fine good looks.
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Now, the actual origin of these photos of Sir Roger Decoverly and numerous ribbons and trophies is unknown.
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The photos could have been commissioned by any number of people, from the original breeder (a man with the last name of Mangan from Pittston, Pennsylvania) ~ to Dr. H. M. Beck of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, who owned the dog when George Ryman bred Ryman dams to Sir Roger DeCoverly ~ to George Ryman himself, although the latter is doubtful as Ryman never actually owned the dog (but instead owned Sir Roger DeCoverly's son, Sir Roger DeCoverly II, which was bred by H. M. Posten of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania).
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As numerous people are erroneously prone to believe Sir Roger DeCoverly's "numerous championships" status today, it may be that George Ryman himself fell for the image of Sir Roger DeCoverly standing amidst the number of awards and trophies.
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However with an "Eye for the Dog," it was definitely the dog's conformation which impressed Ryman the most and compelled him to seek out the dog as a sire for a number of Ryman dams. .

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George Ryman's Personal Dogs

By John Fetters

© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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March 1st, 2009
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While it is known fact that George Ryman also used the early Llewellin bloodlines and incorporated the bloodlines of the early bench setters to get exactly what he wanted, he always kept a consistent uniformity in the appearance of the setters he chose to keep for himself to hunt over and to use in his breeding program.
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Prime examples of this comes to light when one takes an indepth look at the many photos and film footage of Ryman and his own personal shooting dogs.
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In these setters we see dogs of the "early" Llewellin type as a whole. The only difference between the Llewellin dog and the Ryman dog is bone structure and length of coupling of the body and the conformation of his setters' heads.
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Looking over unedited film footage of George Ryman and his setters, we see setters which possess vigor and stamina, coupled with an eagerness to hunt and locate game birds ~ not much unlike that of the early Llewellin-bred setters.

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Ryman's personal shooting dogs knew the cover, knew where to find game in master fashion. His setters were not oversized, slow-working methodical boot polishers nor were they out of control horizon-busting self-hunters.
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There has been a misconception in reference to the Ryman Setter of old. And this misconception has always been in reference to the size, weight, vigor and stamina of Ryman bred dogs.
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Ryman's personal shooting dogs were not too far off base nor much different than those of the early Llewellin imports. The only difference between his own setters and the early Llewellin dogs was that the Ryman's dogs had much better and more consistent conformation than the Llewellin dogs.
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Ryman continued to maintain the correct size, stamina, vigor and natural hunting abilities the Llewellin dogs were already known for.
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Most all of his personal shooting dogs were of medium size with males averaging between 55 to 60 pounds and females averaging between 48 to 52 pounds.
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In addition, he much preferred a short-coupled setter that had a rounded foot structure like that of a cat.
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The overly large cumbersome Ryman dogs came about after George Ryman's stroke in 1955.
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From 1955 until Ryman's passing in 1961, the Ryman Kennel dogs were no longer hunted or field proven ~ and the quality rapidly diminished as well.
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From 1955 to 1975, a period of 20 years lapsed, yet the kennel was still producing and selling an average of 1,200 puppies a year according to the documented information of Lee Stellerecht, a former close associate of the late Ellen and Carl Calkins.
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In 1975 the Ryman name and what was supposed to be the best of the remaining Ryman Setter line was sold to Robert "Bobby" Sumner of Lewisburg, West Virginia.

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Initially impressed by the George Ryman gun dog legacy, it didn't take too much time for Sumner to realize that what he had actually bought was a "pig in a poke."
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The Ryman Setters he purchased were not uniform in size and all were quite huge ~ generally weighing from 85 to 100 plus pounds ~ far from the strict standards set by the original breeder, George Ryman himself.
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To make matters worse, Sumner encountered numerous cases of Hip Dysplasia and differences in eye color in the few litters he produced by following the breeding program outlined by the late Ellen Calkins, George Ryman's widow who was by then married to a man named Carl Calkins, also now deceased.
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After the first several breedings, Sumner soon rebelled against the Calkins' proscribed breeding program.
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With the circumstances as they then were, anyone can understand the reasoning behind Sumners' subsequent refusal to follow such an outlined breeding program, especially when the new owner of Ryman's Gun Dog Kennels was being labeled as a breeder whose setters were producing offspring with Hip Dysplasia, lack of pigmentation and mismatched eye color ~ meaning one eye of correct color in conjunction with a blue colored eye.
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The stories we hear about George H. Ryman and the dogs he produced are interesting as well as intriguing. The lure of this great breeder and the history behind his accomplishments are a nice addition to add to the pages of any English Setter history.
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There is, of course, much more to this legendary breeder and future chapters here will discuss the Ryman legacy more indepth.
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That being said, Ryman began his breeding career simply as a young man with a vision where his English Setters were concerned.
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Through pure instinct and acquired knowledge, and dedication with a little "luck" thrown in, he knew how to raise, train ~ and most of all, promote ~ his gun dog line.
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He was his own man, he didn't care what anyone said about him and he didn't even care who liked him. He was a man with a plan and a supreme goal in his adult life: to breed the best setters possible and according to his own high standards.
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And through this fierce independence and unwavering dedication to the breed, his name lives on to this day ~ his standards something many breeders, both big and small, still strive for and endeavor to emulate ~ long after Ryman journeyed to his final resting place, hopefully that big field in the sky chock full of upland game birds and with the best of his gun dogs as his eternal companions.
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Though many breeders promote their dogs as Ryman-style setters today, one only need compare them with the photos of George Ryman and his own personal shooting dogs ~ as well as Ryman's strict size and weight standards and working qualities ~ to see if they indeed meet the standards which Ryman spent countless years perfecting.
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Or whether the breeder has only managed to achieve Ryman's talent for self promotion ~ by using the Ryman name.
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George Ryman's Little-Known Behind-the-Scenes "Creative" Breeding Program

By John Fetters
© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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March 12th, 2009
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My great-grandfather knew George Ryman, knew him better and knew more about this shooting gentleman and his interest in gun dogs than most. The two men saw eye to eye on the qualities a good gun dog should possess.
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One of the little known facts about George Ryman was that he fancied other breeds of gun dogs as well, although the majority of his efforts of course were concentrated on developing a great line of English Setters. George Ryman had a particular fondness for the early imported Gordon Setter bloodlines. Through the years there have been many stories written about George Ryman and his English Setters, however most of the published material out there has been too vague and only touches upon surface information the writers were given by others with limited knowledge ~ and does not include the inside facts where George Ryman and his breeding program are concerned.
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That's correct, although known mainly today for his Ryman English Setter bloodline, Ryman had an interest in all breeds of gun dogs and not just the English Setters he became famous for owning, hunting, breeding and training..
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In addition to breeding, training and hunting his English Setters, Ryman was also a successful novice showman on the dog show circuit where he was involved in showing his setters..
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Ryman in fact was most successful with his Gordon Setters, especially his Yesdihc Challenge's Boy and Jack Mac Nab, both winning many first place ribbons ~ and both were used by Ryman as stud dogs in his English Setter breeding program to bring in more vigor and coat color to his English Setter breedings..
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My great-grandfather's first meeting with George Ryman came about through an introduction by the two men's mutual friend, Mr. Harry Tinker, a fellow setter breeder from Pittston, Pennsylvania, whom my great-grandfather knew very well through hunting, fishing and dealings in English Setters.
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At that time George Ryman lived on Hazel Street in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and was in his very early beginning stages of breeding gun dogs..
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My great-grandfather and George Ryman hit it off from the moment they met and grew closer over time.
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Sitting down together over a few offerings of beer, it became very apparent to my great-grandfather that Ryman had embarked upon a quest which involved more than just breeding English Setters..
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Ryman in fact had already developed a plan to breed a more refined setter with better conformation, yet based upon the foundation bloodlines of the Native Setters of New England which were a combination of Gordon, Irish and English Setter breedings.
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Before the Civil War, and for a short period after the importations of field-trial setters began in 1874, the Northeast area of the United States had a very superior strain of New England setters, initially bred by Ethan Allen of Pomfret, Connecticut, and Stephen Packer, of Packersville, Connecticut.. .
These dogs, known throughout New England as Webster Setters, were descended from Rachel, imported by Daniel Webster (the former Secretary of State under Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and Millard Fillmore), and Packer's Phil, an exceptionally good cover dog.
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These setters were bred for ruffed grouse and woodcock shooting, and in the course of time became the largest single bloodline group of bird dogs in New England. They took on a form and disposition that fitted them for the peculiar work they were called upon to do. They were not as typical as an inbred group that could qualify as a definitive breed, however they were (in general) near enough alike so they might be distinguished from other setters.
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This first meeting between my great-grandfather and George Ryman would help explain Ryman's continued rumored history of being a cruel breeder who culled (killed) hundreds upon hundreds of English Setters...
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At that particular time Ryman had two litters of puppies from an experimental test breeding between a Gordon Setter stud dog and two Sir Roger DeCoverly/Llewellin Setter bitches. .
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Ryman stated he would have to kill seven or eight out of the twelve pups from the two litters in order to set his ideals of what he thought an English Setter should be..
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Again, one should keep in mind that this was also in the beginning of Ryman's breeding program when he did not have ample room to keep large numbers of dogs ~ prior to his owning the kennels at Shohola Falls, Pennsylvania, and before his gun dogs were in popular demand..
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During the Ryman era, many such experimental breedings were being carried out by a number of other breeders as well ~ and culling (killing) was a widely accepted practice to preserve and improve upon the genetics of gun dog lines before they drifted too far to the left or right..
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It also was during this time period when the Field Trial and Bench Setter followers split and went their own separate ways, each thinking their set standards and ideals were for the betterment of their breed ~ without giving any thought or consideration for the sportsman who just wanted a hunting dog that could offer an enjoyable day afield..
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George Ryman was a man who knew sporting dogs inside and out and knew which qualities would be needed to ensure future generations would have a good serviceable gun dog to shoot over in the field and be an appreciated companion around the home the remainder of the year...
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To get such a setter, Ryman developed a "hands-on, for his eyes only" breeding program which he had under his strict control at all times..
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Today we hear mainly about Ryman's very rigid selection process in which he used the very best English Setters available which he felt would mix well with his DeCoverly base from Bench and Field lines ~ which he further evaluated from within "five basic groups based on multiple criteria" to get a mid-line type of setter which met his ideals..
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That is a very easy and interesting statement to make. However when this statement is referenced to setters from English Setter bloodlines alone, it is drifting far from the truth of the actual breeding program George Ryman employed, especially in its early stages..'
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The "five basic groups based on multiple criteria" in fact refers to the off-spring from the breedings of:. .
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.......... (1) English Setters to Gordon Setters;

.......... (2) English Setters bred to Irish Setters;

.......... (3) English Setters bred to a combination of

sssssssssssIrish and Gordon bloodlines;

.......... (4) English Setters bred to the DeCoverly base;

.......... (5) and English Setters bred to the Decoverly/Llewellin

................combination of bloodlines..

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Of the resultant off-spring from these early "experimental breedings," Ryman selected puppies which were more in-line in appearance with the English Setter breed (and his own ideals) ~ and destroyed those puppies which strongly favored the Irish, Gordon and DeCoverly/Llewellin crosses (which did not resemble his set standard of the English Setter as a whole, and again, at a time prior to his larger kennel operation at Shohola Falls, Pennsylvania).

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So George Ryman's rigid breeding program was not in fact a program which used just the English Setter bloodlines. .

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The basic groups in his breeding program and evaluation process included the bloodlines of English, Irish and Gordon Setters which he used to set the ""blueprint for his famous line of English Setters..

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Ryman had the time, the breeding control and the means to label anything he bred as being an English Setter ~ after all, he did the pedigree and registration paper work to make it happen..

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Ryman hand-typed his five-generation Ryman's Gun Dog Kennels' pedigrees on engraved parchment-style papers with decorative etched borders. This process would take hours and hours as Ryman undertook this chore personally using an old Royal typrewriter..

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There was however one important aspect about George Ryman that set him apart from other English Setter breeders of the time. Ryman never allowed himself to get caught up in such matters as factual pedigrees where a dog's breeding was concerned.,

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This was due in part to the rigorous behind-the-scenes breeding between the various bloodlines he incorporated into his lines which gave Ryman his own personal satisfaction in reaching his goals ~ and eventually setting the standards by which all setter shooting dogs would be judged.

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An Introduction to George H. Ryman as "Big Game Hunter"

by John Fetters

© 2008-2013 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved

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July 19th, 2009
>>>

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George H. Ryman sitting by the the campfire in the bush during

a moose hunt near his Candaian Camp, Sloe Depot ~ to the
rear right in background is Ryman's famous guide, Chief Big

Game Guide Par Excellence Willie Commando, preparing a meal.

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While George H. Ryman was well known for his famous English Setters and just a hint of his dog breeding skills, there is without a doubt another side of this man that many may be unaware of.
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While the inner sanctums of his famous gun dog kennels were showcased with trophies won on the show circuit by famed shooting dogs along with the accompanying framed pictures and paintings of English Setters, many of his showcased momentoes were of his own personal shooting dogs along with many game bird mounts and other mounted trophies.
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Through the years, many were led to believe this was all there was in Ryman's life ~ just the famed Ryman Setters and everything that revolved around them.
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However George Ryman was also known by many as a very dedicated and expierenced big game hunter, fur trapper and fisherman.
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For years, many were under the illusion that his famous Ryman's Canadian Hunting and Fishing Camp at Sloe Depot in Quebec was just a place where Ryman took his setters for the sole purpose of training and shooting hundreds of grouse over them.
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However in addition to the training and bird hunting, Ryman's camp also offered some of the finest big game hunting, fur trapping and fishing to be had anywhere.
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In addition to his setter related displays, Ryman also proudly displayed his trophy big game and fishing mounts within his special room. One would see Bear, Moose, Deer, Bobcat, Mink, and Fish all mounted on fine wood plaques and all displayed professionally for viewing.
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George Ryman's "Chief Big Game Guide Par Excellence" in Canada was Willie Commando (shown in the photo accompanying this piece), whose extravagant title above actually reflects the manner in which Mr. Commando was regularly addressed.
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We will be publishing more on George Ryman, his Canadian camp and his famous guide here in future pieces.
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A Visit to Shohola

By John Fetters
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved


February 25th, 2010



Freeman Lloyd colorfully describes a visit to George Ryman's "splendid sporting estate" in Shohola Falls, Pennsylvania, in the first part of this piece published in 1920. Included in Lloyd's delightful prose is a thoroughly descriptive narrative of Ryman's infamous "inner sanctum," surely of intense interest to any George Ryman enthusiast. Being a close friend of Ryman's, Lloyd was a frequent guest of Ryman's and knew the abode and the surrounding area well.

This particular piece also helps to definitively put to rest the claims of some of the grossly unknowing who would want the sporting public to believe by virtue of their own self-proclaimed "authority" that Ryman mainly trained his gun dogs at his Canadian camp, the actual facts of the matter which the Fetters Family has known first-hand for many years. The cross-reference to Ryman's home also being considered a "shooting box" is quite significant in this regard.

We recently came across this piece while sorting through more of the massive amount of documents, photos and other memorabilia handed down through four previous generations of the Fetters Family ~ another small piece of the Fetters Family English Setter histories which we would like to share with you here ...

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Paying my usual pleasant visit during the trouting season to George Ryman's splendid sporting estate at or near Shohola Falls, Pike County, Pa., it was, as usual, to find Rattlesnake Brook well stocked with speckled beauties, although it was rather hard to get at the pools because of the freshets from heavy thunderstorms. A great country for the sportsman more than ordinarily fond of the hound, dog, gun and rod is this undulating, heavily wooded land, back of Lackawaxan and about thirteen miles from the station.


As for the dogs, they are here aplenty, and right in a place where woodcock and grouse can be found at any moment within 200 yards of Mr. Ryman's bungalow, or as many would call it in other countries -- shooting box.


As I write this in the early morning at sun-up, and in his large room or hall, it is to look out on a great expanse of bush and brush, with the lake that serves the Falls, glistening three miles away. Around the room are superbly stuffed birds and large game heads, and all set out on shields. English snipe, trout, and the picture of an all-white English Setter dog are immediately over the writing desk, and glancing around the eye follows woodcock, ringnecked pheasant; a mink killing a partridge; ruffed grouse again, and yellow leg.


These are all in groups and separated by superbly mounted deer heads, silver cups, guns, snowshoes and pictures of bird dogs; fishing rods in the corners and well away from the large open hearth. Here indeed is the sportsman's home with everything around, including bear, bobcat, and deer skins for rugs, etc., etc.. As for dogs, there must be a hundred adults, including English and straightbred Llewellin setters, pointers, griffins, German Pointers and Chesapeake Bay dogs.

Among the setters there is a capital selection of Gordons, and it is pleasant to record that Mr. Ryman is now paying considerable attention to the handsome black and tans named for the Duke of Gordon and Richmond who established the variety. Imposing, sensible and steady dogs, they are just the ones for this heavy bushed and partridge holding Pike County, and for other places where such game localities are to be found.

Every dog in these kennels is either thoroughly broken or being handled every day of his life. Mr. Ryman has dogs and the game to break them on. Further, the accommodations and the kennels are very extensive, and situated in a bold and bracing situation, where the dogs exercise themselves in long and heavily foliaged runs, and take shelter in the raised kennels when they require it.



Up at the end of the range is the dipping tank, and five or six minutes in this mixture made up by himself keeps Ryman's dogs as clean as smelts, and in capital coat. In these kennels, it must be explained, the large majority of the dogs are good and ready enough for bench show competition, and every one is the sportsman's dog -- the sort he can shoot game over whilst he walks.

In other words, they are not those streaks of lightning whose bird sense may be in their legs and tails; dogs that when they find game, a man has to ride up to 'em to make sure he shall have a shot. Furthermore, the good looks and elegance in such dogs sometimes, if not often, are entirely wanting,


When the American braves returned from the war they brought back with them a good many animals of one kind and another. There was a plentitude of police dogs and some of them highly trained. It is not generally known that a lot of red foxes were brought back, and several of these were sold to the animal or naturalists' stores in New York.


A one-half to three-quarters grown cub was used to excite no end of interest in the window of Bob Lobban's London Dog Shop on Fifth Avenue, in the metropolis; and one morning when this fox took French leave from the premises of the only Aberdonian, there came a tally ho ! from an Irish jarvey on the box of a hansom cab, and there and then occurred the first fox hunt ever heard of on Gotham's swell avenue, excepting perhaps, in the books and prints of various picture shops !


All the dogs at large that morning made themselves scarce -- scared by the hubbub and not by the red rascal, let us hope; and Lobban himself cornering the vulpine in a store door, Reynard was tailed, put in a bag and haled back to play the happy family part in evidently the most popular display in all that gay and luxurious thoroughfare, where people generally stand three deep gazing at a window full of chows, Pekes, Poms and toy poodles.


Benjamin H. Throop, it is learned, has been importing some German Pointers, and these have arrived from Switzerland. Mr. Throop is very fond of the gun and shooting over a dog or dogs. As we know, he has owned quite a high class English Setter of the full show type; indeed it is thought that this dog became a champion a couple of years or so ago.


Mr. Throop, at the time of this writing, is back in the East, and was staying at the Biltmore in New York. The three German Pointers imported were purchased on the European Continent by our big and robust friend who used to train the police dogs for the Scranton gentleman, and was a dog breaker for the Swiss Government, before he came to this country. The German Pointers are liver and white, heavily ticked and patched. There is a broken and upstanding dog, quite a nice looking one, and two unrelated bitches.


The latter are being broken by Mr. Ryman, and finishing touches will be put on the dog. It is Mr. Throop's intention to breed German Pointers; and so far as is known, this will be the first established kennel of its kind in the country.



The German Pointer's tail is cut, about a half a dozen or more inches being left on. It is about the usual Airedale length of tail, which gives the German Pointer a rather stilty appearance, the head being big, and the body short. Such is the curious effect first produced on the senses of sight and brain, when you first see these dogs, that somehow or other you are immediately reminded of the baboon as he walks or scampers across your front on his hands and feet ...


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It is of significant note in this piece that Freeman Lloyd mentions that George Ryman is training and putting the "finishing touches" on what is known to be the very first German Pointers to be imported to the United States in this time period. The contacts George Ryman made in this regard would well-serve him in the future as he continued his never-ending quest for the ultimate gun dog.


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G.H. Ryman, Proprietor ... and Poet par Excellence

by Mr. and Mrs. John Fetters
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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March 13th, 2010
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We feel here that we have begun to give our readers a more rounded glimpse into this fascinating and multi-faceted individual. And while it is true George Ryman did have a devoted and perhaps even obsessive interest in producing quality shooting dogs, his interests were far more vast and far-reaching. While he perhaps lacked a formal higher education, it is noteworthy that he did indeed rub shoulders with many highly-educated and accomplished individuals who had nothing but the highest respect for him. And having had such individuals counted among his friends and hunting companions, it is not hard to see where Ryman picked up his sophistication and aura of higher education as well.
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We in fact do have among the Fetters Family English Setter History documents many, many letters personally written by George Ryman in his own hand (as well as personally typed by him) and it would be hard for the unknowing not to believe Ryman did not in fact have an education far and beyond the norm of the times.
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He was, in fact, far from being anywhere near illiterate ~ or even grammatically inept. His sales brochures ~ while denigrated by some as simplistic or worse ~ were in fact just one of the indications of the innate intelligence and talent Ryman had within him.
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In his sales brochures in particular, Ryman's mostly short and staccato ~ but always direct ~ stylistic prose has an undeniable natural flow, rhythm and poetic quality. And if the self-appointed critics had any real talent or even a hint of intelligence of their own, they would have perhaps recognized Ryman's writing talents for what they really were.
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Instead, it was recently brought to our attention that one breeder, October Setters, who are shamelessly using the "Ryman" label to market their dogs, has the following to say about Ryman: "It is obvious with a perfunctory comparison to anything Ryman wrote that he was not capable of writing something as eloquent or grammatically correct as the "Standard", and he did not write it." Click here to view October Setters "Ryman expert" pages. Should this page be changed in the future, we will publish the screen shot here.
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For a writer to make such a generalizations based on a handful of pedigrees and sales brochures which they claim to have had an opportunity to study ~ to make the gross assumption and implication that these items comprise a great part of the body of Ryman's work ~ is nothing short of blatant shyster-ism and morally irresponsible, at best.
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Sad, because a perfunctory look at the author of this critique's own writing by even a border-line professional shows an immediate and devastating lack of talent, eloquence or even logical direction ~ instead intended as just another smoke and mirror marketing ploy to self-proclaim themselves "Ryman experts." And about the only accurate section on that entire page is their rendition of the scandalous John Taylor book.
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But of course there is a motivation here, the actual truth of the matter being far from the mark. They want the reader to believe that they have "studied" and "understand" Ryman, and therefore assume the implications that they base their present breeding program on the practices they have "surmised" Ryman would have, with the same types of dogs Ryman would have (which is a gross fallacy in itself as the "types" of dogs they refer to were also much different in Ryman's day). All wrapped up nicely and tied up with a faux literary ribbon posing as "history" ~ so a reader will be more inclined to purchase one of their dogs believing it is a "real" Ryman, or as close to a "real" Ryman as one can get.
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But back to George Ryman ~ G.H. Ryman, Proprietor (and Poet par excellence) ~ while it is true he did not formally pen such a simplistic "standard" as a sort of "Ten Commandments" of the English Setter world, it was and should be today common knowledge of any Ryman enthusiast just what Ryman's shooting dog standards and ideals really were.
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Ryman did not find it necessary to write more than letters, sales brochures, etc., in his lifetime. Had he in fact ever sat down to write a book, his prose undoubtedly would have left George Bird Evan's works a pale far second. Ryman did not need to write articles and books however, as he had prolific writers (and good friends) such as Freeman Lloyd to do the writing and publishing work instead.
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And as far as Ryman's "standards," which some seek out as some sort of Holy Grail or "ultimate cookbook" for recreating the Ryman setters, one only need to look as far as most any Ryman sales brochure to have a good idea of the shooting dog which George Ryman considered his "ideal."
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The majority of Ryman's personal shooting dogs offered in this 1948 sales brochure draft are of similar weight and conformation. When a dog did not meet his personal "standards," he invariably says as much in his sales brochures.
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While Ryman did use the larger setters of bench breeding in that era to imprint enhanced conformation in his bloodlines, these bench setters of that time period were also serviceable gun dogs. However, he did not keep them for his personal use as they were too large for his liking. And so would appear the larger dogs listed for sale in his brochures.
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Regardless, there is no denying that George Ryman had an especially adept way with words. For instance, in the 1948 sales brochure draft which we are featuring here (click on image to left for larger version), Ryman decribes No. 27 as follows:
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"Three year old, fifty pound perfect blue belton, tan ticked on all legs and each side of face. Rich in color like an oil painting. Beautiful in coat, lovely head, body and tail. Tireless worker to the gun. Great nose. Nice on point. Points dead. Nice companion. Shot over on woodcock, grouse and a few pheasants. Perfect in health. Another one of my private young dogs. $495"
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Indeed, a "perfunctory" look at most "Ryman Type" or "Ryman Style" or "Ryman Line", etc., breeders' web pages and descriptions today fails to yield anything as literarily creative as "rich in color like an oil painting" ~ and invariably the worst of these are the ones proclaiming themselves to be the most knowledgeable "Ryman experts."
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While this particular piece is meant to be only a small glimpse into Ryman's talent as a writer, it would be remiss to ignore the "standards" he also refers to in this particular sales brochure draft, as well as in others he wrote. As an example, for No. 26 (in the image above left), Ryman writes the following:
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"No. 26. Two and a half year old gorgeous perfect blue belton, not a solid mark on her. She is a direct grand daughter of Ch. Sports Peerless. Her dam is a solid bred De Coverly bitch and the very best and not for sale. She is litter sister to No. 23 bitch on list. This young setter is truly a beautiful bitch, but will not weigh over forty pounds, therefore she is for sale. She is fast and she is stylish; loves to hunt and point. Never been bred but one that is worthwhile. She has been worked one season. With a few more birds shot over her she will be a masterpiece. You can call her Three in One. Type, color, blood, and a hunting dog. $325"
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So in this case, it was the setter's weight which prompted Ryman to cull her from his kennel and bloodlines. However, still calling her a "masterpiece" ready to be produced, "gorgeous," "truly beautuful" and even "Three in One." It is taught a talented writer can paint a picture with their words, an image which people can nearly see in their own minds. George Ryman had that talent, a way with words as well as with his shooting dogs and other interests.
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And as far as delving further into what some term the "Ryman standards," that most likely will be discussed further here in the future.
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But Ryman's poetic prose continued unabated in every one of his sales brochures (not to mention also in many of his personally written letters). In his description of No. 28, Ryman's Golden Duke, he uses such phrases as "beautiful chiseled out setter head, low set ears, lovely manners" which make any number of his shooting dogs nearly come alive in the minds of many even today.
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While it has been an issue of contention in some circles and a controversy in others, it is true ~ like it or not, admitted or not, discussed openly or not, and as stated here in previous pieces ~ that English Setters were not the only type of shooting dog George Ryman had a profound interest in. Others he was fond of included Gordon Setters ~ as pointed out here before and also in the Freeman Lloyd piece we recently re-published here ~ as well as other types of shooting dogs including the German draughthair.
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In this particular sales brochure draft (image below, click on image for larger version), Ryman offers one of his many cross-bred shooting dogs. No. 22 in the list describes "Brace males, eighteen months old now."
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Ryman goes on to write about them: "Weigh about 60 pounds each. Sensible upstanding German draughthair dogs. I owned the sire and can say he was a bird dog. I bred him to a De Coverly Sports Peerless bred setter bitch which would make them cross breds. They are registered (as cross breds) and what fine close working dogs they are, and very obedient. Always on point if there are birds there. They are gray and black. Wonderful type. They seem to have almost a human brain. They are very easy to learn and are going to make wizards on birds. The man who buys one of them, I am sure, can be proud to own him. He will be a shooting dog to the gun, that will handle his birds and a great companion and guard dog. I bred them for myself but will sell them. They are born tender-mouth retrievers, land or water. $300"
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In the same brochure, Ryman also lists at least one Gordon Setter and a Cheasapeake Retriever, further evidence that Ryman was interested and heavily involved with shooting dogs other than just English Setters.
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But again, his descriptions of his dogs have a natural flow and imagery. The cross-breds are "sensible" and "upstanding" and will be "wizards on birds," he writes. They "have almost a human brain."
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Undoubtedly far more so than many who have held themselves out as self-proclaimed "Ryman experts" today ~ and especially those who have seen fit to critique Ryman's intelligence and literary skills in a less than complimentary way.
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The Ryman Fallacy

by John Fetters
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
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March 13th, 2010
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The Legend
Shooting
Over an
Authentic
Ryman Setter
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It is very interesting to note how many of today's breeding programs claim to be breeding the "Ryman" setter, a "Ryman Type" setter, or a "Ryman Style" setter or setters direct from the "Ryman Line." Many claim to have the knowledge of pulling off such a feat, claiming they "studied" the pedigrees of George Ryman's breeding methods and know everything necessary to duplicate and/or replicate the Ryman Setter of the past.
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If one takes an in-depth look at the breeding programs and the breedings being undertaken today, one will notice the breeding behind such setters from kennels claiming to offer the above-mentioned types of dogs are all involved in a Line Breeding program and all in fact, are using the same bloodlines in one form or another.
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Even when they claim they are bringing in "new blood" from another kennel, invariably this "new blood" is the same re-cycled bloodlines most kennels have been using all along.
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This type of Line Breeding was in fact used by the late George Bird Evans (with consequences to the setters, it should be noted) but never undertaken by George H. Ryman ~ and only began to take place after Ryman's illness rendered him helpless due to a stroke in 1955.
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The last setters Ryman personally selected and bred were on the ground in 1955 just prior to his debilitating stroke.
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From that time forward and up until they were sold to Robert "Bobby" Sumner of Lewisburg, West Virginia in 1975 ~ 20 years after George Ryman's debilitating stroke ~ those post-Ryman setters (by then "Calkins Setters" in every sense of the word) were in fact kenneled and never hunted again.
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Again, one has to remember, the 1955 Ryman Setters were the last setters that George H. Ryman personally produced. After his stroke in 1955, the resultant offspring from these setters did not go through a selection process, they were not trained, hunted or field proven in any sense of the word by either Ellen Ryman-Calkins, Carl Calkins or even by Ken Alexander.
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These Calkins Setters were left in limbo, just fed and watered and permitted to produce litters which were marketed and sold as something they were not, that being a true Ryman Setter.
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Today we hear so much about Ryman Setters, while such information in regards to its accuracy is very misleading ~ and only comes from those who want the public to believe a one-sided history according to those individuals who had (or have) the most to gain from riding on the shirt tail of the legend who produced the Ryman Setter.
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After all, what better way to impress the public and remain in a position of importance and authority for an extended long term than by using such a marketing ploy?
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The factual truth behind the history of the Ryman Setter and this current ongoing fallacy may not sit well with many due to the individuals involved behind the scenes of this ongoing saga.
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However, truth and facts far outweigh the one-sided stories of those who milked the life's blood from a line of quality shooting dogs for the sake of prestige and personal gain.
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Unfortunately for George Ryman personally, this fallacy was born under his own roof after his stroke, with his second wife, Ellen, who married Carl Calkins after George's death (and after the death of Carl Calkins' own wife after what has been described as an "extended illness" in 1958).
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FACT: George Ryman did not like Carl Calkins because Mr. Calkins was frequently visiting the Ryman home while George was away on shooting trips in Canada. On at least one occasion, George came home unexpectedly and found cause to run Mr. Calkins off the property. With a gun.
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FACT: The famous DuPont Ithaca shotgun that was given to George Ryman and later rumored as being stolen was in fact not stolen at all. It was in fact quietly offered for sale and sold by Ellen Calkins because she was hard pressed for cash and needed money to maintain and keep the kennel operation going.
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FACT: The story of Carl Calkins retiring and spending $30,000 to re-purchase Ryman dogs from people to save the bloodlines is as far-fetched as it is delusional. Who were these make-believe owners who gave up setters so freely after bonding and becoming attached to them? One will notice the story has been recounted a number of times, however no names of actual owners (nor the actual setters purported to have been purchased) have ever appeared to back up such a fallacy. It is quite strange that the names of these people have never been divulged ~ and if such an endeavor did take place, no credit was given to anyone for helping save the bloodlines. Besides which, that is quite a large sum of money coming from a former director of purchasing for an envelope factory.
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FACT: According to Ken Alexander at one point (Alexander's accounts do vary from date to date in any given publication), Carl Calkins is said to be nothing more than just a "caretaker" of the Ryman bloodlines. This needs to be addressed because I have documented hand-written correspondence from Carl Calkins where he claims to be a Professional Gun Dog Trainer who has an impeccable and renowned reputation and long history of training the Ryman Setters. The facts of the matter however is that neither claim by either man is even remotely true.
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FACT: Ken Alexander (according to his own account) did not come on the scene until 1967 when he claims he became "involved" (whatever that means) with the Ryman kennels ~ and that he was under a contract to breed for the Calkins by 1970. However by that time, the Ryman Setters being sold by Carl and Ellen Calkins were in fact ~ and had been for sometime ~ Ryman Setters in name only. The setters Ken Alexander actually acquired from the Calkins were in fact, Calkins Setters, which had undergone massive in-breedings and massive changes since the time of George Ryman's stroke in 1955. Ken Alexander in fact, never owned a setter personally bred by George H. Ryman.
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FACT: It should also be said here that Ken Alexander was not the first to try and make a fortune off the George Ryman name, as that "dubious honor" goes to Carl and Ellen Calkins who were breeding upwards of 1,200 puppies a year before Ken Alexander came along (according to Lee J. Stellrecht, who had befriended the Calkins later in life ~ it should be noted that Stellrecht's account has varied from 4,000 puppies over ten years to 1,200 puppies a year, however there is no question that the Calkins were breeding massive numbers of puppies after George's stroke and death ~ and that the dogs were no longer trained, hunted or field proven).
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FACT: After Robert "Bobby" Sumner found continued breeding of the flawed Calkins Setters to be unfeasible due to on-going severe genetic problems, Ken Alexander acquired some of what appeared to be "the best" and "most genetically sound" Calkins Setter specimens from Sumner to supplement his own Calkins/DeCoverly Setter stock. However as these setters had already undergone massive changes due to the Calkins' in-breeding to produce massive numbers of puppies to sell, none of the setters Ken Alexander acquired had any genetic stability either. And as stated before, these were from a long line of Calkins' breedings dating from 1955 when George Ryman had his stroke, when the setters were no longer trained, hunted or field-proven.
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FACT: George H. Ryman's son, Maurice H. Ryman, never learned of his fathers death until two weeks after his father was buried.
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FACT: Maurice H. Ryman was never offered nor ever received anything of his father's from either his step-mother, Ellen, nor the Calkins, after his father's death ~ and this is only one of the reasons why there were ongoing tensions and dislike between them.
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FACT: Maurice H. Ryman did not follow his father into the Ryman Gun Dog Kennel business as he felt he had "plenty enough" of the kennel and hunting business while growing up due to the never ending daily work load that was expected of him. The chores of kennel work and the tasks undertaken during deer season were enough to lead him on a path of being his own boss in the business and financial world as well as having successful interests on Wall Street. This in itself is not unusual as any number of sons of successful fathers choose to strike out on their own rather than follow in their father's footsteps. It should also be noted however that this "career rift" between father and son also did not lessen the love and regard Maurice H. Ryman had for his father ~ or that George Ryman had for his son.
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Today we see many old and new kennel and breeding operations who claim to have "studied" George H. Ryman's pedigrees enough to have Ryman's methods honed to an art and science. In addition, they claim to being knowledgeable enough to duplicate or replicate a Ryman Setter.
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They will have you believe this by their use of "Modern Day" outcrossings using setter bloodlines of today's hot-blooded Field Trial setters mixed with the bloodlines of "Modern Day" bench show setters. They want the interested sporting public to believe it worked for George H. Ryman and will work for them as well. After all, George Ryman used Field Trial and Bench setter bloodlines and it worked then ~ so they falsely claim the same "breeding recipe" will work today as well.
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The truth of the above-mentioned undertaking of such breedings in fact will not work today. It will not even come close to duplicating or replicating that which Ryman produced because the setter bloodlines of that era were not the same as the bloodlines available today.
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In addition, today's breeders would have to include the bloodlines of Irish and Gordon Setters and incorporate a long range culling process to be able to pull off such an undertaking ~ and that will not happen in this day and age of breeding. During the Ryman era, it was not uncommon to see Field Trial and Bench setters showing up in the same arena together.
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Field Trial setters were capable of running the trial circuit and were capable of being shown on the bench as well. The same held true with some of the Bench setters of that era as well. In today's world, we never see any modern hot-blooded Field Trial setter being shown in bench show competition, furthermore, we do not see today's bench show setter being run on the Field Trial circuit.
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The truth of the matter behind their fallacy and what these "Ryman expert" breeders want to unload upon the interested sporting public is just a marketing ploy in an attempt to take control and become an authority to corner the market to produce a product ~ and sell that product for a price that far exceeds its true value, knowing all along the quality is not the exact same quality as the setters George H. Ryman produced.
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In closing, it should be further noted that all of the above statements and information are based on documented facts from the Fetters Family English Setters Histories and also made available by various sources, including but not limited to, personal letters to me from Maurice H. Ryman as well as from Professional Bird Dog Trainers Paul Long, formerly of Lincolnton, North Carolina (now deceased), and Elias Vail (also now deceased), formerly of Poughkeepsie, New York. Both of these latter men were involved in training young dogs from the Ryman Gun Dog Kennel when the kennel was owned and personally operated by George H. Ryman.
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The Sad Fate of Sloe Depot

by John Fetters
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved

February 20th, 2012

Travel during the early years from George Ryman's home and kennel in Shohola Falls, Pike County, Pennsylvania, to Ryman's famous hunting and fishing club located at Sloe Depot ~ situated at the head waters of Nottikim Lake in Quebec, Canada ~ was an extremely slow and hazardous undertaking.

The narrow dirt-covered pathways over which Ryman laboriously traveled were riddled with monstrous potholes created (and faithfully maintained) by the logging industry. It was a very dangerous route to traverse, especially during the fall hunting season. Rain and snow made the journey very difficult, sometimes taking Ryman as much as three to four days to reach his final destination.

The only difference in Ryman's time and today is that the roadway is now widened and gravel-covered. While most of the harvested timber used to be floated to its final destination, today's heavy logging trucks carry the logs to their destinations making travel on the route even somewhat more risky and dangerous ~ as the log truck drivers do not like giving any credence (let alone right-of-way) to anyone traveling by autombile.

Ryman operated his hunting and fishing club for most of his time there as a private lease owner. However Ryman was running out of time as age and changes in government regulations were catching up with him. When commercial leases were made available in 1947, Ryman continued running his operation as a private lease owner until the Quebec government put an end to it and required all private lease owners to obtain commercial leases plus outfitters licenses if they wanted to continue to operate their camps commercially.

Ryman's advancing age and the onset of more stringent Canadian regulations were finally catching up to The Master. This was also in the same time period in which Ryman began to considerably downsize his breeding program from the number of litters he once produced per year.

Ryman's famous Sloe Depot camp remained intact to some degree over the ensuing years until my last visit there in September 1982 ~ when I found it gone. Upon talking with a few people from the area, they informed me that the Ryman camp had been torn down due to its deterioration over the years.


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Gifts for the Commando Family ~ A "BIG" Surprise

By John Fetters

© 2008-2009 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved
© 2010-2015 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved..

April 6th, 2013




A "BIG" Surprise for the Commando Family: At Ryman's Sloe Depot Hunting and Fishing Camp, Willie Commando in center and George H. Ryman to the right. To the left of Willie Commando is his wife and son, to the right of George Ryman is Willie's mother. Some of the others pictured are the children of Willie and his wife, others are extended family members.



In an earlier piece here, the sporting public was briefly introduced to a very important person in George Ryman's life: his trusted guide, Willie Commando, who was an intricate part in making such a success of Ryman's holdings at his famous Canadian hunting and fishing club at Sloe Depot in the wilderness of Quebec, Canada.

Wille Commando was George Ryman's right-hand man when it came to guiding Ryman and his guests in the unforgiving Canadian wilderness, and he also was the full-time care-taker of Ryman's Sloe Depot camp year-round.

To show his appreciation, Ryman always showered Willie and his family members with many gifts upon his return to his Canadian camp. These gifts included such items as clothing and other hard-to-obtain goods not readily available at that time in the Canadian wilderness.

On this particular day, the "BIG" surprise was a generous supply of fresh lemons, from which Ryman produced a bucket of fresh-squeezed lemonade. This gift was particularly appreciated as it was the first time Willie and his family members had ever tasted lemonade. In the accompanying photo, take note of the bucket in the foreground and the cups in front of the family gathering.