KidRiders Rockin R Ranch ROCKIN R RANCH - Ritters ripped off the common working man! Grandview Texas
Don't do any work at this 'facility' - you may not get paid! The facility is SUPPOSEDLY operated by Melanie Ritter. However, her very offensive, dour husband appears to have all control over the facilities construction, maintenance and operation (obviously behind the scenes since he has NO equine skills). Last summer, Melanie's husband, Rawn Ritter, contracted my husband to construct their new arena in Grandview, after having seen another arena in the area that he constructed earlier in 2009. They may a verbal agreement for Mr. Ritter to pay for all materials at cost and to pay my husband a fee of $35 per hour for labor and heavy equipment. He also agreed to hire OUR two laborers at a rate of $10 per hour. A start date was established with a tentative completion time-frame of approximately 3-5 days. Delivery of materials was scheduled for the following week. Mr. Ritter was unable to meet the materials delivery truck so my husband had to meet them (which was not part of their agreement) . The day before my husband was to start the arena, he received a call from Mr. Ritter stating that he didn't want to use our laborers and had found his own. My husband disagreed initially because he COULDN'T ascertain that the 'laborer' supplied by Mr. Ritter was skilled and capable of assisting during the initial stages of the construction (which involved lifting heavy pipe, welding, cutting and measurements). Mr. Ritter assured him that his laborer was skilled as he was an "out of work welder". The following day my husband was on the jobsite at 8 AM. The laborer Mr. Ritter hired never showed. My husband was only able to perform roughly 3 hours of work without assistance. He wasted an entire day. After discussing this issue with Mr. Ritter, he assured Danny that he'd found another "skilled laborer" and promised he would be there the second day. Danny went to the jobsite the next day and Mr. Ritter "dropped off" the helper. It was an under-aged worker, came with no gloves (to handle hot welded pipe), had no safety equipment, safety boots (wore tennis shoes) and had NO experience. Danny was only able to perform an additional 7 hours labor with this "helper". Again, another wasted day. That evening Danny contacted Mr. Ritter and told him that the 'laborer' was insufficient to perform the tasks necessary. He advised Mr. Ritter that he was wasting time 'waiting' for Mr. Ritter to provide the appropriate manpower and that he would only complete this project if allowed to use the laborers as initially agreed. Mr. Ritter refused and became enraged that Danny wouldn't allow him to seek another assistant. At that point, Danny was forced to resign from this project. He realized that Mr. Ritter was not going to agree to an amicable resolution to the labor issue. Danny told Mr. Ritter that he just needed to pay him the $350 that he was due and that he could find another contractor to complete the arena. Danny had already installed all the steel pole "uprights" around the entire arena. Mr. Ritter said that he'd not pay Danny "unless he completes the project as agreed". Mr. Ritter was cursing, offensive and threatening. Danny simply told him he would be receiving an invoice and hung up. No payment has been received to date.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Melanie Ritter
Grandview,Texas,
USA
The ability to lie is a liability
#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, March 14, 2011
Law Offices of Robert E. Luttrell III
August 27, 2010
(Addressed to 4 families)
Re: My client: Kidriders
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Simpson:
I am Robert E. Luttrell III and I have been retained by KidRiders. As you are well aware KidRiders is a business operating in Tarrant and Johnson Counties. Your continued hostile and unjustified actions towards KidRiders will not be tolerated any longer.
Making false accusations about KidRiders teaching, boarding and business practices over the internet by you, or others you direct, will come to a halt or further legal actions shall be taken. This includes but is not limited to false reports on ripoffreport.com, facebook.com and any other social or business networks you are currently using to defame and slander KidRiders. The United States Constitution gives individuals the right of free speech, however that right does not include the right to make false, misleading, and half-truths to the public that harms another person or their business. Attacking my clients in public using false and inaccurate statements is considered slander and defamation of character under the laws of Texas and the United States. Slander can carry criminal and civil liability. My clients will not be subject to your vicious lies about their teaching, boarding, and business practices any longer.
The law does not allow you to spread vicious lies about someone or their business so that you can gain a competitive advantage in the market place or destroy ones business as you see fit. Comments like "I will not stop until your business is destroyed" show your intent to defame and slander my client. Airing false allegations about a lawsuit, you lost, over the internet is further proof of your intent. Personnel grievances with KidRiders need to be taken up with KidRiders in private or in a court of law. Making false, half-truths and vicious lies in public is an unacceptable way to deal with any grievances you may have with KidRiders.
Your actions are not only morally wrong, they are legally actionable under the laws of the state of Texas. I will not hesitate to file legal action against you if your behavior continues. If legal action is needed to resolve this matter, I will seek damages for loss of current and future business, mental and emotional distress, physical suffering
4 East Chambers a Cleburne, TX 76031 » Phone: 817,645.6600 3 info@cleburnelaw.com
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and attorney's fees. I am requesting that all false and misleading statements be removed and that no additional comments be made about my clients. My clients do not wish to have to escalate this any further, but should the need arise they will seek legal actions against you.
horse lover
Fort Worth,,Texas,
United States of America
THIS IS TRUE,FACT'S OF WHAT TOOK PLACE!!THEY ARE RIPOFF'S!
#6General Comment
Sat, April 10, 2010
I have to say my side of this report. I am the friend of the reporter that posted this report and my husband did have our Arena Built by Danny' he has done a Wonderful Job. And we have had many of their costumer's as well as other's come to look at it. and Hire him to construct one for them. The Ritter's made a deal with the Good Ol' Boy CONCEPT,,A Hand shake, to have an Arena done at there place and we had introduce the families. But if I would have ever though that it was going to Happen this way... believe Me, and My husband would have never stuck out our neck's like that, we were just trying to help out friend's. (that we though were friends) on both sides but as you can read that's not what happen'' DANNY IS A STAND UP GUY, AND IF THEIR WORE MORE MEN LIKE HIM, THIS WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE... The only thing i can add to this report is I truly Feel SORRY, THE RAWN RITTER'S WIFE.. BECAUSE IF IT WAS 50/50 IN THAT HOUSE HOLD! she would have told him to be a real man' and fix it the right way''.. that leads me to believe that she has no say in her house hold.. SO BUYER BEWARE!! If you do anything for the RUNNIN R RANCH GET IN WRITING.. HAVE A WITNESS, DO WHAT EVER YOU HAVE TO SO YOU DON'T GET SHAFTED!!! THEY HAVE NO CONCEPT ON RUNING A BUSINESS.. I BELIEVE DANNY' HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 30 YRS OR SO.. AND HAS MORE THEN ONE BUSINESS...
Circle S Backhoe
Grandview,Texas,
United States of America
Post-note to rebuttal.
#6Author of original report
Fri, April 09, 2010
In reply to the rebuttal, After filing our small claim, we waited several months for a hearing date. We finally decided to contact the court only to learn that the process server had made many attempts to serve Mr. Ritter and was being told "HE" wasn't home. They had documented many attempts, dates and times. We advised the court of Mr. Ritter's place of employment and tentative dates and times that he COULD be served. The judge granted a 'special condition' to have Mr. Ritter served after hearing our complaints. It is my opinion that he was avoiding service. They were able to make service of the summons and a date was set.
Secondly, Mr. Ritter came to us via a referral from a good friend. He pre-paid an amount of $3,500. We returned his check and explained that we wouldn't need such a substantial deposit and preferred to be paid on a "as-completed" basis - week by week. When he violated our agreement and after receiving his court summons - he began to send threatening emails and texts to our friends advising them to "take care of this" and "get rid of Danny". They now have those texts and emails in print.
We were able to provide Mr. Ritter with OUR discounted 'wholesale' price on the steel pipe for his project through our local supplier. We allowed Mr. Ritter the opportunity to pay directly to the supplier for the materials. Had it not been for our good relationship with the supplier he would have been charged substantially more for the same materials.
Mr. Ritter did NOT have his laborer in court as we had hoped he would. His laborer was obviously a minor and he didn't want to have the judge see the truth in that, nor did he want Danny to have the opportunity to question him under oath.
Finally, Mr. Ritter never denied we performed the services in question, he simply claims that Danny "quit" in the middle of the project and should not be paid. He does not admit that he made working conditions dangerous, violated the original agreement, and doesn't understand that his verbal attacks and threats during the last conversation forced Danny to withdraw from the project in order to prevent any further confrontation between the two. An amicable working relationship was no longer possible and it was in ALL our best interests to withdraw from this project. However, that did NOT and SHOULD NOT allow Mr. Ritter's temper to cause us any financial loss.
We feel that it is often best to cut your losses and move on when dealing with people of this caliber. We do try to exhaust all efforts to collect on bad debts but we stay within the legal parameters. It was determined by an impartial JP that no damages should be awarded on either side. We accepted that (all the while KNOWING that this JP was in a highly-contested re-election battle).
I believe that Mr. Ritter MUST have really needed that $350 more than I ever will - he fought so hard to keep it. I feel that Mr. Ritter has little respect for HARD working people and I that his RIP OFF skills are sharply honed. He appears to be well versed in that art. Again, if you do work for him or have any business with him - get it in writing.
Circle S Backhoe
Grandview,Texas,
United States of America
Skilled Liars Win Court Hearings.
#6Author of original report
Fri, April 09, 2010
Yes, this case HAD to go to small claims court in the county in which Ritter resides. Mr. Ritter lied under oath - go figure - and since the case was based on a "Gentleman's agreement" rather than a written contract - the JP (who retired just after this hearing) had no alternative but to deny claim on BOTH sides of the table. (Mr. Ritter had the nerve to ask for 'damages' against my husband for "loss of business". What business?) Everyone knows that it's not always the honest that win in court - look at the criminals that walk free every day because they are good liars.
The JP court also has information about another case against Mr. Ritter - open records - go check. It seems that the grandmother from whom he bought his 5 acre ranch was told that she would be allowed to retrieve her storage building upon closing from the property. Mr. Ritter has since retracted his "gentleman's agreement" with her forcing her to file a claim against him. I have no doubt that this will also "go away" in court because Mr. Ritter has 'skills' when it comes to testifying - unlike the rest of us - the working class. I have no doubt this man will come out smelling like a rose in that hearing as well because he is NOT a man of his word - if you do any business with this person - get it in WRITING.
I don't have any issues with his wife or his family. I believe his wife has good intentions and seems to be a very nice person. But, Mr. Ritter tends to behave as if he's the "MAN" and has a stong influence over this operation in my opinion - he seems to be calling the shots.
neutral observer
United States of AmericaThe Rest of the Story
#6Consumer Comment
Thu, April 08, 2010
I find it interesting that the author fails to mention one very important fact. They sued Mr. Ritter in small claims court (as is everone's right in this country) - and they lost the case. In other words, when both sides of the story were heard an impartial judge ruled that Mr. Ritter was in the right with regard to this dispute.
But then, it's much easier to win public opinion when you only tell your side of the story.