Westside : Students Mount Effort to Keep Riding School Open

A fight over an equestrian school at Will Rogers State Historic Park has not escalated to gunslinging, but dozens of student riders have mounted a full-scale campaign to save the park’s public riding school from being closed this month.

Students have rallied to keep the school on the onetime ranch of the famous “Cowboy Philosopher” in Pacific Palisades by starting a letter-writing and petition drive to convince state officials that the park should not be closed Feb. 29.

The nonprofit Will Rogers Cooperative Assn., which oversees the equestrian facilities, announced its decision not to renew the school’s contract, citing a pending review of the equestrian facilities and the need to provide more Western-style riding instruction.

But the more than 40 students of the school and its founder, Ted Rynveld, say the association’s reasoning is flawed. The school provides exemplary service and the riding allows important public access to the park, they say.

“We will still continue to fight the eviction,” said Julie Dole, who has been riding at the school for almost two years. She said that after studying the nonprofit association’s financial documents, she does not believe the school is losing money as the association has alleged.

Association spokesman Randy Young said the park needs to take a new look at what a school should offer, adding that the state requires some public education be provided on Rogers’ life.

Dole said she and other students will present the association with the petition and more letters at a meeting scheduled for next week.