The Annuals 1953 -
This page lists each Pony Magazine Annual. Not all of them are there yet: I still have a few to go but they will be filled in as soon as I have the details. I haven’t included Horses & Ponies Pictorial, or Horse and Pony Annual, as these are a move away from what became the traditional Annual format, which included short stories. As ever, if you have more information on Annuals I don’t have, or can add anything to the general picture, I would love to hear from you.
Each Annual is listed, with its editor, publisher and date of publication. I have also included details of all the short stories included. I realise that many of you would prefer to have a listing by author order, and this is on the way. Details will also be included in each author’s own page, as long as they’ve written a pony book and therefore have a page!
Finding the Annuals: I realise that after I’ve written these paragraphs on the website on finding the books that the information often becomes out of date very quickly, as people realise books are out there and buy them up, thereby leading to a shortage and therefore a price increase. However, at the time of writing (July 2009) this is the situation: Percy’s Pony Annual doesn’t turn up terribly often. You may be lucky and find a cheap one, but generally it is pricey, particularly with its dustjacket. The 1960s annuals are a little harder to find, but none of them are, at the moment, impossible. Prices vary: they’re not generally horribly expensive. The 1970s and 1980s copies are easier to find. Beware odd pricing on some databases. You should be able to find the annuals cheaply if you’re prepared to shop around a bit.
Percy’s Pony Annual
Publisher: D J Murphy
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: Christmas, 1952
This is a lovely annual: the cover is just a delight. It’s by Janet Johnstone and
Anne Grahame-
(Ride in the Rockies; First Lot, Second
Lot), and on riding and pony care (Notes on Jumping; Looking After
Your Pony.) Primrose
Cumming contributed a poem (Contrasts) and Joan Wanklyn an article on drawing horses.
There
was also a competition, and a young reader’s section. This asks entrants to get
their contributions in so
that they can be published in Percy’s Pony Annual 1954,
but alas I can find no evidence that this actually
appeared.
The short stories are interesting: Toni Webber, whose age isn’t given though presumably
she
was under 16 as she’s in the Readers’ Section, went on to edit the Pony Club
Annual,
and to write many non fiction horse books. The Price of a Pony is a tear-
about
a girl who sacrifices her pony money to help her mother.
about
Althea, condemned in her school report for never taking the initiative. In this
story,
she takes it.
Short stories:
Celia Davies -
D Glyn-
Avril E Beet (aged 15) -
Glenda M Clegg (aged 15) -
Beryl Horsfall (aged 15) -
Toni Webber (no age given but is in the Young Readers’ section) -
Pony Magazine Annual 1962
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1961
Carol Vaughan, who was to become a stalwart contributor to Pony Magazine, Pony Magazine
Annual and the
Pony Club Annual, makes her first short story appearance in an annual.
Jssephine Pullein-
contributed an article on the difference between efficient
and inefficient pony club rallies.
picture strip story, also
appear in this annual. Percy and Allsorts have alas been banished, though they were
still very much present in Pony Magazine. This annual also took on the Who’s Who
of the equine world, taking
it over from Horses and Ponies Pictorial, which as far
as I can see, was no longer published.
Short stories:
Roger V Carr. -
been killed, and all the horses sold. Then Tony finds a wild
mare.
J C Gent -
Carol Vaughan -
Pony Magazine Annual 1963
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1962
The format was now settled: Who’s Who, short stories, Pat and Pickles, pictures
of notable horses
and ponies, plus information on famous riders. I did notice a
poem about a girl, worringly called Jane,
who was so obsessed with ponies she turned
into one.... The illustrator “...still leads with the near fore
when starting to
run, but is otherwise quite normal and happily married!” So that’s all right then.
Short stories:
Kathleen Mackenzie -
Carol Vaughan -
mare gives birth to an unexpected black colt, and Yusuf gets the blame.
Ruth Hanson -
but finds a cross horse who suits her.
Pony Magazine Annual 1964
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1963
This Annual had five short stories, but otherwise the mix was as normal.
Short stories:
Alan Smithers -
but actually has Poppet, a circus pony.
Kathleen Godding -
D Hamilton Ross -
in Ancient Greece.
The Mole -
Lois Richardson -
isn’t sold.
Pony Magazine Annual 1965
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1964
Pony had hit an established stride now, and the mixtures continued as before, though
there were
only three stories in this edition.
Short stories:
Carol Vaughan: Dude’s Downfall, illus Joan Wanklyn. English Lucy
now lives on an American
ranch. Rich boy Spike is a pain.
Susan Chitty: How I Became a Girl Groom, illus Sally Webb. Corona Carruthers’ first
working
experiences.
Nan Asquith: You Can Be Better Than You are. Illus Joan Wanklyn. Robert, crippled
through
polio, is inspired through riding.
Pony Magazine Annual 1966
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1965
Short Stories:
Christine Leslie -
her replacement.
Carol Vaughan -
Molly White -
Patricia Grey -
Pony Magazine Annual 1967
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1967
Short Stories:
Carol Vaughan: Zig Zag, illus David Rook. Mary comes back from Canada, bringing
her Appaloosa
with her. Her one problem is that Aunt Beatrice, with whom she lives,
hates all animals not a solid colour.
M G Nicholas Cat’s Meat, illus Helen Collins.
Sweetness is now old and lame, but has a surprise in
store for Prue.
Rose-
horse
in a storm.
Pony Magazine Annual 1968
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1967
Short Stories:
Kathleen Gooding -
adventure.
J Waters -
Molly White -
Carol Vaughan -
Pony Magazine Annual 1969
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1968
This was the first annual to have a colour cover.
Short Stories:
Carol Vaughan -
Ruth Powell -
Molly White -
Jean Waters -
Pony Magazine Annual 1970
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1969
The colour cover continued, this time with a rather alarming purple header.
Short Stories:
Judith E Edgley: Ring out the Old, Ring in the New, illus Sally Webb. A forgotten
pony finds a new
owner.
Annette Maloney: Thanks to Tammy, illus Harold Beards. Tammy
was old and outgrown, but a swap
holds the answer to his owners’ problem.
Carol Vaughan:
Rebel Raider, illus Joan Wanklyn. Set during the Civil War. Melanie saves some
soldiers and their horses.
Pony Magazine Annual 1971
Publisher: Max Parrish & Co Ltd, London
Editor: Lieut-
Date of publication: 1970
Two of these stories were by junior readers: Lesley Rodgers and Marion Anstey.
Short Stories:
Vanessa Edwards -
Cerys Thomas -
Lesley Rodgers -
Marion Anstey -
Carol Vaughan -
