Taronga Road Riders
Many, many thanks to Danyele for all her help with this series. Almost all the information here comes from her, and I am extremely grateful!
The Taronga Road Riders is a series of books by this American author, set in Australia, about the Pokey Creek Pony Club. Toy Martin seems a force to be recognised with: when she was just 22, she had already been an Olympic speed skater. She migrated to Australia, and represented them in orienteering (about which she has also written books). Riding was a later accomplishment for her, but her two children were keen riders, and she became very active in her local pony club.
Alas the Taronga Road Riders series is very hard to find. Even in their native Australia they are uncommon. You might like to try ebay Australia for copies. The series comprises 8 books:
Behind the Barricade (Millenium Books, 1991)
A Bird in the Hand (Millenium Books,
1991)
Fakes and Fast Horses (Millenium Books,1992)
Secret Stock (Millenium Books, 1992)
The
Price of a Prize (Millenium Books, 1993)
Odd Bods (Millenium Books, 1993)
Light Fingered
Lessons (Millenium Books, 1993)
Go For It! (Millenium Books, 1993)
Toy Martin
Behind the Barricade, Taronga Road Riders 1
Millennium Books, Newton, NSW, 1991,
157 pp, paperback.
Blurb:
"What's that?"
"Somebody has blocked off the trail!"
"Why?"
Elizabeth the oldest of the Taronga Road Riders, glared down at the bulldozers's
work." This is going to present a problem for the pony club on Saturday..."
"Well,
it's not a problem for us, is it?" said Matt.
"Oh,no," said Zoey, quick to catch the
drift.
"Not for me, either," put in Amanda.
With the youngest rider, Brook leading
the way on Ryan, the kids from Taronga Road jumped the barricade and rode on-
A Bird in the Hand, Taronga Road Riders 2
Millennium Books, Newton, NSW. 1991, ISBN
0 85574 324 7, 160 pp, paperback.
Blurb:
It was hard to believe that the odd looking
woman in the large, steel toed boots, and the large mix of blubber and muscle that
was her husband, were related to neat, elegant Amanda.
But it was very easy for the
Taronga Road Riders to believe that the this strange couple were up to something
illegal. Then comes the discovery of the black cockatoo caught in a trap, and the
kids feel sure they have stumbled onto a bird smuggling racket. While Elizabeth struggles
to teach a disabled boy to ride, and Matt has to face up to a power hungry trainer
with his eye on Mad Max, a young park ranger in a silver Porsche and his older partner
complicate life even more-
