Paul Buddee (1913-2004)

Born in Mount Lawley, WA in 1913. Was a teacher and author, but also a keen advocate for Australian books and for Australian children's reading. He was a prominent figure in the Australian body The Children's Book Council. He organised special Book Weeks, book tours, and libraries in schools. Like Mary Treadgold, he began writing as an answer to what he thought was the poor quality of children's books of the time. Wrote a number of children's novels, mostly adventure series, of which one, the Ann Rankin series, featured ponies.

Source: Obituary, Alison Gregg.

Ann Rankin Series:
Series about a girl and her friends at the Australian Murra Wanda pony club. I am not sure of the order of the series. If anyone knows please drop me a line.

ANN RANKIN AND THE LOST VALLEY
(RIGBY OPAL 1973)
(1st UK edition MULLER 1973)

ANN RANKIN & THE HOUSE ON COOLABAH HILL
(RIGBY OPAL 1973)
(1st UK edition MULLER 1973)
SUMMARY: Ann has always admired the house on Coolabah hill. When the new owner moves in she is invited to go riding in the grounds with his daughter. However this leads to a brush with a gang of terrorists!

ANN RANKIN & THE GREAT FLOOD
(RIGBY OPAL 1973)
(1st UK edition MULLER 1973)
SUMMARY: The pony club boys have formed a rescue group which excludes the girls but Ann and her friends are more help in finding a missing horse and helping a vet with sick animals after a storm.

ANN RANKIN & THE BOY WHO PAINTED HORSES
(RIGBY OPAL 1973)
(1st UK edition MULLER 1973)
SUMMARY: When the pony club gang befriend an orphaned boy who is a talented artist it is the start of many ups and downs for the friends and their new pal.

Collectors Info:
Published in Australia and the UK but not as far as I know in America. I don't think there were any paperback reprints either. Obviously easiest to find in Australia, however also fairly easy to find in the UK from internet booksellers. They do seem a lot harder to find in the USA however.