Mary Ellen Collura

Canadian author born in 1949. Not hugely prolific, she seems to have written only three books, two of which are horse-related. Her novel Winners is by far her most well-known work. It won The National Chapter of Canada Award and has been quite widely published in a number of countries, including the UK. Ms. Collura is also a part-time English teacher. She lives on a farm with an assortment of animals including ponies.

Horse & Pony Books:

WINNERS
aka JORDY (UK 1st edition)
(PRAIRIE BOOKS [CAN] 1984)
(1st UK edition SPINDLEWOOD 1988)
Reprinted as a paperback in Canada by Prairie Books
Published in the UK as a hardback in 1988 under the new title of JORDY
Reprinted in the UK as a paperback by Canongate in 1990 under its original title
Published in the USA as a hardback by Dial in 1992
Reprinted in paperback in the USA by Douglas & McIntyre in 1992
There was also a German edition
EDITIONS PICTURED: 1st edition, 1st UK edition, UK paperback, USA paperback
SUMMARY: Jordy is a young Blackfoot Indian, and after a number of foster homes is eventually re-united with his estranged grandfather on the Indian reservation where he was born. But Jordy still does not feel like he fits in, and his grandfather barely seems to notice him. Then he is given a horse of his own and life looks up. As he trains the horse for a gruelling long distance ride, he finds a new faith in his own abilities.
PONYMAD RATING: 4 HORSESHOES

SUNNY
(IRWIN PB [CAN] 1988)
Paperback original
Possibly published in the UK as a paperback
Published in hardback in Germany by Ravensburg in 1991 and 1993
Published in the USA & Germany by Stabenfeldt/Pony in 1999
EDITIONS PICTURED: Stabenfeldt/Pony edition
SUMMARY: Brother and sister Mike and Sophie restore a washed-up racehorse back to health and turn him into a successful jumper.

Collector's Info:
Winners is easy to find (and low cost) in Canada, USA and the UK, where there were both hardback and paperback editions published. Sunny is harder to find, especially outside of Canada, though not impossible. There may have been a paperback UK edition but I have not seen one to confirm. It was published a few times in German language and is reasonably easy to find in Germany.