Back in March, Animalweb invited our community to nominate the special mums, grandmothers, aunts and mother figures who make a difference not only to people, but often to animals too.
The response was heartwarming, with stories of kindness, dedication, support and selflessness flooding in from across the world. Choosing a winner was never going to be easy, but one nomination stood out for the remarkable woman at its heart.
The winner of the Animalweb Mother’s Day competition was Jocelyne, who was nominated by her granddaughter, Charlotte Wheeler.
In her nomination, Charlotte described Jocelyne as an extraordinary mother, grandmother and friend whose unwavering support has touched generations of her family.
Jocelyne raised five children and helped raise five grandchildren, always putting others before herself. Despite not being horsey, she spent years acting as chief groom to her daughters, mucking out during the week and travelling to shows at weekends. She later became a huge supporter of Charlotte’s own equestrian journey, helping make her dream of owning a first pony a reality.
Charlotte credited her grandmother with instilling values she still carries today, including a strong work ethic and a deep commitment to horse welfare. One childhood memory that stayed with her was being encouraged to massage her pony’s saddle area after riding to help keep him comfortable, an early lesson in putting the horse first.
One of the stories that particularly captured our hearts was Jocelyne passing her driving test at the age of 78 after her husband lost his licence due to health issues. Not only did she learn to drive, but she also had to master using a computer and mouse in order to complete the theory test.
As Charlotte wrote in her nomination: “We knew if she set her mind to it, she would achieve it.”
As the winner of the competition, Jocelyne received a special Animalweb gift basket packed with prizes, including a year’s Animalweb membership, exclusive Animalweb clothing, horse treats, Flair Nasal Strips and a cooling rug.
Recently, Charlotte got back in touch to share an update and a lovely photograph of herself and Jocelyne enjoying a day together at Royal Windsor Horse Show.
“We had a lovely time and it was Grandma’s first time experiencing dressage to music and watching Carl Hester, which she enjoyed immensely and I am now hoping is a dressage convert!” Charlotte told us.
She also reported that one of the prizes has already become a firm favourite.
“The cooling rug is absolutely wonderful and has been used every day this week and really does work!”
At Animalweb, we launched the competition to celebrate the people who quietly give so much to others, whether that is supporting family, caring for animals, or simply always being there when they are needed.
Jocelyne embodies everything the competition was designed to recognise: kindness, dedication, resilience and a lifetime spent supporting the people she loves.
Congratulations once again to Jocelyne, and thank you to Charlotte for sharing such a wonderful story with us.
(Top photo is Charlotte and Jocelyne enjoying Royal Windsor Horse Show 2026).
