Above: Maleah Lang McMahon and Apple Bee. Photo Credit: Andrew Ryback Photography

When Maleah Lang McMahon packed her bags and boarded a plane from Australia to the US after the COVID pandemic, it was meant to be a three-month trip. What unfolded was a life-changing move that’s seen the young showjumper continue her career in Ocala, Florida.

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“It was actually a surprise,” Maleah said on the All Clear Podcast. “We were in COVID, nothing was happening, and one day we walked into the house and my dad had booked Mom’s horse and my two horses on the plane. We were like, okay, we’ll happily go.” Three months turned into years. “I thought we were going home, and then we ended up staying. We cancelled the flight, bought a farm, and that was it.”

Maleah’s roots in the sport run deep. Her mum, Michelle Lang McMahon and her dad, Peter McMahon have both represented Australia on the world stage. “I guess I was born and bred into Jumping,” she said. “I started riding when I was three or four, but apparently I sat on a pony as a newborn.”

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Despite the legacy, the move to the US wasn’t all smooth sailing. The food alone was a big adjustment. “I’m a foodie and I really don’t enjoy the food here,” she laughed. “Everything is fast food or a food chain. I miss being able to go get clean, fresh, nice food.”

But it was the pace of competition that hit her hardest. “I had a lot of success in Australia. Then I came here and in the first three months, I think I won once. I seriously thought I was flying and I got three time faults. That was a shock,” she said. “I learned really quick, I didn’t want to get time faults again. I had to ride everything like a speed class and really get used to going forward in bigger rings with bigger distances.”

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But while the wins are coming, Maleah still misses parts of home, especially showing. “At home, you pack the truck, stay in the truck, feed the horses, live on-site. I love that. Here, you stay in a hotel or go home, it just doesn’t feel the same.”

Looking ahead, her goal is crystal clear. “I really, really want to go to the Olympics. That’s my biggest dream.”

The team here at Australian Jumping certainly expect to see Maleah turn that dream into reality!

Hear more from this talented young rider on the All Clear Podcast at the following links: