Mrs Hazel McMahon
Hazel McMahon and the harness competition at the Melbourne Royal Show go hand in hand.
Endearingly referred to as the ‘Lady Mayoress of Maffra,’ Mrs McMahon called Maffra, Victoria home almost her whole life. She was born in the saddle and competed at the Melbourne Royal Show as a young girl, with her two children following in her footsteps. By 2013, the fifth generation of her family was riding at the local Sale Show.
Mrs McMahon began showing delivery horses in the 1970s and won the break turnout at the Melbourne Royal Show multiple times. Her horse was first crowned Champion Delivery at Melbourne in 1979. Entering a big team of delivery horses every year, Mrs Mahon won Champion Delivery Horse nine years in a row with a horse by the name of Sir David. Amazingly, not one horse or pony she competed with at the Melbourne Royal Show failed to win a blue ribbon.
Hazel McMahon driving ‘Primrose Park Sandstorm’ in 2020. Photo: Julie Wilson Equestrian Photography.
On a later visit to the local saleyards, a pony trotting into the ring caught Mrs McMahon’s eye and she purchased ‘Roblaurie’ for $66. He went on to claim Grand Champion Harness Horse in Melbourne for nine years straight and had the honour of being patted by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1988 when he visited Victoria as part of celebrating the bicentenary of Australia.
Mrs McMahon passed away in 2022, leaving behind an incredible legacy to the sport of driving not just at the Melbourne Royal Show, but across Australia.