Sport
18 June, 2026
State showjump champion
THIRTEEN-year-old Innisfail horse sports competitor Lahni Madsen has been crowned state champion after a stunning performance at Pony Club Queensland’s State Equitation and Showjumping Championships in Maryborough, triumphing against a field of 38 older competitors and proving she is one of Queensland’s brightest young talents.
Miss Madsen proudly represented Innisfail Horse and Pony Club, Zone 18 Pony Clubs Innisfail to Mossman and Ravenshoe to Mareeba and was an ambassador for Tropical North Showjumping Club. This was her fourth year attending the state championships and for the past two years, she has placed in the top 10.
Competing on her two horses, Diesel (9) and Bee (12), Miss Madsen spent four days riding in the 13-and-under-26 age group, a category in which she was one of the youngest entrants. She opened her campaign in the jumping equitation phase, riding Madsen Park Willhedo (Diesel) in the 90cm class, delivering impressive rounds despite Diesel adding a little extra ‘freshness’ to his stride.
Over the final two days, Miss Madsen switched to showjumping, again riding Diesel in the 90cm class and partnering Lil Miss Honey Bee (Bee) in the 80cm division. She placed second in the AM5 event only missing the top spot by 0.08 of a second and finished 10th in the super 2 phase.
The highlight came in the grand prix, held over three rounds at 80cm, 90cm and 100cm. Miss Madsen and Bee jumped clear in the first two rounds and dropped just one rail in the final, recording the fastest time of the day to win the class. When scores across all three events were tallied, Miss Madsen emerged as the overall state champion.
Miss Madsen said the result meant everything to her. “Winning at the state championships meant the absolute world to me and I would not be able to compete without my parents,” she said. “I am so proud of Lil Miss Honey Bee. I couldn’t have asked for a better first event of the year. Never give up on your dreams and mine is to represent Australia in showjumping at the Olympics.”
With the local show season approaching, she is already looking forward to more success.
Her parents, Julianne and Daniel, said they were incredibly proud. “Lahni has worked incredibly hard week in and week out to achieve this result,” Julianne said. “We’re excited to see what she and her horses achieve next.”