Shane McGovern, 67, was injured after his horse, Reformist, collapsed and died while he was riding trackwork at his stables in Charters Towers, North Queensland, Australia
A veteran jockey who required both legs to be amputated after a horrific accident at his stables has been heartbreakingly moved to palliative care.
Shane McGovern, 67, was riding trackwork when his horse, Reformist, reportedly collapsed and died, pinning him beneath.
McGovern’s wife, Kim, found him after six hours and he was rushed to hospital from his base in Charters Towers, North Queensland, Australia.
The incident on April 8 severed the blood supply to the rider’s legs, and medics discovered he had also dislocated his shoulder and fractured multiple ribs.
“A devastating update on QLD jockey Shane McGovern, unfortunately Shane has now had both his legs amputated,” a post from The Australian Jockeys Association revealed on X at the time.
“We are sending all our prayers and love to you Shane and your family. Keep fighting Shane.”
The association’s health and safety officer, Kevin Ring, told Racenet that McGovern, who has notched more than 200 winners from 1,885 races, could require further surgery as he remains in Townsville Hospital, reports the Mirror.
“He’s in recovery at the moment and he had a good night afterwards apparently,” Ring said.
“He’s sedated of course, but he’s going to have to have other operations I would suggest. They can do amazing things these days, so as long as he’s got some quality of life, that’s the main thing. It’s going to be a long slog with rehab.”
Reformist, a nine year old horse, was reported to have collapsed after suffering an aneurysm during routine exercise.
Racing Queensland has contributed £26,000 to a GoFundMe established for McGovern, while the Queensland Jockeys’ Association provided an additional £2,600, bringing the overall total to nearly £43,000.
“At age 67, Shane has dedicated his entire working life to our industry and for it to be changed in this way through this accident is incredibly confronting for him and for his wife Kim,” donors to the fundraising page were told.
“Shane will be facing a long time in hospital and will then need many months of rehabilitation. It is a total disruptor to a life that he and his wife Kim had built over decades around their horse training and riding lives.”
However the latest news issued by the Australian Jockeys Association on Thursday was not encouraging.
A post on X said: “An update on Shane McGovern, he has been transferred to the palliative care unit due to ongoing issues. He has his family by his side now as he continues with this horrendous battle. Updates to follow.”