Veteran jockey Shane McGovern, 67, has had both of his legs amputated following a freak accident at his stables in Charters Towers, North Queensland, Australia. The incident occurred on April 8 when his mount, Reformist, collapsed and died, trapping McGovern underneath for six hours before his wife, Kim, found him.
McGovern was rushed to hospital, where medics discovered he had dislocated his shoulder and broken several ribs. The prolonged compression cut off blood circulation to his legs, leading to the amputation. The Australian Jockeys Association confirmed the news on X, stating: 'A devastating update on QLD jockey Shane McGovern, unfortunately Shane has now had both his legs amputated.'
Kevin Ring, health and safety officer for the association, told Racenet that McGovern remains sedated in Townsville Hospital and may require further surgery. '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.'
Reformist, a nine-year-old horse, suffered an aneurysm during routine exercise. Racing Queensland donated $50,000 (£26,000) to a GoFundMe page for McGovern, with the Queensland Jockeys' Association adding $5,000 (£2,600). The fund has raised nearly $77,000 (£41,000).
McGovern, who has ridden more than 200 winners from 1,885 racecourse appearances, faces a long recovery. The fundraising page noted: '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.'
