Queensland Jockey Shane McGovern Confronts Double Amputation Following Trackwork Incident

A jockey from Queensland is facing the potential loss of both legs after being trapped beneath a deceased horse for a harrowing six hours.

Shane McGovern, aged 67, had taken his nine-year-old gelding, Reformist, for a routine trackwork session on Wednesday in Charters Towers, a rural area located over 130 kilometres southwest of Townsville.

It has been reported that the horse experienced an aneurysm, collapsing on top of McGovern and pinning his legs, cutting off blood circulation.

He was discovered six hours later by his wife, Kim.

“I thought, ‘that’s just Shane; he’s off for a ride,’ since the horse was scheduled to race on Monday,” she recounted to Racenet.

“But I truly regret not checking on him, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.

“Then this ghastly little hand emerged, and he said, ‘I’m all right’.”

Currently, McGovern is in an induced coma at Townsville Hospital, as reported by the Australian Jockeys’ Association.

“He was unable to move his legs, which severely impacted his circulation and caused nerve damage,” noted safety officer Kevin Ring in a statement to Racenet.

“There’s a chance he might lose one or even both legs.”

Surgeons have operated on his thighs but have opted to leave the calf areas exposed to closely monitor tissue damage and avert any infection.

“He was awake for a time, but they have him on strong medication, which has caused him to hallucinate and become a bit hyperventilated,” Kim shared.

“They had to sedate him again, putting him back into an induced coma, and reinserted the breathing tube to allow his body to recover. They’ll maintain this for a few days.”