by Ellen Harvey, Harness Racing Communications

Freehold, NJ — Hanover Shoe Farms has just released a statement announcing the death of top pacing stallion Western Hanover, due to complications that started with a scrotal hernia earlier this month.

The statement reads, in part, “Western Hanover was euthanized at 1:15 p.m. today (Sunday, August 26).”

The 18-year-old stallion had complications after the earlier surgery and, according to the statement, “…ruptured his large colon. Due to extreme abdominal contamination and very poor prognosis to repair the damage, the decision was made to humanely euthanize Western Hanover. He will be missed by all.”