HANOVERTON, Ohio - A local farm in Columbiana County held a memorial service on Sunday for four horses found dead in Salem in October.

 The memorial service,  called "Justice for the Final Four", was held at Eleanor Acres  on Sunday, November 16, in dedication to four horses that were found dead at Pure Gold Stables in October of 2025.

The three-hour event was organized by local advocates Lisa Bonkosky, Candice Kunkle and LuAnn McConnell and served as both a memorial and public forum for community members, experts and survivors of equine neglect to share their experiences and chart a path forward.

"We are here because the system failed four horses, and because it continues to fail many more. We refuse to let those losses be forgotten," Kunkle said.

During the public forum portion, attendees discussed several proposals to prevent a situation like what happened at Pure Gold from happening anywhere else. 

According to a press release from Stone Gate Farm, plans are underway for more public meetings, legislative outreach and continued community organizing.