Molly Mooney and JB Evolution competing at the 2024 Sydney Royal Easter Show. Image by Australian Jumping.
JB Evolution has been the horse of a lifetime for the Mooney family. ‘Blue’, as he is known around the stables, has had an incredible career to date, initially with James and now with daughter Molly in the saddle. Just recently, Blue added the 2025 JNSW Young Rider Indoor Championship to his impressive string of accolades. We caught up with the Mooney family to learn more about their much-loved and widely admired Blue.
One of Blue’s early outings at Coffs Coast Jump Club with James Mooney in the saddle. Image by Al John.
Blue came into James and Belinda Mooney’s lives after James purchased him sight unseen from an advertisement in Horse Deals in 2008. “I was obsessed with his breeding, I had spent my entire year 12 study time staring at pictures of Mr Blue and Eros, who shared the same sire as Blue’s dam,” James recalls.
Bred in Victoria, Blue is by Mr Blue out of an Amarco Bay mare. Amarco Bay is by Family Ties who was also the sire of Eros. Eros, purchased and produced by Adam Wooten, went on to partner with Anne Kursinski and reached the highest echelons of international sport, including representations at the Atlanta Olympics, American Gold Gup and Nations Cups in Rome and St Gallen.
For James who had always admired the breeding, purchasing Blue sight unseen was a risk he was willing to take. “He arrived while Belinda [‘Bindi’] was pregnant with Molly and when he got off the truck whilst I was away teaching, everyone was shocked at how small he was, especially Belinda!” And as Molly puts it, “He has been in our family longer than I have!”
Blue on his way to winning the Ruby Final with James at the 2014 Australian Jumping Championships. Image by Stephen Mowbray.
“I remembered why I
loved the sport again…”
James continues the story. “Bindi broke him in and did the best job ever! When I started riding him, I was getting a bit over the sport. Some complications with an owner had lost me a good horse and I was not that interested in it anymore. First cross rail on Blue and that all changed. I remembered why I loved the sport again.”
Blue and James went on to achieve great success together including winning the Ruby Final at the Australian Showjumping Championships and jumping in some of the biggest Grands Prix classes in the country.
BLINDNESS & A BLACK CAT
In 2018, Blue’s career and life was almost cut tragically short after he suddenly became blind. Molly shares the story. “We still don’t know what exactly went wrong. Dad almost had him put down, but a good friend of ours who is a vet said let’s try to [save him] so we took him to Agnes Banks Equine Clinic. After four days at Agnes Banks, Dad was taking Blue for a walk when a black cat ran past, and he spotted it!
“After this Blue slowly recovered and regained his sight. Dad went on to jump and place in the World Cup at the Summer Classic in that same year.” A remarkable recovery for a remarkable horse.
“He did some amazing things for me,” adds James. “He just never stopped trying. We decided to give Molly a go. [Blue] loves her and they have grown up together, I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am that it has taken three years of riding him to win her first rug. Molly has always had his best interest at heart.”
James and Blue competing in the Grand Prix at the 2016 SSJC Showjumping Championships. Image by Christine Johnon/www.teamj.com.au.
For Molly, her journey with Blue has been equally special for her. “In the 2021 school holidays I started to ride him. It took me nearly a million cross rails to learn to sit his jump let alone stop him after it. Now he is a seasoned kids’ pony and loves his gelding royalties (Blue had previously been a stallion for many years).
“Blue has taken me from jumping my first metre all the way to jumping and placing in some big Juniors and Young Riders. Most recently we had a win together in the Young Rider in Tamworth [JNSW Young Rider Indoor Championship]!”
QUIRKY OFFSPRING
“We have plenty of his offspring all of which carry his quirks and spark for jumping. It’s so cool seeing them out and about. A few of which I have personally had the privilege of riding and competing with; quite often I find myself with a full team of his offspring at shows,” continues Molly.
“One of my favourites to compete is Bella Blu. She has all of Blue’s best traits and it was so cool to compete on them together at shows. More recently I have taken over the ride of JB Delightful, who was reluctantly given to me by my father. She is also full of Blue’s best traits and even more so his spark for jumping.
“Blue is so full of personality; he is so special to just have around. He loves having his daily pick of grass on our lawn before he goes to his paddock and loves getting plenty of treats, cuddles and scratches.
“His absolute favourite thing is getting a fresh bag of shavings in his stable at a show. If you leave a bag in front of his stable, he will make it his personal mission to rip it apart.”
“He is so funny to have around, he never fails to bring a smile to any of our faces and no matter what, he always tries his hardest.”
It is safe to say that Blue is a family favourite in the Mooney household. EQ
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