Jim was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA) but grew up in Monument, Colorado. He graduated from Colorado State University in 1990 with a Bachelor´s Degree in Equine Science and started training Event horses and instructing under the name of Prestige Training. He spent three years in California working for Sarah Vernlund of Denville Kanani Farms in Danville, CA as an instructor, Corey Walkey of Mill Creek Equestrian Center in Topanga, CA as an instructor, and Stonepine Equestrian Center in Carmel Valley, CA as a manager. He also spent one year in Muncie, Indiana working for Jane Ginther of Hartmeyer Stables managing the Ball State University Equitation Program before settling back in Colorado. In the Summer of 1993, Jim was hired by Helen Krieble to be the Director of High Prairie Farms Riding School in Parker, Colorado. He started the University of Denver Equestrian Team in September of 1993 which he still coaches today , and he Organized the first High Prairie Horse Trials in August of 1995. In 1996 he went independent from High Prairie, but he was still a resident Trainer/Instructor at the farm until November of 2001 when he leased his own facility nearby and named it Prestige Training Equestrian Center. In 2003 Jim took over management of Swift Creek Equestrian Center in Elizabeth, Colorado running the boarding business, schooling shows, and horse trials. Later in 2005 he was asked by Merle and Mauri Tracy of Parker, Colorado to move his teaching and training business to their state-of-the-art facility called Stellar Stables. Jim accepted their offer and will be running the new USEA Recognized Rocky Mountain Horse Trials in August of 2006!

Jim started riding at the age of four when his mom Sue Moore entered him in Lead Line classes at the shows his brother and sisters competed in. Being a professional horsewoman, Jim´s mother got him involved over the years in Hunter/Jumper Showing, Competitive Trail Riding, Endurance Riding, Saddle Seat Morgan & Arabian Showing, American Paint Horse Showing, 4-H Showing, and eventually Pony Club & Eventing. Jim was twice “Colorado State Champion 4-H English”. He got his “A” Pony Club Rating when he was 18. In 1985 he was “High Point Junior Rider” for Area IX United States Eventing Association. He has also been “High Point Senior Rider” for Area IX USEA in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1997, 2001, and 2002, and “Reserve High Point Senior Rider” in 2000. Jim was also “Leading Rider” for Mountain States Eventing Association in 1987, 1988, 1997, and 2002. He was “Reserve Leading Rider” for MSEA in 2000. He has won the prestigious “Bassinger Bowl” in 1986, 1988, 2001, and 2002 which is awarded to the highest points for all competitions in North America in which one-third must be accumulated in Area IX. In 1997, Jim and “Chesapeake Bay” won the “Richard Collins Trophy” for the USA National One-Star Championship. He is a Certified Advanced Level Instructor for Eventing through the American Riding Instructors Association and an “L” Judge for United States Dressage Federation.

Jim started training with Karen O´Connor (Then Karen Lende) in 1987. He was picked to ride in a United States Equestrian Team Training Session under Jack Le Goff in which Karen was also riding, and he decided to train with her for 6 months after that. For the last nine years, Jim has brought Karen out to Colorado for clinics and has travelled back almost every year to the East Coast to train with her. In 2000, he finally broke into the North American High Score Leaderboard finishing the year at 36th and also finishing 49th in 2001 and 32nd in 2002! He has been on the U.S.E.T. Long List since 1998 as a Developing Rider under the tutelage of Captain Mark Phillips. His mare, “Herzjuwel”, in 2001 finished 3rd and in 2002 finished 4th “Mare of the Year” for the U.S. Eventing Association. Jim hopes to one day represent the United States Equestrian Team internationally.

In 2005 Jim was appointed to the U.S. Eventing Association Board of Governors for three year term. He also passed the U.S. Eventing Association Level 3 Instructor's Certification with distinction! In October 2004, Jim was picked to represent the United States as an individual in the World Cup of Eventing Final in Pau. France riding his sister's, Cynthia Moore-West's Dutch Warmblood gelding named "Grieko"!