This beautiful young sire has a story that combines every element needed to produce horses that will perform and breed on.
His mother, Kirkby Stud Blue Moon, has been one of the real legends of campdrafting over the last 25 years, while his father is the legendary Hazelwood Conman. Blue Moon carries the bloodlines of Mystic, Romeo, Cadet and Comet and a generation further back you find Rivoli Ray, Reality, Abbey, Radiant, Dimray, Peter and Lord Coronation. No wonder this is one of the most powerful mare lines of all times.
Bred by well-known horse enthusiasts Evan and Kim Acton, Millungeras Moon Beam was a very welcome addition to their horse breeding program as they believed for many years that Blue Moon was not able to breed.
Evan is well known for always having well bred horses and has always been an active purchaser of the very best bloodlines at the annual Stock Horse sales. Kirkby Stud Blue Moon was one of his purchases at the Dalby Stock Horse sale way back in 1992. He had previously been a keen purchaser of Romeo bloodlines but when Phillip Kirkby and Lindsay Knight started presenting their wonderful Omega mares Evan was impressed and wanted to try one. Blue Moon was a lovely young 3 yo mare that travelled beautifully with a big strong frame and a wonderful temperament and Evan was able to purchase her for around $8,000 which was big money at the time.
Blue Moon returned home with Evan and took her position as a young work horse until Ken May ran a Horsemanship Clinic at Millungera for the staff. He took immediate interest in the young grey mare and asked if he could take her and prepare her for the upcoming Cloncurry Challenge. She responded positively to the training but when the event arrived Ken had several other entries so the ride on Blue Moon went to Lachie Hornery, who was working with Ken. She finalled and showed all the attributes of the wonderful campaigner that she would become.
She returned to Millungera where Evan again took the reins and prepared her to draft the following season. Her Maiden win came very soon at the West Leichardt Draft the following Easter in 1994. The following year at West Leichardt she was again in the winner’s circle winning her first Open.
Throughout her career she has amassed an incredible 28 Open Campdraft wins plus victories in Ladies Drafts with Jill Radel and Kate Everett and Junior wins with Robert and Phillip Acton. She was listed in the Top 10 Open Horses of all time at the ACA 40th Anniversary list, plus achievements of running 2nd in a Chinchilla Clock and finalling in the Gold Cup four times. Her last run was in the Final of the Gold Cup at age 24. She was consistent, honest and her longevity at the highest level have made her a crowd favourite throughout her career.
Evan tried to breed from her as a 12 yo but was unsuccessful, being told she would never breed. Fortunately when she was 20 Al Simpson suggested to Evan that he thought he could get her to breed so she was sent to him at Ellerston where they were able to get five live foals from her over the next couple of seasons with Moon Beam being the oldest.
Moon Beam was always a favourite for Evan and Kim so he was always afforded the best opportunities. He was broken in by Luke Bennett and then worked steadily by Morgan Mills at Millungera. He then returned to Luke and he now has the responsibility of campaigning him. Luke has nothing but praise for Moon Beam and states he is the best Stock Horse he has ever ridden by a long way. He is adaptable and has excelled at everything Luke set for him to achieve. He has drafted him, Open Challenged him at Cloncurry and taken him in the Man From Snowy River Challenge. Although still a Novice Drafter he has finalled in the Gold Cup at both his appearances and in 2018 was awarded the prestigious Barnes Trophy at Warwick. He is a young horse with huge potential and a huge future.
Evan has the highest respect for Blue Moon’s mother, Summerville Chloe, genetics. Over time he has purchased several of Blue Moon’s siblings. Quick, Cleo, Oscar, Flash and Lewis have all made Millungera home and their performance record indicates what a phenomenally powerful mare line Blue Moon comes from. All have won drafts and all have been tremendous additions to this wonderful family.
