Then, Jones was a genuine superstar in the sulky with 124 wins that season and he had not yet established himself as a trainer.
Driving at the races was his priority, rather than training, and Jones was a regular at every Forbury Park meeting, where multiple winning drives were the norm.
Fast forward to now and things have completely reversed for the horseman.
Jones is now operating a massive transtasman training operation, while driving long hours to drive other people's horses is low on his agenda.
So much have things changed that the one-time regular visiting driver cannot even remember the last time he visited Forbury Park, he said.
At Forbury Park tonight, the trainer-driver will combine both of his talents by lining up four of his own team - diving three of them - and also taking two other drives.
Jones has officially opened the doors of a training barn at Menangle, near Sydney, which is mainly full of horses who used to race for him here.
While the satellite stable, run by talented Sydney horsewoman Ashlee Grives, will attract some owners to take some quality horses over the Ditch, Jones believes there is one major advantage with his operation.
That is, rather than owners selling their horses to Australia or placing them in a regular Australian stable, all of the benefits will go back to New Zealand.
That is because both the New Zealand trainer and owners will pocket prize money and income from the venture which will likely be reinvested in the New Zealand industry, he said.
The big prize money and hot Sydney sun will be a world away when Jones heads to Forbury Park tonight to show his world championship-winning wares in the sulky.
His main reason for driving tonight, rather than sending regular stable driver Samantha Ottley south, is to drive his sometimes wayward trotter, Say You Pres, in race 4, Jones said.
The horse is nominated for racing on Show Day at Addington, but needs to win tonight to boost her chances of being chosen to start from 34 horses nominated for her chosen race.
A win tonight would also hand new Forbury Park Trotting Club president Daryl Trainor, who races Say You Pres with wife Anne, a victory in only his second race night in charge of the club.
Trainor was elected the club's president, taking over from Gerald Cayford, at the annual meeting late last month.
Say You Pres will clash with stablemate Ruthless Success, who will be driven by junior driver Laura McKay who part-owns the horse.
Jones is also relying on the manners of Belle Of Brooklyn, who has drawn 1 in race 2, a 2700m standing-start event.
The trainer-driver has confidence the 3yr-old filly will be able to handle the tricky barrier which is renowned for tripping up inexperienced horses,.
Jones also trains and drives another 3yr-old filly, Ellaquence, in race 7.
The horseman's outside drives are Imran Khan for trainer Amber Hoffman in race 5 and Pat Campbell for Bruce Negus in race 8. Punters will also be greeted with another sight from yesteryear at Forbury Park tonight.
Another reinsman, who used to to be much busier driving on race nights, will also turn back the clock tonight.
Master trotting trainer Phil Williamson, who usually leaves much of the driving for his stable to sons Nathan, Matthew and Brad, will pilot three horses for other trainers tonight.
They are Mr Majestic in race 4 and To Ri Alby in race 8 for trainer Amber Hoffman and Chief Kapai in race 8 for Eion Latimer.
