The Bega Showjumping Club’s annual Fossils’ Cup competition will run this Sunday at the Bega Showground. 

Officials said the event, now in its 10^th year, had proven very popular and will also be very rewarding for the winner with $2800 in prize money up for grabs. 

“The event was originally the brain child of Jackie Warren, who wanted to give everyone involved with jump club a special event to compete in,” a spokeswoman for the Showjumping Club said.  

“This meant that it was the parents’ and grandparents’ turn to climb onto a horse and show what they had.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to it and it has just grown every year since it began, it’s quite the spectacle now,” she said with a laugh. 

Officials said the response had been fantastic with several competitors relishing the opportunity to turn back the clock and get in the saddle. 

Meanwhile, other entrants didn’t share that experience and it could be the first time for some to negotiate their way around a jumping course. 

To build on the light-hearted nature of the competition, organisers give the Cup a theme each year and the theme for 2016 will be “family affair”. 

The spokeswoman said this meant the course would be run as a rescue relay with a pair of riders competing together as a team. 

“Teams must consist of one ‘fossil’ and one child from the same family,” the spokeswoman said. 

Organisers said the Fossil Cup is a great spectacle and everyone is welcome to head along and share a laugh with the entrants.

Showjumping Club president Brett Clarke took out the coveted event last year and organisers are urging everyone to sign up and knock him off the podium. 

Previous winners included Numbugga’s Keith Summerell, while Richard “Paddy” Otton took to the course in 2014 and any number of riders are expected to compete again this year for the crown.

The club will also hold two rings of regular competition with events running from 9am and the Cup to run around noon. 

“Ring one will start with events 80cm in height and go up to 1.2m, while ring two has 30cm cross-rails and finish with the exciting six bar events.”

Entry is free for spectators and the club will have a canteen available. 

A program of events for the day and other details are available on the club’s website at www.begashowjumpingclub.weebly.com