14th edition of Mohamed bin Zayed Camel Racing Festival kicks off

The festival is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

Six days of thrilling camel races

The festival's activities will run for six days, featuring various competitive categories such as "Al Haqayiq," "Al Laqaya," "Al Idhaa," "Al Thanaya," "Al Hawl," and "Al Zamoul." The races include "Jamaa Camels" competing for valuable cash and in-kind prizes, with a total of 174 rounds and 12 symbolic prizes. Additionally, 10 rounds are dedicated to the heritage race.

Heritage races and participation

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Advisor to the President and Chairman of the Camel Racing Federation, attended the evening competitions, which were dedicated to the heritage race. The races saw wide participation from Emirati citizens and residents of the UAE, with a large crowd of fans and camel racing enthusiasts.

Key winners and results

Hamdan Al Tabib Maayouf Al Aryani won the first round with his camel "Laffan" in a time of 3:05:53 minutes. Mohammed Abdullah Hilal Bu Ibrahim followed with a victory in the second round, riding "Anab" with a time of 3:02:57 minutes. Other notable winners included Al Kasz, Maryam Tariq Abdullah Al Hammadi, Hamdan Farhan Musleh Al Ahbabi, and Alexander Osterwald, among others.

Looking ahead: Upcoming races and challenges

Tomorrow’s races will feature the first categories for young camels and speed challenges in the morning, followed by heritage competitions in the evening. The second day of the festival will continue with more races, including the prestigious "symbols" challenge, with impressive cash prizes for the winners, including 1.5 million dirhams for young camels and 1 million dirhams for the Jaadan rounds.

The festival promises to be an exciting and highly competitive event, showcasing the rich heritage of camel racing in the UAE.