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Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister—may Allah protect him—the sixth edition of the Crown Prince Camel Festival, organized by the Saudi Camel Federation, has commenced at the Taif Camel Racing Track.
The festival’s organizing committee completed all preparations and arrangements for the Taif venue in advance. The festival began with the preliminary rounds, which will last for 12 consecutive days, with races held in two sessions: a morning session at 6:30 AM and an afternoon session at 3:00 PM.
The total prize money for this edition exceeds 56 million riyals, attracting a large group of local and international camel owners who will compete across the approved camel categories: Mafareed, Haqaiq, Laqaya, Jadh’a, Thanaya, Hail, and Zamool.
The festival will run for 23 days, featuring 610 races, including 360 in the preliminary rounds and 250 in the final rounds.
The previous editions of the festival, which began in 2018, witnessed significant interest from camel racing enthusiasts worldwide. The festival aims to reinforce the cultural significance of camel heritage in Saudi culture.
Coinciding with the start of the festival, the Taif Camel Racing Track marks its 40th anniversary. Established in 1406 AH, the historic track has played a vital role in preserving this authentic heritage, promoting social and cultural solidarity, and stimulating the economic aspects of buying and selling markets. The track is renowned for producing some of the most valuable camels in Saudi and Gulf circuits.
The track’s director, Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, highlighted that the Taif Camel Racing Track, one of the oldest in Saudi Arabia, has significantly contributed to the success of major competitions. He stated, "The track has undergone a series of qualitative transformations in the construction and design of facilities and support services over the past six years as part of the 'Vision 2030', making it a fully-fledged sports city."
The racecourse is 10 kilometers long, with three tracks designated for local camel owners, a track for media and broadcasting channels, and three additional tracks for owners outside the course. The width of the course at the starting line is 40 meters and narrows to 12 meters at the finish line.
The venue also includes more than 4,000 "Azyab" (camel pens) for participants in the camel races.
The total number of races held at the historic track across the six editions of the festival is expected to exceed 3,500.
In this sixth edition, the organizing committee has scheduled 610 races, compared to 2,937 races held in the previous five editions: 787 races in the first edition, 439 in the second edition, 531 in the fourth edition, and 589 in the fifth edition.
Talq bin Shaker Al-Sharif, a camel owner from Mecca, emphasized that each edition of this festival surpasses the previous one in terms of the economic impact on the sport. He said, "We have seen an increase in the number of participating owners from both inside and outside the Kingdom, as well as a growing interest from businessmen in the camel sector."
He added, "This has led to the development of the camel trading market, making it the largest in the region, thanks to the wise leadership's interest and the substantial support from His Highness the Crown Prince."
Last year’s fifth edition of the festival saw more than 780 deals worth over a quarter of a billion riyals.
Al-Sharif explained, "We have witnessed large transactions taking place even before the start of the festival and before the registration for participation in this edition was opened. I am confident that the number and value of deals will surpass last year’s edition and set new records."
He continued, "This year’s edition has attracted first-time participants, and the camel trading market has become the primary activity, especially at this festival, which kicks off the racing season and coincides with the transition of camels from one age category to another, aligning with the appearance of the Suhail star."
The festival has generated economic benefits through a variety of events that support and enhance the preservation of cultural heritage, reflecting the deep cultural roots of the Kingdom. The activities of the festival across all its editions have focused on embedding the heritage of camels in Saudi, Arab, and Islamic cultures.
The camel sector receives considerable support and attention from the Crown Prince—may Allah protect him—as part of a visionary plan to develop the sport, fulfilling the aspirations of camel owners and enthusiasts across the Kingdom and the Arab world. The festival is a key destination for camel owners and enthusiasts, safeguarding authentic heritage and contributing positively to the economy and tourism.
Contact Info:
Name: Khaled Alkharji
Email: Send Email
Organization: Crown Prince Camel Festival
Website: https://scrf.sa/
Release ID: 89138553
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