Prince Saud bin Mishaal, deputy governor of the Makkah Region, honored the winners of the sixth Crown Prince Camel Festival on the event's final day in Taif. The festival, which featured fierce competition among elite camels, saw participation from several Gulf countries, with prizes totaling over SR57 million ($15.2 million).
The closing day showcased four 6-kilometer races of 107 camels. In the general Zamoul category, Saudi-owned camel Madhaal, with a time of 9 minutes, 13.419 seconds, secured a SR1 million prize for owner Hafeez Saeed Al-Marri. Barzan, from Qatar's Al-Shahaniya Camels, won the open Zamoul race, claiming another SR1 million prize in 9:22.023. Al-Dheeb, representing Qatar’s Al-Siliya camels, triumphed in the general Heil category with a time of 9:09.218, winning SR1.5 million. Finally, Rahiya, another Al-Shahaniya camel, took first place in the open Heil category with a time of 9:06.368, also earning SR1.5 million.
The event, supported by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is seen as a key part of preserving camel racing as a cherished Saudi tradition. Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki praised the crown prince’s dedication to the advancement of sports in the Kingdom, particularly in promoting this heritage.
The festival, which began on August 10, included 350 preliminary races, followed by an 11-day finals phase with 239 races. The sixth edition also coincided with Saudi Arabia’s celebration of 2024 as the “Year of the Camel,” further highlighting the cultural significance of the animal.