In a traditional atmosphere imbued with the spirit of competition and authenticity, His Royal Highness Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, crowned the winners of the "Mazayin" (beauty) races for the individual "Mafarid" (young camels) category in the "Sha'al" and "Shaqah" colors. These competitions commenced today, Saturday, as part of the accompanying events of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Camel Festival 2026, and witnessed a large audience and wide participation from prominent camel owners in the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Results details and the dominance of Saudi owners
The “Shaal” color category witnessed fierce competition among the participants, culminating in Saudi owner Nawaf Al-Shammari taking first place with his camel “Samou Al-Ghandaliyat,” thus confirming the excellence of Saudi breeding in this category. Saudi owner Turki Al-Sharafi came in second with his camel “Janadriyat Al-Nawamis,” while Qatari owner Abdullah Al-Athba finished third with his camel “Razama,” reflecting the regional dimension and active Gulf participation in the festival.
In the “Shaqah” color category, Saudi owners imposed their complete dominance by winning the top three positions. Owner Fahd Al-Mutairi was crowned with first place with the camel “Razan Al-Falihat”, followed by owner Mashabeb Al-Dossari in second place with the camel “Wasm Al-Falihat”, and owner Nawaf Al-Rashidi achieved third place with the camel “Wasayef Shaqah Al-Mamlakah”.
Promoting cultural heritage and authenticity
These competitions come within the context of Saudi Arabia's growing interest in the camel sector, which forms a cornerstone of the cultural and historical identity of the Arabian Peninsula. The camel beauty contests are more than just a sporting competition; they are a celebration of the camel's beauty, which has accompanied Arab people throughout the ages, and a living embodiment of the cultural heritage that the Kingdom's Vision 2030 seeks to preserve and showcase to the world. Integrating the beauty contests into the camel festival contributes to providing a comprehensive cultural experience that combines the excitement of racing with the beauty of the spectacle.
Organization and financial awards
The festival's organizing committee began accepting registration applications from camel owners for the "beauty" competitions on January 18th. These competitions were included as part of the festival's accompanying events, organized jointly and through high-level coordination between the Saudi Camel Racing Federation and the Camel Club. This collaboration aims to unify efforts to serve this vital sector and showcase the beauty of camels in a competition that reflects their national cultural significance. In recognition of this significance and to encourage owners, valuable cash prizes totaling 2.7 million riyals have been allocated for the winners of these competitions.
Categories of competition and economic impact
The camel beauty contest includes the six main color categories known to experts: Al-Wadh, Al-Majahim, Al-Sifr, Al-Sha'al, Al-Humr, and Al-Shaqah. The committee has urged owners wishing to participate to regularly check the terms, conditions, and approved schedule on official platforms to ensure compliance with the technical and veterinary requirements. This festival is expected to contribute to boosting the camel-related economy, both through buying and selling and by attracting tourists interested in this rich heritage from around the world.
