The skies above Malham, north of Riyadh, witnessed fierce competition on Tuesday as part of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2025 , organized by the Saudi Falcons Club. This event, the largest of its kind in the world, brings together elite local and international falconers in a unique cultural and sporting spectacle that continues until January 10th, with great anticipation surrounding the final results.
The importance of the festival and its global standing
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is gaining increasing importance year after year, not only as a sporting competition but also as a cultural heritage reflecting the identity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rich traditions of the Arabian Peninsula. In its previous editions, the festival has successfully entered the Guinness World Records as the largest gathering of falcons in the world, further solidifying the Kingdom's position as a global destination for heritage and ecotourism. The festival aims to preserve the art of falconry and pass it on to future generations, in addition to supporting falconers and investing in this vital field.
Details of the amateur race results on the sixth day
On the sixth day of the festival, attention focused on the local amateur category, where 219 falcons competed fiercely in six qualifying rounds of the Al-Malwah (400 meters) competition. The detailed results for the top finishers are as follows:
- Gyr Purebred Chick Round: Falconer Sultan Al-Dosari won first place with his falcon (Houdour), followed by Abdulrahman Al-Muhaini with his falcon (Adeem), then Fahd Bin Shuwaya with his falcon (Mutlaq).
- Purebred Gyrfalcon race: Mohammed Ghanem Al-Dosari achieved first place with his falcon (Ramz), Hamad bin Nafel Al-Marri came in second with (Fazza), and Saeed Batihan Al-Marri came in third with (Namous).
- Gyrfalcon chick race: Hamad Abdulrahman Al-Marri won first place with the falcon (Al-Zaeem), Nader Al-Mutairi came in second with (Sky), and Sultan Al-Dosari came in third with (Layl).
- Gyrfalcon Shaheen Qarnas round: Mubarak Al-Qahtani won first place with the falcon (Mansour), Waleed Al-Afees came second with (Qannad), and Badr Al-Shammari came third with (Shakhit).
- In the Gyrfalcon chick category, Hatem Al-Khaldi achieved first place with his falcon (Khurmas), followed by Adel Al-Mutairi with (Matrouk), and then Faisal Salem Al-Marri with (J911).
- The Gyrfalcon race concluded with Abdullah Al-Ajmi winning first place with (Tamam), Abdulrazzaq Al-Thawadi came in second with (Phobia), and Mohammed Ghanem Al-Dosari came in third with (Cruz).
Huge prizes and unprecedented support
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2025 is distinguished by its massive cash prizes, the largest in the history of falconry competitions, with a total prize pool exceeding 38 million Saudi Riyals, distributed across 1,012 prizes in 139 diverse categories. The main competitions include "Al-Malwah" and "Al-Mazayin," which stimulate competition and raise the level of professionalism among falconers.
It is worth noting that the “Mazayin” competition relies on precise aesthetic criteria to select the most beautiful falcons, while the “Malwah” competition depends on speed and the ability to cover a distance of 400 meters in the shortest possible time. The festival witnesses wide participation, encompassing owners, amateurs, professionals, and elites, making it a comprehensive event that covers all aspects of this time-honored sport.
