The skies above Malham, north of Riyadh, witnessed fierce competition on Wednesday, as part of the seventh day of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2025. The day's events were dedicated to local professionals in the "Al-Malwah" competition, with 185 falcons participating across six main rounds. The event drew a large audience and featured high-level organization, reflecting the Kingdom's leading position in this rich heritage.
The importance of the festival and its cultural dimensions
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, organized by the Saudi Falcons Club , is the largest event of its kind in the world and has previously entered the Guinness World Records as the largest gathering of falcons. The importance of this event extends beyond its competitive aspect; it represents a cornerstone in preserving the cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia and the region, strengthening national identity and passing on this rich legacy to future generations, in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 to enhance quality of life and support cultural and sporting activities.
Details of the results of the local professional rounds
The competitions of the seventh day included various categories including (Peregrine Falcon chick and adult, Gyrfalcon chick and adult, and Gyrfalcon chick and adult), and the detailed results were as follows:
Shaheen category (chick and adult)
In the Shaheen Farakh , falconer Saud Al-Shaibani secured first place with his falcon (9), followed by Abdullah Hamad Al-Marri with his falcon (Al-Hashimiyah), and Khalid bin Ta'is Al-Qahtani in third place with his falcon (Madhkhurah). In the Shaheen Qarnas , Faisal bin Jumaa claimed first place with his falcon (Reef), Hani Al-Shalawi came in second with his falcon (Rima), and Hamad Nasser Al-Marri took third place with his falcon (Mukhlif).
Gir Shaheen category and the surprise of the female element
Gyrfalcon category for young falcons, Muqham Al-Qahtani secured first place with his falcon "Roumel," followed by Musa Al-Shalawi in second and Khalid Al-Shamsi in third. In a remarkable event reflecting the growing participation of women in this sport, falconer Noura bint Hamid Al-Mansouri achieved first place in the Gyrfalcon category for adult falcons with her falcon "Adbas," outperforming her competitors Abdulhadi Al-Mutairi and Mohammed Al-Hamdhawi, who finished second and third respectively.
Gear competitions follow
The rounds concluded with the Gyrfalcon , where Abdulhadi Al-Mutairi secured first place with his falcon (Hadawi), followed by Abdulrahman Al-Juhani in second place, and Faisal Al-Marzouqi in third. In the Gyrfalcon , Jaber Al-Marri achieved first place with his falcon (Mundhir), followed by Faisal Al-Marzouqi and Sultan Al-Amer in the subsequent positions.
Huge prizes and ongoing support
It is worth noting that the current edition of the festival, which runs until January 10, features 139 rounds across the Al-Malwah and Al-Mazayin competitions, with substantial cash prizes exceeding a total value of 38 million Saudi Riyals . The festival distributes 1,012 prizes, making it a focal point for professional and amateur falconers from within the Kingdom and abroad, and contributing to the revitalization of the economic and tourism sectors associated with falconry.
