Saudi camels continued their dominance and topped the list of participating countries in the 2025 Ministry of Sports Camel Racing Cup, as the second day of competition, dedicated to the "Laqaya" category, concluded. Saudi camels secured their third cup victory, in addition to winning 25 races, in the championship organized by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation. This year's tournament is particularly special as it is being held for the first time at the historic Janadriyah racecourse, with substantial prize money exceeding 10 million riyals.
In the details of the competitions, the Vice President of the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, Mr. Mohammed Hammad Al-Balawi, crowned the winners at the end of the second day. The morning session witnessed 20 general races, while the evening session featured 10 races (4 cup races and 6 open races). The camel “Ghara,” owned by Nawaf Mahras Al-Hajri, stole the show by winning the third race and the Ministry of Sports Cup (general female camels) with a time of 7:34.225 minutes. Meanwhile, “Al-Shababi,” owned by Abdullah Majid Al-Majid, won the Ministry of Sports Cup (general male camels) with a time of 7:32.862 minutes.
At the Gulf level, Bahraini and Qatari camels made a strong showing in the open races. The camel “Ajyal,” owned by His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, won the Bakar (open) Cup, while “Khuzan,” owned by Umm Al Zubair Camels from Qatar, won the Qadan (open) Cup. The camels covered a total distance of 150 km across 30 races that day. Saudi Arabia led the pack with 12 titles in the Laqaya category, followed by the UAE with 8 titles, Qatar with 7 titles, and Bahrain with 3 titles.
This championship holds exceptional significance that transcends its status as a mere sporting competition. The choice of the Janadriyah Camel Racing Track as the venue for the event reflects profound cultural and historical symbolism, as it represents a cornerstone of authentic Saudi heritage. Organizing this championship aligns with the Kingdom's efforts to promote camel racing as an integral part of its national identity, and is in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, which places great importance on reviving and elevating cultural heritage to the level of international sports.
The significant momentum of the championship, the eighth on the federation's calendar this season, also reflects the rapid growth of this economic and sporting sector. Following a series of successes that began with the Al-Mafareed race, the Taif season, and the Crown Prince Festival, this cup confirms the sustainability of the competition and the strength of local camel breeding, which positively impacts the economic activity of camel owners and trainers in the region.
In terms of the overall numbers of the championship so far, Saudi camels have soared to the top with 25 out of 66 races held on the first and second days, reflecting the development of the level of local camels and their ability to compete and win major titles, while Qatari camels came in second with 18 races, Emirati camels with 14 races, Bahraini camels with 6 races, and Omani camels with 3 races, in a scene that embodies the cohesion and fair competition among the people of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
