Saudi Women Riders Secure Historic First Wins at Camel Festival
Saudi Women Riders Set Historic Firsts at Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif
TAIF: Saudi women riders wrote themselves into history during the seventh Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif, achieving first-ever victories in one of the most revered sporting occasions in the Kingdom.
Reema Al-Shuwaie won the title in the initial main round with her camel Absher, and Hadeel Al-Sharif won the second round with Mubshir, said the Saudi Press Agency.
Marwan Al-Johani, competition head and registry manager of the Saudi Camel Race Federation, lauded the accomplishment, citing that the outcome is proof of the fast growth of women in camel racing.
“Another feature of the growth seen in camel sport is this, and it is one we hoped to gain by improving the performance of women camel riders in their competitions,” he added. He attributed the initiatives of Prince Fahad bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, chairman of the Saudi Camel Federation, for engaging women and improving competition.
The festival, organized at Taif’s historic camel square, consists of 249 races, five of which are for men and women riders, drawing the participation of 78 athletes from eight nations. The competitors come from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria, and Britain, with prizes worth more than SR50 million (\$13.3 million).
Saudi Camel Sports spokesperson Murdhi Al-Khamaali noted that the impact of the festival goes beyond sport.
The Crown Prince Camel Festival has brought genuine Arab culture to the world by combining various traditions of the Kingdom, Gulf countries, and the Arab world, so the competition is not only a sport but also an economic, social, and cultural movement,” he explained.
Since its launch, the festival has become a record-breaking affair. Over 90,000 camels raced in its first six editions, with its seventh breaking 100,000 entries and establishing several new Guinness World Records.
This year’s historic victories for Reema Al-Shuwaie and Hadeel Al-Sharif represent a milestone for the sport, ushering in a new era of opportunity and recognition for Saudi women in camel racing.
