AlUla: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar emerged big winners on the second day of the second annual AlUla Camel Cup.
Held in unseasonably warm conditions, Thursday’s competition consisted of two 5km categories, Hagayeg and Lagaya, with two races each.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif won the first Hagayeg race, much to the delight of spectators.
The prince’s camel, aptly named AlUla, won in a time of 5 minutes 59.3 seconds. In the second Hagayeg race of the day, Short, owned by Emirati Mohammed Al-Kutbi, took first place with a time of 5:57.8.
The day’s total prize pool of $6.83 million was divided equally between the two categories.
The winners in each race received $870,000, second place received $266,666, and third place received $133,333. The remainder of the prize pool was distributed among the other finishers.
The event was organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla as part of the AlUla Moments calendar in partnership with the Saudi Camel Racing Federation.
Following the inaugural edition in March last year, the 2024 AlUla Camel Cup offers spectators and participants a new and more comprehensive experience.
This year, designated the Year of the Camel by the United Nations and the Ministry of Culture, the event pays tribute to the desert animal that is an integral part of the kingdom’s heritage.
“The AlUla Camel Cup attracts the best riders and best camels not only from the region, but from around the world,” said Mahmoud Albalawi, SCRF executive director. “Qualification for the AlUla Camel Cup is deliberately challenging, with 11 camel races taking place under the federation’s jurisdiction throughout the season to qualify for this spectacular competition.”
Albalawi said the Saudi Camel Racing Federation’s programs “target all corners of Saudi Arabia to develop and improve the cherished sport of camel racing. There are more than 50 camel racing tracks across the country, including the exclusive AlUla venue where the AlUla Camel Cup takes place.”
RCU Chief Sports Officer, Ziad Al-Suhaibani, praised the participants and said: “The AlUla Camel Cup reflects the importance of camel racing as a symbol of the kingdom’s heritage and culture.”
While this heritage sport dates back to the seventh century, this year’s event features a more contemporary setup that caters to all families. There are opportunities to take camel selfies, sample a camel smoothie or listen to live folk music by local artists.
The final race will take place on Saturday.