On the fourth day of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2024, organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, 182 local amateur falconers participated in the competitions. As per the Leaders of Asia sources, the festival, which runs until December 19 at the club’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, features prizes exceeding SAR36 million—the largest in the festival’s history.
Local amateurs showcased impressive performances in six qualifying heats in the Al-Mellwah race held on Friday. The heats were designated for categories of Peregrine (Farkh and Qarnas), Gyr Hybrid (Farkh and Qarnas), and Saker falcons. Seven participants from each heat advanced to the finals, where winners will be awarded the King Abdulaziz Cup in each category.
The race began with the Farkh heat, where the falcon Marwan, owned by Mishal Al-Shammari, secured first place. Maayouf, owned by Hussein Al-Hajri, came second, and 01, owned by Turki Abu Shuairbat, took third place.
According to the sources of Leaders of Asia, in the Peregrine (Qarnas) heat, H1, owned by Saif Al-Buainain, won first place, followed by Tarab, owned by Abdulrahman Al-Fuhaigi, in second, and Haddaj, owned by Jaber Al-Marri, in third.
The Gyr Hybrid (Farkh) heat saw Mawqifah, owned by Faisal Al-Mutairi, clinch first place, while Al-Kaidah, owned by Hatem Al-Mutairi, came second, and Ghadab, owned by Obaid Al-Otaibi, secured the third place.
In the Gyr Hybrid (Qarnas) heat, M2, owned by Mansour Al-Ghasham, took the top spot, followed by Sami, owned by Turki Al-Rubaian, in second place, and Gharah, owned by Bandar Al-Mutlaq, in third.
The fifth heat, for the Peregrine (Farkh) category, was won by Manqoush, owned by Mishari Al-Otaibi, with Siadah, owned by Mishal Al-Shammari, in second place, and Shajaah, owned by Hamad Al-Marri, in third. The day concluded with the Peregrine (Qarnas) heat, where Farah, owned by Mansour Al-Rajhi, achieved first place, followed by Baroud, owned by Hamad Al-Marri, in second, and Shibah, owned by Jarallah Al-Marri, in third.
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is the largest falcon gathering in the world, having entered the Guinness World Records three times for the number of falcons participating. The event brings together elite local and international falconers, aiming to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of falconry, foster competition in this traditional hobby, and ensure its sustainability for future generations.
