MUSCAT, May 13
‘Mehenah’ and ‘Al Haylah’ snatched the golden swords, ‘Lafee’ won the gun, while ‘Shahenyah’ took the dagger and ‘Shaheen’ claimed the festival icon at the Al Mushrif Festival from May 12 to 13.
The festival was organised by the local committee in Al Mudhaibi, with support of Mubarak bin Amer al Habsi, General Supervisor of the Festival, under the Oman Camel Racing Federation.
More than 600 camels took part in the festival, which was specified for ‘Fatamen’ category, which are one year old, for a distance of 1,200 metres for debut camels and 1,500 metres for other participating camels, competing in 17 rounds.
The conclusion ceremony was sponsored by Ali al Habsi, Oman football icon, who supported the festival with a car as an award for the winner.
Former Oman captain and Premier League player Ali al Habsi said it was a great opportunity to support Oman’s traditional sport.
“First of all, we would like to thank the organising committee of the festival, and for sure the festival is a success and thanks to the supporting companies,” Al Habsi said.
“We not only support football, but also other sports financially. This festival has a great impact for the owners of racing camels as it creates a big movement in the camel market by buying and selling. Some of the camel owners sold numbers of camels outside of Oman, and the winner earned great prices, that means the festival has achieved its target.”
In addition, the festival was supported with two cars by Mohsin bin Hani al Bahrani, CEO at Mohsin Haider Darwish, and with a car by Gulf Dam for Engineering & Services Company, owned by Shaikh Muslim bin Bakhit al Kathiri.
GOLDEN SWORD
With great competition at the first race for 1,500 metres, ‘Mehenah’, owned by Suhail bin Amer al Ghufaili, claimed the golden sword and the car after finishing the race in one minute and 57 seconds. ‘Lafee’, owned by Mohammed bin Salim al Owaisi, claimed the second race and received the gun and a car after finishing the race distance in 2 minutes.
The third car was snatched by ‘Shahenyah’, owned by Sultan bin Ahmed al Habsi, with a time of two minutes. The fourth car was won by ‘Thameen’, owned by Bader bin Obaid al Junaibi, with timing of 1 minute 57 seconds.
In the fifth round for cash prize, ‘Shahenyah’, owned by Ahmed bin Abdullah al Wahibi, came first in 2 minutes 3 seconds. ‘Shaheen’, owned by Mahmoud bin Salim al Wahibi, won the last round in the category in a time of two minutes and five seconds.
In the main races for first time participating camels, ‘Al Haylah’, owned by Hilal bin Saleh al Wahibi, claimed the golden sword and the car after completing the 1,200 metres in one minute and 39 seconds. In the second round, ‘Shaheen’, owned by Qaboos bin Said al Meshali, finished first in 1 min 41 sec and the third round was claimed by ‘Al Bathaa’, owned by Turki bin Ali al Wahibi (1m 41 sec). The fourth round was won by ‘Moawad’, owned by Mohammed bin Ali al Harthy (1m 41 sec) and the last round in the festival was claimed by Ahmed bin Salim al Qanoubi.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
