OCRF to take part in first Asian camel racing in Abu Dhabi

MUSCAT: The Oman Camel Racing Federation (OCRF) is all set to take part in the first Asian Camel Racing Championship, which will take place at Al Wathba Camel Racing Track in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi on May 8.

This landmark event is poised to become a continental celebration of heritage sport, gathering camel lovers across Asia to promote the sport’s cultural legacy.

The Asian Camel Racing Federation (ACRF) has announced the rules of the first edition of the Asian championship which will witness both races, human and robot riders.

The traditional competitions (human rider) will feature two categories: male and female jockeys, both races will be for 2 km. Male jockeys will compete in two rounds, while female will compete in a single round.

The participants must be at least 18 years old, possess valid camel jockey licenses or certified approvals from their national federations.

All participants must be officially registered through their respective national federations with two jockeys per round.

The participants must be at least 18 years old, possess valid camel jockey licences or certified approvals from their national federations and pass both technical and health evaluations.

The championship will only allow camels of approved categories including Thanaya, five years old, and Al Hoal, above six years old.

All camels must be in good health, and not prohibited in the federation race system. Camels must be equipped with electronic ID chips.

The host federation will supply camels to participants from non-GCC nations. The ACRF confirmed that visas will be issued for all participants, and the host federation will bear the costs of travel expenses, accommodation and local transportation.

Camels owned by institutions or royalty are not eligible and will apply anti-doping tests to ensure integrity and fairness.

The championship will honour individual excellence and team performance. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be presented to the top three winners and cash prizes for the top 10.

In each round, the winner’s federation will receive a dedicated race cup, and the federation with the highest total points will be awarded with a championship trophy.

All participants are required to wear official safety equipment and sports attire as mandated by the ACRF.