Falcon Beauty Contest to be held in Abu Dhabi


Mazroui: contests aimed at raising awareness about sports of falconry as age-old tradition of UAE.


Abu Dhabi - The Falcon's Beauty Contest will be one of the most lively attractions of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Show in next September, organisers said.

The event, to be held from 13 to 16 September, will feature several falconry contests.

''These contests are aimed at raising greater awareness about the sports of falconry as an age-old tradition of the UAE people. It is also aimed at encouraging falconers to use crossbred falcons as an alternative to wild falcons which are at the verge of extinction,'' said Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazroui, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Abu Dhabi 2004 Hunting and Equestrian Show and Member of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Falconers Club (EFC).

�The recourse to farm falcons would allow the falcon population in the wild to multiply,� he added.

It would also encourage farmers to engage in massive crossbreeding projects, as demand for farm falcons will increase.

Although many contests and quizzes are lined up for the exhibition, the Falcons Beauty Contest will be unique in that it will be the first of its kind ever in the GCC region and the world at large.

The biggest beneficiaries of the show will be farmers, who are expected to be at the center-stage of the contest.

The most beautiful falcons will be chosen from amongst the crossbred farm falcons by a panel of experts in the field as well as from the Emirates Falconers Club.

The selection will include the Shaheen and other species.

The criteria for selecting will include the beauty of the colour, the general appearance in addition to physique.

Prize will also be given to the best and the biggest crossbred falcon.

Other competitions will include free-drawing and art competition in addition to photographic competition.

The photographic competition will cover equestrian and falconry topics but entries on related topics will be accepted from amateurs falconers and others.

Another category of contest will involve an award for the best or creative idea in the area of hunting equipment.

The fifth contest will involve poets from the GCC region and from around the world who will be expected to come up with their masterpieces in falconry and horse riding.

A poetry reading evening will be organised in the second day and will bring together renowned poets Hamad Abdul Karim from Kuwait, Yassir Al Tuwejri from Saudi Arabia, Issa Al Manai from, Qatar and Ahmed Eid Al Mansouri from the UAE.

The Abu Dhabi International Show will bring together over 150 exhibitors from more than 20 countries around.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the EFC, the show is set to be the largest hunting and equestrian gathering ever as it is expected to attract a tremendous response from exhibitors in the UAE, the GCC and the rest of the world.

The show which will be organized by the EFC in conjunction with the General Exhibition Corporation (GEC), underscores the keenness of UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to preserve falconry as a long-standing heritage and tradition of the UAE people that has been handed down from one generation to the next.

It is also meant to highlight the fact that hunting and falconry are no ordinary sports but also involve the responsibility of preserving the environment and the wildlife, as repeatedly stated by Sheikh Hamdan.

The show will provide a valuable opportunity for a cross section of hunters, falconers and Equestrian fans to exchange experiences and also view the latest technology in the areas of falconry and hunting.

Aspects such as weaponry, communication systems, in addition to falconry breeding and training materials will be on display.

Marine and land preparations materials will also be exhibited as well.

The show, which will run for four days, has been expanded to cover new aspects such horse breeding and training equipment, horse-riding sports wears, medicines, desert sports equipment, sailing and skiing equipment, camel ridding equipment, fishing and other marine sports equipment.

This year's exhibition will feature a heritage village which will be staged by the Emirates Heritage Club.

The village will depict various aspects of social and traditional life of the UAE people in the past as well as in the present, with special emphasis on aspects of the Bedouin life that have been handed from the past generation till the present day.

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