In 1997, Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, hosted a camel race at Abu Dhabi's Al Wathba track. The race was held for a German delegate and friend, Wilhelm Breitling, who himself had a camel farm in Germany.
What was atypical about this particular race was that the participating camel jockeys were all German women. In the famously insular male-dominated sport, this was highly unusual. However, the women had been learning to ride the camels for several weeks and were invited to the UAE by Sheikh Zayed, who was one of the most ardent patrons of camel racing in the region and wanted to promote the sport internationally.
The event was a historical one and made headlines in Germany. It also marked one of the few, if not only, instances where women participated in a camel race as jockeys. The positive outcomes of that 1997 event are still being felt today. Now, more than two decades later, the race is being cited as the inspiration behind the creation of a camel racing school that focuses on training women.
Located near Al Marmoom Heritage Village in Dubai, the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre (ADCRC) opened its doors in January and is billed as the UAE's first licensed centre for camel riding, training and race preparation. The centre, owned by Obaid bin Subaih Al Falasi, is managed by Shamsa Al Hajj and Linda Krockenberger, both of whom have years of camel riding experience and lead the training sessions.
"Students with no experience can join us and will eventually graduate with the required skills to also participate in camel races if they wish," Al Hajj tells The National.
While the centre does accept male students and has designated days for mixed classes, its primary focus is on training a women's team to participate in heritage races across the country. These races, held with the intention of keeping the tradition alive, generally take place between October and March and are separate from the competitive races jockeyed by robots.
Students with no experience can join us and will eventually graduate with the required skills to also participate in camel races if they wish
“The team includes more than 12 camel jockeys from several European and Arab countries,” Al Hajj says. “They all participate with courage and passion.”
While some of the women have horse riding experience, most are completely new to the sport. Al Hajj says they usually begin the training by learning how to walk and trot with the camels, first with the support of guiding camels before taking the reins freely.
“We train in the mornings and evenings and cover between eight and 12 kilometres in each session,” Al Hajj says. “The most important aspect of riding camels is to find balance within the moment with minimal support. Our education programme includes the necessary theoretical classes in how to prepare the riding equipment as well as how to care for the animals.”
Part of the motivation to open the centre, Krockenberger says, is that she couldn't find a place to develop her camel riding skills after learning how to ride two years ago during the annual camel trek held by the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre.
“Once the journey from Liwa to Dubai was completed, I wanted to go find a place to continue working with these fascinating animals, especially because it was a good balance to my corporate life,” she says. “That’s how I met Shamsa [Al Hajj] and we became good friends.”
Krockenberger began honing her riding skills with Al Hajj, taking a series of long camel rides with her as often as she could. "We did a return trip to Qudra Lakes, which is 25km away, just for fun. It took a whole day but it was a chance to enjoy the camels and the desert."
Eventually, the duo decided to launch the school with the aim of making it more accessible for members of the larger UAE community to interact with camels and to also carve a space for women jockeys at the annual heritage races.
"The heritage races are where Emirati boys would be riding, across different age categories and Shamsa [Al Hajj], being a strong Emirati woman and very passionate about her heritage, said 'OK, but where's our place?'," Krockenberger says. Come October, the women's camel racing team at the ADCRC will be ready to take part in the heritage races.
Though camel racing is deeply ingrained in the UAE's culture – it was included in Unesco's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December as a UAE and Omani element – it isn't easy for most residents to participate in.
“Our mission is to make the sport available for everyone who is interested,” she says. “There is a focus on females because they didn’t have a space like this so far.”
Krockenberger said that it was important for the centre to receive an official licence from the Dubai Sports Council. She says she and Al Hajj didn't want to just make the hobby accessible to other people, but to build something that could potentially have a lasting legacy.
“We wanted to bring back the athletic aspect of camel racing,” she says. “To have the centre run by and for the community, where we can all take input from the people and our team and evolve.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
