Going once, going twice: Visit a camel auction

The camel auction at ADIHEX. ( Delores Johnson / The National / September 6, 2013)

Ever wanted to own a camel? Got a lot of spare cash?
Then you're in luck. Today is the second and final day of camel auctions at the Al Wathbah race track outside Abu Dhabi city. The 90-minute auction starts at 5.30pm, with a break for Maghrib prayer at 6.30pm.
There are 33 camels on offer tonight, with a minimum bid of Dh20,000 for a male and Dh30,000 for a female. Expect to pay more. These calves are born from the Gulf's best and you'll be lucky to buy one for less than Dh100,000. Their fathers include Ghazi, Nassi, Son of Zood, Shaheen the Laboratory and Mejd. Take a look at some of the studs here.
Last night's most prized calf was a daughter of Al Shamkha, a retired mare. She sold for Dh1 million.
Profits are reinvested into camel fertility and genetics research. The auction is run by the Advanced Scientific Group Veterinary Research Centre, the same crowd who host an auction every fall at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
The auction is presented in English, French and Arabic. Booklets detailing camel lineage, birthdates and full body photographs are available in Arabic.
Camels are paraded on the lawn in front of the Al Wathbah grandstands. The stands include an indoor section enclosed with glass, so no need to worry about a sandstorm or dust. No invitation is necessary, just park outside and walk in.
The track is 40 minutes south of the city. After turning into Al Wathba from the E30, take the first exit (right) at the Wathbah Palace round about and the third exit (left) at the second round about. From this point, you'll see GCC flags. Follow these to the grandstands.
So, you've bought a camel. Now what? Here are five pieces of business advice from Mohammed al Mansoori, the camel tycoon of Al Gharbia featured in today's paper. He is a man with so many camels and so much confidence that he refers to himself in the third person.
Mr Al Mansoori is a branding genius in the race world. A decade ago he made the unprecedented move of naming all of his camels Al Gharbia or Al Gharbi. He says this is in tribute to his native territory, the Western Region but it is also a clever marketing strategy.
Keys to business success:
1. The bottom line is, it comes down to a person's perseverance and determination
2. It's not about the money. If you want to get to the top you don't stop to think about money or profit.
3. In the end it is all down to God's will and hard work and honest work.
4. I never underestimate anyone. Everyone is taking part in those races for the purpose of winning and at any moment a person could be lucky and win the race.
5. A trainer must be clever, intelligent, active, hard working and active. Besides, a lazy person can't possibly be intelligent.