King Abdulaziz Camel Festival introduces round for female owners

More than two dozen Saudi women participate in this year's event after being allowed to compete for the first time

Saudi Arabian camel riders and horsewomen take part in the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival in Rumah, 160km from the capital Riyadh. The festival introduced a round for women, allowing them for the first time to enter their animals in a beauty contest. All photos: AFP

It is the sixth King Abdulaziz Camel Festival.

The event is part of a national programme to promote the breeding and welfare of camels.

The 44-day festival runs until mid-January.

Emirati men ride in a camel carriage at the festival.

A Saudi Arabian traditional dance troupe performs.

Activities at the festival include racing, camel beauty contests, auctions and training events.

Women camel owners watch from the VIP section.

As part of its campaign to promote camel farming, the kingdom introduced the Saudi Camel Club in 2017 and the International Camel Organisation in 2019.

This year, the kingdom opened the world’s largest camel hospital at a cost of more than $36.5 million.

Women parade on horseback at the festival.

Thirty three female camel owners have been allowed to enter their animals for the first time in a beauty contest at a festival in Saudi Arabia.

The sixth King Abdulaziz Camel Festival has introduced an open round for women with Al Maghateer camels, an ancient and highly valued breed.

Taking part in this year's festival, Munira Al Dosari told the Saudi Press Agency her participation aimed to show "the unlimited support that Saudi women enjoy in various fields, and to highlight their role as a key partner in the progress and development of society".

Judges at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, held in the north-east of Riyadh, on Saturday announced the results of the women’s singles contest, where Haya Al Askar was first, followed by Rasma Al Dosari in second, Malath bint Aoun in third, Lamia Al-Rashidi in fourth and Dalal bint Abdullah Al Otaibi in fifth.

The Al Mughateer camels are normally divided into colours by Bedouin tribes, from white shades to yellow and red.

The festival attracts more than 100,000 visitors a day from around the world.