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.
