Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The competitions of the inaugural edition of the Arabian Saluki Championship for the 2026–2027 sporting season will kick off on November 7 in Al Ain and on November 14 in Al Dhafra.
The competitions are held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, and His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region.
The championship, which is organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club and the Arabian Saluki Centre in Abu Dhabi, embodies the UAE’s efforts to safeguard its intangible cultural heritage and develop Arabian Saluki sport through a professional system for racing, registration, and classification, in accordance with advanced technical and organisational standards.
It aims to support owners and breeders, preserve purebred bloodlines, attract new generations to this authentic heritage sport, and reinforce the UAE’s position as a leading centre for Arabian Saluki sport.
The championship will feature an enhanced final-race schedule, divided into four distance categories: speed races over 1,000 metres, middle-distance races over 1,500 metres, endurance races over 2,000 metres, and stamina races over 2,500 metres. The races will be held across 10 competitive rounds.
The qualifying races over 1,000 metres will commence in Al Ain on November 7, 2026 at Al Rawdah Camel Racing Track, followed by another qualifying round in Al Dhafra on 14th November. The final will take place on November 28 in Al Dhafra at the Camel Racing Track.
The qualifying races over a distance of 1,500 metres will take place in Al Ain on December 5 and in Al Dhafra on December 12, with the final also scheduled to take place in Al Dhafra on 26 December 2026.
The qualifying races over a distance of 2,000 metres will be held in Al Ain on 9 January 2027 and in Al Dhafra on 16 January 2027, with the final scheduled for 6 February 2027 in Al Ain.
The Arabian Saluki Championship will conclude with the 2,500-metre stamina race, scheduled to take place on 20 March 2027 in Al Dhafra, marking the culmination of the championship’s inaugural sporting season.
With the Emirates Falconers’ Club launching this championship, Arabian Saluki sport in the UAE and the Arabian Gulf region is entering a new phase of development through an integrated national system that brings together the preservation of cultural heritage, and the promotion of sporting practice in accordance with modern organisational and technical standards.
The accompanying events of the championship, which were launched during the latest edition of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition, also include the Arabian Saluki Beauty Contest (Al Mazayen) and a simulated hunting competition using a mechanical lure, providing an opportunity to showcase the Arabian Saluki’s beauty, capabilities and innate skills.
Majed Ali Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, expressed his thanks and appreciation to UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his continued support for the UAE’s rich cultural heritage.
He also commended the support and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his commitment to launching pioneering initiatives that strengthen the presence of heritage sports and support their sustainability. Al Mansouri also thanked His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his patronage of the Arabian Saluki Championship in Al Ain.
Al Mansouri also extended his thanks and appreciation to all entities collaborating with the Emirates Falconers’ Club in organising the championship as partners and supporters. These include: The Ruler’s Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region, The Ruler’s Representative Court in Al Ain Region, the Camel Race Association, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center, Al Ain Municipality, Al Dhafra Municipality, and Yas TV.
Al Mansouri emphasised that the championship’s strategic dimension also extends to the development of the Arabian Saluki itself, through encouraging its breeding and rearing in accordance with the highest standards, developing training and assessment mechanisms, and supporting research and development in this field.
He noted that the vision includes establishing a specialised scientific database for the Arabian Saluki, covering studies of its genetic and physical capabilities and the development of scientific programmes to improve the breed.
The championship also aims to broaden the base of participation to include owners, breeders and enthusiasts, and to build a more organised community around Arabian Saluki sport.
The impact of this system extends beyond the sporting dimension. Its objectives also include stimulating the economy associated with Saluki sport through sectors such as breeding, rearing, training, equipment and heritage tourism. This will expand the range of beneficiaries from the growth of this sport, while extending its economic and cultural impact beyond the realm of competition.
