Competitions in the Fakhr Al Ajyal (Pride of the Generation) Championship for Falconry, organised and supervised by Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, continued for the sixth and seventh day in Ruwayyah, Dubai.
Amid the burgeoning enthusiasm surrounding the tournament, the Organising Committee of the Fazza Championships for Falconry announced yesterday the appointment of Salem Ateej as Second Deputy Chairman of the Organising Committee.
The sixth day of the championship saw the participation of 240 falconers in three categories — namely "Garmousha Farakh”, "Pure Gyr Jirnas” and "Pure Gyr Farakh”, in which contestants from the Gulf States of Bahrain and Kuwait, in addition to a large group of falconers from different emirates in the UAE, took part.
The exceptional level of competition continued on the tournament's seventh day with 191 falconers vying for honours in two categories – "Gyr Shaheen Farakh” and "Gyr Shaheen Jirnas” for the General Public. The top 21 falcons finished the race in less than 19 seconds, indicating the strength of the birds and the high technical level of the falconers. The seventh day of the tournament also hosted the finals of the airplane competition.
Jaber Ali Huwail Al Marri, who is taking part in this season's competitions for the second time, said: "Today I'm competing in the ‘Pure Gyr Jirnas' category. I enjoy practicing falconry and I'm excited about the opportunity to match skills with the very best falconers in the region in a world-class championship like this one. I'd like to thank the jury and the organisers who pay attention to the smallest details, which has contributed to the smooth conduct of the tournament without obstacles or delay.”
He added: "I'm taking part in today's competition, along with a compatriot, not merely to compete but to interact with experienced falconers, learn from them and improve our levels. Emirati youths have become true professionals in this traditional sport and have excelled over their Gulf peers in terms of their skills and technical levels.
"The way I see it, our participation in itself is a victory for us, and I can say with certainty that this won't be the last time we are taking part in this tournament.”
Source: The Gulf Today