Camel Racing & Sports
There is one aspect in which Arabic culture is exactly like that of the West, and that is in the fact that when it comes to sport, football is by far the most popular. Fans across the Middle East will be tuning in to the forthcoming World Cup with just as much fervour as those in Europe and South America.
However, while this very western sport has gained an ineffable following across the globe, there is a sport that is archetypally Middle Eastern that is seeing a surge in popularity across the globe. The ancient sport of camel racing might have been around for centuries, but it is modern technology that has caused this rise in popularity.
Why the sudden interest?
Before we look at the sport itself in more detail, it is worth considering what has led to this sudden explosion in interest. For one thing, it is the coverage. The internet has allowed fans across the globe to both follow and gamble on their favourite sports, even in jurisdictions where there are usually restrictions on betting.
An even bigger influence, though has been the fact that camels racing must be the only sport in which robots have officially taken over from humans. Traditionally, camel racing involved child jockeys. This was a practice that might have seemed acceptable 100 years ago, but of course, as we moved into the late 20th century it was seen as increasingly controversial. Finally, President Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyanit outlawed the practice in UAE in 2002.
Robotic jockeys
Today, most camels are “ridden” by robots that weight around 4KG. They are operated by remote control, allowing the owner to use a small whip to spur the camel along, and they even have a loudspeaker by which he can shout commands to the camel. Owners drive alongside the track, keeping pace with the camels, which can reach speeds of up to 65 kph (40mph). This makes them a match speed-wise for racehorses.
The robotic jockeys have led to sports fans the world over being more comfortable with camel racing from an ethical standpoint. However, the tech aspect has also captured the imagination in a way that few would have predicted. Much like Dubai itself, camel racing has reinvented itself into a tantalising blend of the traditional and modern.
Camel racing events
The races themselves can vary significantly in length. The shortest are over a distance of 1,500 metres, and these are the ones in which the robotic jockeys are usually used. Endurance events can be as long as 8KM, and these more often use human adult jockeys.
Once such jockey is Hussain al Marzooqi, who also happens to be an accomplished racehorse trainer. He told reporters from CNN that training a camel is very similar to training a thoroughbred horse. He said: “”You have the feeding, you have the keeping the weight, you have the cardio work, then you have the strength work.”
One of the most popular venues for camel racing in the Middle East is at the Al Wathaba Racetrack, just outside Abu Dhabi. This hosts events most weekends, but the highlight of the year is the Al Wathaba Festival, which takes place every March.
Qatar is also an important venue for camel racing, and Al Shahaniya racecourse is the venue for a variety of domestic and international events during a season that runs from November to February.
But perhaps the biggest event is the Apex Cup, which takes place at Alice Springs in Australia every July. This has the biggest prizes of all, with winning owners collecting prize pots of $2 million or more.
