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Qatari falconers have bagged the top positions in the second edition of Fazza Championship for Falconry held in Ruwayyah, the UAE. |
The event saw the participation of several visiting Khaleejis, or GCC falconers, including those from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, who vied for top honours in a highly competitive round of falconry.
Nearly 200 falconers from across the GCC who missed the first edition of the championship as they were away on hunting expeditions were thrilled to participate in a closely-fought contest, which culminated in Qatari falconers winning the first, second and third places.
This year, the championship has seen a huge increase in the prize money and a record number of luxury vehicles have been awarded to winning contestants over a two-month period.
Ali bin Khatem Mohamed al-Mehshhadi, president of Qatar Society of Al Gannas and Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival, said: “The scale and magnitude of this championship has grown exponentially since the past few years. We have been calling for the establishment of a GCC Union of Falconry and for a different country in the GCC to host this prestigious championship every year. The UAE has been known to play a key role in unifying the GCC and an initiative of this kind would be hugely beneficial to the sport.”
Qatari poet and falconer Hamad al-Jamila, who participated in the championship, said the event has evolved beyond his expectations. “I would like to thank Fazza for the support and personal involvement in the championship. Not only have they encouraged competition and mutual interaction between falconers, but the championship is also reviving the market for falcon trade in the region.”
The winning Qatari falconers walked away with cars that included a Range Rover, a Lexus SUV and off-road pick-up vehicles. The runners-up were awarded cash prizes of AED10,000 each.
