Large international presence as S'hail 2021 begins at Katara

Showcasing a wide range of falconry products and hunting equipment, the fifth edition of S'hail - Katara International Hunting and Falcons Exhibition opened at Katara - the Cultural Village on Tuesday with the participation of 160 national and international companies from 18 countries.The five-day event is being held at Katara's Al Hikma Square and Hall. A large number of enthusiasts thronged the venue on the first day to visit the pavilions while adhering to Covid-19 precautionary measures.Katara general manager Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, who is also chairman of the Organising Committee, expressed happiness at the opening of the fifth edition of the exhibition and said "S’hail is growing in importance year after year"."The fifth edition confirms its leadership as being the largest and most important international exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa in the field of hunting and falconry,” he said.S’hail continues to grow rapidly, having witnessed an increase in the space allocated to accommodate all the pavilions of the participating companies, while designing them in an innovative and attractive manner with impressive artistic and aesthetic features. It has also seen enhanced marketing methods to provide the best of companies.He further stressed that the fifth version is quite different from the previous ones "given the remarkable Gulf participation and the presence, for the first time, of many international companies offering new and diverse products in the weapons, hunting and trips sectors", Katara said in a statement.Prof al-Sulaiti said the exhibition acts as an international cultural, heritage and economic forum, which provides a "great opportunity for theexchange of experiences and expertise in hunting besides attracting the most-skilled craftsmen and manufacturers in the fields of falconry and hunting supplies from all over the world".The opening day of the exhibition witnessed the visits of a number of ambassadors to Qatar, including Jose Benzacín Perea of Peru, Abd al-Rahim al-Siddig Mohamed of Sudan, Jasminko Pozderac of Serbia, Partick Cornell Ahanda of Kenya as well as Dr Bilal Turkiye, chargé d'affaires of the embassy of Syria.The exhibition hall has been divided into different zones, including those meant for falconry products, various stalls and pavilions as well as specialised SUVs used for camping purposes. “S’hail is a popular and ideal venue for falcon enthusiasts to visit, see falcons and buy them along with various products and equipment. Hunters meet here while sharing their experiences and plans. It popularity is increasing and the exhibition has evoked a warm response,” exhibition manager Abdulaziz Al Bohashem al-Sayed told Gulf Times. He said several dignitaries are expected to visit the exhibition over the coming days, adding that falcons and falconry are part of the Qatari life. While the exhibition will be open from 10am to 10pm on all days, on Friday it will receive visitors from 2pm until 11pm. The exhibition is being held in accordance with all Covid-19 precautionary measures as stipulated by the Ministry of Public Health. Organisers have said entry will be allowed to people aged 12 years and above, who are fully vaccinated, in order to ensure the health and safety of all. “We ensure that visitors follow the precautionary measures,” al-Sayed added. Katara has launched a mobile app for patrons besides ensuring electronic methods for a safe visit and shopping experience. The specialised application also shows a collection of the best types of falcons to be chosen for auctions.S’hail is supported by a number of companies, including Ooredoo as the telecom sponsor, Qatar Insurance Company and the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam) in addition to Debor and Zoom as logistical support partners. The exhibition will also see innovative competitions, programmes and cultural events aimed at preserving the heritage and promoting authentic traditions. These include two competitions for the ‘most attractive pavilion’ and the ‘most beautiful falcon hood’, carrying valuable prizes. The best pavilion at S’hail will be given a prize of QR20,000 while there will be three prizes for the most beautiful falcon hood, worth $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.