Of all the Dubai sports activities, camel riding, horse racing and falconry are the oldest and an integral part of Dubai’s culture. The “Ship of the desert”, this beast of burden has served the Arabians in early history, not only as a mode of communication, but also its flesh was used for food and its hide for making articles of clothing and saddlebags. With modernization, the camel, like the date palm, remain the beacons of the Arabians and the Royal Families go to great lengths to encourage the preservation of the pure pedigree of the camel by giving a lot of financial aid to trainers and camel breeders. Every year, camel races are held and cash purses are awarded to the winner. The Royal families then have the camels paraded and buy out the best ones.
Camel Racing Season
Travel to Dubai during the camel racing season which begins in late October and ends in early April. This sport has becoming increasingly popular over the years not only in the Arabian Peninsula but also globally. To hear the sounds of the thundering hoofs kicking up a lot of sand, watch the momentum gathering into a fast gallop as they speed, is enough to increase the adrenalin rushes as the locales gather in crowds dressed in their colorful finery, enlivening the bristling atmosphere with their cheering and dancing. Visit Dubai for this must-see experience when 20 to 70 camels race the length of the track with agility and stamina.
Modern Day Racing
Camel racing as part of the Dubai sports and leisure activities has come a long way from when the race was run because two owners wanted to prove that their camel was better. Today state-of-the-art technologies are adapted right from training and nourishment, to electronic management of the races. Ambulances are on stand-by and live telecast and utility vehicles running alongside the track make the whole atmosphere electric. If you visit Dubai anytime from October to early April, be sure to head to the Nad al-Sheba camel race track which is situated about 2.3 km from Nad al-Sheba Maktoum Grandstand.
Rules
Travel to Dubai to attend any of the 3 or 4 fixtures a week normally held on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursday between 2p.m to 3 p.m.
The morning sessions from 6 a.m to 7 a.m are exclusively for the Sheikhs and royal families who also attend the afternoon races to purchase the winning camels. Sometimes an additional race is held on a Friday or alternative Mondays..
Admission is free. Dress is casual. While binoculars are allowed, Cameras and betting are strictly prohibited.
Facilities: A new camel racing track was ready by September 2007. This new complex is conveniently located near to the old Nad Al Sheba venue, just off the Dubai to Al Ain Road. Three or four racing fixtures a week are planned. The distances targeted are either 4km or 10 kms.
Training
The weight of the jockey is an important criterion for camel racing. There was a time in the not too distant past when children between the ages of 5 to 7 and weighing less than 20 kgs were strapped to camel saddles and made to race. This practice has now been stopped. The minimum age for jockeys has been raised to 15 years and maximum 45 kgs. Government ID cards are issued to jockeys who pass through rigorous training and exams. To combat the weight factor, modern technology has come up with 10 pound robot jockeys which are strapped on to the saddle of the racing camel that are electronically controlled to swoosh their whips at the press of a button!
Camels are trained when they are 6 to 13 months old. Special diet, exercise by way of daily treks across the desert and running tracks provided for, give these animals the strength and stamina required to run a race.
Contact:
Nad al-Sheba Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
Tel: 4 322277
Fax: 4 322288
Maximum effort and co-operation by The Dubai Camel Club makes this activity a growing and popular sport. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed al Maktoum hosts several races for very young camels and has them paraded before the crowd amidst loud applause. A gold trophy depicting a camel head is sculpted beautifully and awarded to the winner of the race.