Photos: Camel pageant among attractions on Qatar World Cup sidelines

Majestic Mzayen World Cup held in the Qatari desert about 25 kilometers away from Doha

Published: December 03, 2022 12:43 Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor and with inputs from AP

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Ash Shhaniya: Like all good pageant contestants, Nazaa'a displayed not only dazzling beauty but also poise and grace. She batted her eyelashes and flashed a toothy smile for the television cameras at the Mzayen World Cup, a pageant held in the Qatari desert about 15 miles (25 kilometers) away from Doha and soccer's World Cup. Image Credit: AP

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Nazaa'a, mind you, is a camel. Think Westminster Dog Show crossed with the Miss America Pageant, except for, well, camels. Image Credit: AP

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Nazaa'a is a majestic light-haired creature that overcame several preliminary rounds and hundreds of other camels to win the pageant at Qatar Camel Mzayen Club on Friday. Image Credit: AP

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The event, which was designed to bring cultural awareness to World Cup visitors, was sponsored by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, in conjunction with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the local World Cup organizing committee. Image Credit: AP

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Nazaa'a was one of 15 camels who competed for the crown, parading by fans while wearing bejeweled collars and draped with strings of gemstones. “I thought our camel was better than Ronaldo and Messi,” joked Jassim al Kuwari, part of the family that owns Nazaa'a. Image Credit: AP

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These events are held regularly throughout the Middle East, where the people have connected with camels for generations. “This is our culture. This is from long time ago, from our fathers and grandfathers," Al Kuwari said. "Today is a competition, a beauty competition. We like these camels. We give them names. It’s like a family." Image Credit: AP

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Visitors were greeted by a camel jingle “Welcome to the Camel Competition” and served Karak, a spiced tea with milk. Owners and their families sat in an air-conditioned luxury tent with red velvet chairs and a glass wall to watch the competition. Image Credit: AP

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The main attraction were the pure-bred female camels. Competitors makes several passes in front of a stand of fans that cheer for their favorite. There's also a milking competition, with the prize going to the camel that produces the most milk. Image Credit: AP

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Make no mistake, this a serious contest: A doctor is on staff to make sure the animals don't use fillers or Botox to make them more beautiful. Image Credit: AP

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Then there's the money: The winner, runner-up and third place camels all receive trophies. Nazaa's owners earned 200,000 Qatari riyals ($55,000). The camel that produces the most milk wins 15,000 riyal. Image Credit: AP

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“I have been with camels and their contests since I was a child,” camel owner Hamad al Greissi said. “Camels were there before planes and cars. They were called the ships of the desert. after modern vehicles, the camels became less popular, but they still hold a big place in our culture.” Image Credit: AP

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Camel owners of the Al Kuwari family celebrate after winning the first prize at the pageant. Image Credit: AP

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The decorations of a camel shine during the pageant. Image Credit: AP

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A boy pets a camel during the beauty contest. Image Credit: AP

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