Photos: Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al-Marmoom heritage village

Main attraction of the festival celebrates the UAE tradition of camel racing

Last updated: April 11, 2021 | 11:52

Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

2 MIN READ

1/10

Handlers direct their camels equipped with robot jockeys to the starting gate.

AFP

2/10

The race is a main component of the Al Marmoom Heritage Festival.

AFP

3/10

The Al Marmoom Heritage Village and Al Marmoom Festivals are the venture of Dubai Camel Racing Club.

AFP

4/10

This year, residents and tourists can visit the venue from April 6 to 18.

AFP

5/10

Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al Marmoom heritage village.

AFP

6/10

Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al Marmoom heritage village.

AFP

7/10

Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al Marmoom heritage village.

AFP

8/10

Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al Marmoom heritage village.

AFP

9/10

Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al Marmoom heritage village.

AFP

10/10

Camels equipped with robot jockeys race at Dubai's Al Marmoom heritage village.

AFP

Sign up for the Daily Briefing

Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox

Up Next

Related Stories

A house with a damaged roof is seen after the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Manchester, Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa's trail of destruction in Jamaica

From its 1985 launch, just as Dubai shifted from oil-centric to tourism and trade-led growth, to today’s network spanning over 153 destinations across 80 countries, Emirates symbolises ambition in motion. The anniversary lands in a year of transformation: new aircraft, expanded services and a “Fly Better” promise that defines its long-haul leadership. As Dubai’s global gateway flourishes, Emirates proudly flies that journey — four decades strong and soaring higher than ever.

Emirates at 40 — tracing UAE’s rise through its skies

These perfectly timed moments reveal nature’s humour and heart, proving that the wild can make us smile as much as it can inspire awe. Winners are announced December 9. Above, photographer Stefan Cruysberghs captured this whimsical moment of a red squirrel mid-leap, appearing to surrender with arms outstretched in mid-air. Shot from a wooden hide in a forest once teeming with squirrels, the image blends humour and agility — a playful tribute to nature’s tiny acrobats and fleeting forest moments.

Wildlife’s funniest moments of 2025 – in pictures

An FSO Warszawa from Poland stands among other vintage cars at a private sculpture park in Germany’s Neanderthal Valley — where nature reclaims nostalgia as moss and maple leaves embrace the rusting classics.

Rustic charm: Where classic cars go for a long nap