Dubai: The second edition of the Shield for National Falcon Breeding will kick off on February 16 in Dubai’s Al Ruwayyah area.
The contest will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the UAE Falcons Federation.
Organised in cooperation with Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), the championship is aligned with the UAE Falcons Federation’s commitment to promote falcon racing and preserve the traditional sport.
The second edition of the championship has Dh800,000 in total prize money. It is open to falcons bred in the UAE, and it has three categories. There will be a total of 10 winners in each of the championship’s categories. The championship also features an award for the Best Bred Falcon. Contestants can participate in two categories of the award: Individuals and Breeding Centres.
Rooted in heritage
The Shield for National Falcon Breeding is aligned with the UAE Falcons Federation’s commitment to promoting falcon racing and preserving the traditional sport rooted in the UAE’s heritage. Falcon racing, or Telwah falconry, is a traditional Emirati sport in which a falconer flies a falcon to catch the prey as fast as possible.
Over the years, falcon breeding farms across the country have played an instrumental role in promoting the revival and sustainability of the sport.
Support for the sport
Rashid Mubarak bin Markhan, secretary-general of UAE Falcons Federation, said the Shield for National Falcon Breeding reflects the Federation’s support for the sport of falcon racing. The Championship is the third falcon racing event held under its umbrella in the 2022-23 season, following the UAE Falcons Federation Cup and the qualifying ‘Telwah’ races.
Yusef Abdullah Muhammad Al Ali, member of the Board of the UAE Falcons Federation and Chairman of the National Production Shield Committee, stressed the importance of meeting the criteria for participating in the competition, which is open only to falcons bred in the UAE with identification rings issued from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
