Saudi king to close final session of camel race

The competition featured 221 rounds, with categories including Haqaiq, Liqaya, Jizaa, Thanaya, Heel and Zamoul. (SPA)

RIYADH: King Salman will present prizes to the winners of the King Abdul Aziz Camel Race competition Thursday as part of the King Abdul Aziz Camel Festival. The contest kicked off at Remah Field and King Abdul Aziz Camel Race Field yesterday.
Spokesman for the festival Sultan Al-Baqmi said the competition featured 221 rounds, with categories including Haqaiq, Liqaya, Jizaa, Thanaya, Heel and Zamoul. Valuable cash prizes have been allocated for top winners in these rounds.
Al-Baqmi said plans for the competitions have been under way since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the establishment of a special racing field in the Saudi Camel Village. Competition rounds began Wednesday with the Haqaiq (Bakkar and Qadan) category over a 4 km distance in Remah Field. The 40 rounds were divided over morning and evening sessions.
Today there will be 31 rounds, 17 in the morning and 14 in the evening, he said. Meanwhile, rounds of the category of Liqaya (Bakkar and Qadan) will be held on Friday and Saturday over a 5 km distance. Friday’s competition will consist of 30 rounds, with 15 in the morning and 15 in the evening, while Saturday will have 17 morning rounds and four evening rounds.
Referring to Sunday and Monday programs, he said rounds of Jizaa category (Bakkar and Qadan) will be launched over a 6 km distance. Thirty rounds will be held on Sunday, with 20 in the morning and 10 in the evening, while Monday will feature 12 rounds, eight in the morning and four in the evening.
On Tuesday, the category of Thanaya will compete in 8 km distance over 27 rounds, with 16 in the morning and 11 in the evening, while Wednesday will feature the Heel and Zamoul category for 8 km distance consisting of 20 and six rounds in the morning and evening sessions, respectively.
He said Thursday will be the closing session of the competition in King Abdul Aziz Camel Race Field at the Saudi Camel Village. Here, four rounds of Heel and Zamoul category will be held for the King Abdul Aziz Camel Race Award on 8 km distance, including two rounds for Heel category and two for Zamoul category, he said.