- Takes home prestigious Guinness title by winning in the category this year
- Saw the participation of 1,723 birds in the largest racing tournament of its kind
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdul Aziz Falconry festival brought further glory to the Kingdom by clinching a place in the Guinness World Records (GRW) in the largest falcon racing tournament category, according to a statement released by GRW on February 5.
The event, which was held in Riyadh from January 25 to February 3, saw the participation of a record 1,723 falcons who were competing in the tournament for 10 days, the Saudi Falconry Club said in a twitter post.
Guinness World Records’ (GWR) representative, Shida Subasi Jamissi presented the official certificate to Saudi Falcons Club executive director Hossam bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Hazimi in Malham, north of Riyadh, read the statement.
Hunting with falcons is an ancient Arab cultural heritage. The mega event was the biggest of its kind drawing thousands of enthusiasts not only from Saudi Arabia and the region, but from the rest of the world as well.
Bagging a prize money of almost SAR18 million, the event has been marked as the largest of its kind on record.
Saudi Arabia is among top 11 countries listed by UNESCO under its falcon-breeding category, especially since it is home to various types of local falcons and serves as a pathway for others that migrate across the country.
The club had hosted it’s first Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition in Riyadh last year, where more than 250 exhibitors had participated from around the Kingdom, the GCC and the rest of the world.