The Arabian Camel Racing Festival of HH the Amir Sword Began on the 1st of April
One of the Gulf’s most spectacular sporting events is underway. The 2025 running of the Arabian Camel Racing on the sword of HH the Amir Sheikh bin Hamad Al-Thani began on April 1st and is set to run for fifteen days.
The Lebseer and Al Shahaniya racetracks will provide the venues for the event, which will come to a dramatic conclusion on Monday, April 15th.
2025 Enhancements
The festival of camel racing is one of the Gulf region’s most important events, and this year will see significant prize money in place for the best runners. There will be 44 trophies on the line across the four days, and this list includes 16 gold trophies, which are reserved for animals owned by Their Highnesses and Excellencies.
The remaining 28 trophies are made of silver, and these will be contested by owners of tribal descendants. The prize money in place will include a sum of QR10.5mn for one of the major heats. All the way down through the events, the prize funds will continue to provide significant targets for owners to aim at.
Stricter Regulations
Amidst the spectacle, the organizers have introduced some strict regulations behind the scenes. Across the festival, no animal will be allowed to compete in more than one race. Alongside this rule, there will be regular pre-race doping checks, along with compulsory doping tests for the runners that finish high up in the race.
Meanwhile, the 2025 event will also feature a return to traditional camel racing. While the majority of the individual events will include modern robot jockeys, four races will feature human riders aged between 18 and 45. In keeping with their other measures and in a drive to keep the sport clean, no minors will be involved at any stage.
Stunning Start to Proceedings
In the early stages of the festival, racegoers have already been treated to some outstanding performances. This is the pinnacle of the sport, and the action on the course has lived up to expectations. Moving forward, there promises to be more of the same as the event develops.
Camel racing is an incredible spectacle, and a prestigious event such as the Arabian Camel Racing Festival of HH the Amir Sword helps to bring the sport to a wider audience. It’s already popular across the Gulf region, but this is one time where the discipline attracts more global attention.
The best-performing animals in camel racing will remain in contention through to the festival’s climax on April the 15th. It’s already been a spectacular start to the 2025 edition, and more drama is in store for the remaining days of the event.
