National Falconry Center to host five major events for 2026 season

The National Falconry Center is continuing its 2026 events program after concluding the International Falcon Production Farms Auction, which was held at the center’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, from August 5 to 25, achieving sales exceeding 33 million riyals (SAR).

The auction saw participation from more than 100 production farms representing 24 countries. Over the course of 21 days, 2,265 falcons were sold, reinforcing the event’s status as a global meeting point for falcon breeders, falconers, buyers, and enthusiasts from Saudi Arabia and abroad, within a specialized and regulated market.

The auction platform hosted 12 auction nights, highlighted by the sale of a “Mithlouth Gyr” falcon for 1.3 million riyals, making it the most expensive falcon sold at this year’s event and the second highest in the auction’s history.

Accompanying activities included pavilions for falconry supplies, a “Falconer of the Future” area, as well as awareness programs and specialized workshops. These included a workshop on regulations and laws in cooperation with the Saudi Anti-Doping Committee, and a licensing procedures workshop for falcon breeding centers in the Kingdom, in partnership with the National Center for Wildlife Development.

Looking ahead, the center is preparing to launch five main events to complete its season through the end of the year. The first is the Saudi International Falcons and Hunting Exhibition, which will welcome visitors at the Riyadh Exhibition and Conference Center in Malham from October 1 to 10, featuring a variety of activities and experiences across falconry, hunting, adventure, culture, entertainment, tourism, and environmental sectors, with participation from specialized local and international companies.

Coinciding with the exhibition, the Al-Milwah Race will take place from October 4 to 9, where falconers will compete for prizes and titles in several categories. The National Falconry Center Auction will also run from October 1 to November 30, dedicated to locally caught migratory juvenile Peregrine falcons, with a platform to document sales and further organize the market.

From November 17 to 30, the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival will be held, bringing together falconers from Saudi Arabia and beyond to compete in the Al-Milwah and Mazayen contests. Last year’s edition saw 3,536 falcons compete for prizes exceeding 38 million riyals.

The season will conclude with the National Falconry Center Cup from December 21 to 28, featuring local falconers in competitive rounds designed to showcase the skills and speed of their birds.

The succession of these events highlights the expanding cultural, economic, and tourism dimensions of falconry, as well as the center’s role in preserving national heritage, supporting producers and falconers, and enhancing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global destination for the falconry sector.