International falcon breeding farms auction 2026 opens near Riyadh

The National Center for Falcons today launched the "2026 International Falcon Breeding Farms Auction" at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, with leading local and international falcon breeding farms participating. The event runs from August 5 to 25, spanning 21 days.

This is the center's first event since its new organizational structure was approved by the Council of Ministers. The restructuring aims to preserve falcons as a cultural and heritage symbol, support all related activities, and grant the center broad authority to organize and develop the falcon sector, host auctions and events, and build partnerships and cooperation both locally and internationally.

The auction brings together breeding farms, falconers, and buyers in a dedicated marketplace, allowing farms to showcase their birds in special pavilions and sell them through a live competitive bidding platform. The venue also features wings for falcon supplies, while television coverage and live streaming on social media platforms enable broader local and global engagement.

Talal bin Abdulaziz Al-Shamisi, CEO of the National Center for Falcons, said the auction marks a new phase for the center, offering a wide range of distinguished falcon breeds, organizing the display and sales process, and providing necessary services to farms and falcons from their arrival in Riyadh until the completion of sales.

Al-Shamisi emphasized that the auction is the largest gathering of its kind in the world, bringing together top breeding farms under one roof. He described it as a valuable opportunity for exchanging expertise and holding workshops for falconers and breeders, supporting and empowering the falcon production sector. He noted that last year, 67 farms from 23 countries participated, and recent years have seen growth in sales, the number of falcons, farms, and participating countries.

He added that this year's efforts focus on building on these results, expanding the presence of breeding farms, and offering more options for falconers and buyers. The auction is now directly linked to competitions and events organized by the center, so participation extends beyond sales to showcasing farm-bred falcons in competitive arenas.

This year, the auction introduces a new feature: all "Farkh" (young falcon) rounds in the Al-Milwah competitions are reserved for falcons sold at the International Falcon Breeding Farms Auction. This connects auctioned falcons directly to competition pathways, giving falconers seeking birds for these rounds the chance to select directly from local and international farm production.

In 2025, the auction recorded sales exceeding 13 million riyals (SAR), a 23% increase over 2024. The number of falcons sold rose by 27% to 1,103 birds. The event attracted 67 breeding farms from 23 countries, including 19 from Saudi Arabia, marking a 20% rise in participating farms and a 21% increase in countries represented.

Last year, the auction saw several major deals, the highest being the sale of a "Gyr Pure Super White" falcon from an American farm for 1.2 million riyals, amid strong competition among buyers. In previous years, some deals reached up to 1.75 million riyals.

International farm participation begins before the falcons arrive at the auction site, involving transport, reception, and health care procedures. In recent days, batches of falcons arrived via flights and were transferred from King Khalid International Airport to the venue in Malham under specialist supervision, with health checks and care provided before being displayed to buyers.

Sales at the auction follow procedures starting with agreement between seller and buyer, with medical examination available upon request. The type and category of falcon are then determined, legal and financial steps completed, and the falcon and owner details registered. A ring bearing the falcon's data is attached, and the sale is finalized by documenting the transfer to the new owner.