Saudi Camel Federation Cup kicks off today in Taif
The sixth Saudi Camel Federation Cup begins Thursday in Taif, featuring top camel owners from Saudi Arabia and GCC countries over five days.
Key Takeaways
AIUnder the patronage of Khaled Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, the sixth edition of the Saudi Camel Federation Cup 2026 begins today, Thursday, at the historic Taif Camel Racing Track. The five-day event brings together leading camel owners from Saudi Arabia and GCC countries.
This year's edition features 129 races, with camels competing for 36 cups: 10 for the general category, 10 for the open category, 4 for Saudi production, and 12 for the individual Mazayen Fard Al-Mafarid category, which is included in the tournament for the first time. The Mazayen competitions cover various camel colors, including Shaal, Shaqah, Hamr, Safr, Wadh, and Majahim.
The races are divided into categories: Haqayeq, Laqaya, Jatha'a, Thanaya, Heil, and Zamoul, with distances up to 3 kilometers. There will be 46 Haqayeq races, 35 Laqaya, 22 Jatha'a, 14 Thanaya, and 12 Heil and Zamoul races in the finals. The Jatha'a and Thanaya competitions will coincide with the Mazayen races, which take place in the evenings.
The championship opens today with Haqayeq category races over a 3-kilometer course, featuring 46 races split into morning (30 races) and evening (16 races) sessions. Six of these races will award Saudi Camel Federation Cups.
Prizes for the first day exceed 2.95 million riyals (SAR), with a total of 700,000 riyals awarded to the winners of the six cup races. Each Bakr (female camel) cup winner in the open and general categories receives 150,000 riyals, while each Qaadan (male camel) cup winner in the open and general categories, as well as the Saudi production cups, receives 100,000 riyals.
This is the first time the sixth edition is held in Taif, after the first four editions took place in Najran since the tournament's launch in 2021, and the fifth edition was hosted in Hail.
The tournament is part of the Saudi Camel Federation's efforts to develop camel racing, preserve its cultural and sporting heritage, and strengthen its presence.