Tradition meets modernity- camel racing
I recently had the opportunity to go to camel racing in Dubai, way out on the Dubai-Al Ain Highway- not far from the Outlet Mall. While I lived in Dubai (for 8.5 years) I had wanted to attend these races but at the time women could not attend, and then there was all the performance about the use of child male jockeys, which, for a time, seemed to stop camel racing altogether- or at least it was never advertised. There was certainly no stadium, as there is now, and visitors weren't encouraged to attend.
To circumvent the problem of child jockeys, the camels are now driven by drones, and the (overwhelmingly) white cars (mostly four wheel) drive alongside the camels, tooting wildly and using the remote control to direct the camels. A true case of tradition and modernity meeting.
Overwhelmingly, there are more visitors than locals and at the time I went it was members of the royal family of the Gulf states whose camels were running. I was attending the Al Marmoum Camel Festival which ran for two weeks until April 11, 2017. At the time I was there - the 2.30pm races of which there were about 15- I was told by the caterers (who also worked at Zabeel Palace - the main residence of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, rule of Dubai and Vice President of the UAE) ) that Sheikh Hamden, Crown Prince of Dubai, was also in attendance.
Here is what the government press release said.
"Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has attended Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup on the 3rd day of Al Marmoum Camel Racing Festival 2017.
Present at the race were Chairman of the National Olympic Committee President of the Dubai Club for racing His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Advisor to the UAE President, President of the Camel Racing Association Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan and a number of camel racing enthusiasts.
Concluding the race, Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, in present of Director of Dubai Camel Racing Club Ali bin Suroor, presented the trophies for the winners."
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