Doha, March 31 (QNA) - The annual festival of purebred Arabian camels racing on the sword of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is set to commence on Tuesday.

Taking place at the Al Shahaniya and Lebseer racetracks, the 15-day event will run until April 15, featuring broader participation from various riders across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

The opening day will be hosted at the Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack, with 19 races covering 4 kilometers. The morning session will include 19 races, with 11 of them being contested in the early hours.

The organizing committee has emphasized that all preparations have been completed to launch this event, which is regarded as the flagship festival in the Gulf region. It further stated that all sub-committees have successfully fulfilled their responsibilities in organizing this premier event for enthusiasts of the traditional sport.

The committee is committed to enforcing stringent regulations governing the races during the festival. This includes conducting pre-race doping tests, as well as mandatory doping and electrical checks for the top finishers. Additionally, the committee has stressed that no camel is permitted to participate in more than one race.

Furthermore, no camel will undergo a fixation process unless its owner and lineage are verified, and the owner has sworn an oath. Those who have not registered for the races will not be permitted to participate in any event.

This year’s festival offers significant monetary prizes, in addition to 44 trophies, including 16 gold trophies for camels owned by Their Highnesses and Excellencies, and 28 silver trophies for camels owned by tribal descendants, with the most notable being the silver and gold swords.

Moreover, the organizing committee has decided to extend the final races over two days. A total of QR10.5 million will be awarded for one of the major heats, with QR5 million for the winner, QR2.5 million for second place, QR1.5 million for third, QR1 million for fourth, and QR500,000 for fifth.

Recently, the committee has placed significant emphasis on incorporating traditional camel races into the major festival activities, in a bid to preserve and promote this heritage sport.

This year, the festival will feature four races for human riders aged 18 to 45. Substantial financial prizes have been allocated for each race, with the first-place winner receiving QR100,000.

The prize gradually decreases, with QR3,000 awarded to the individual securing the fifteenth position. (QNA)