Doha, April 25 (QNA) - Competitions for the Thanaya age category (general races) kicked off today on the eighth day of the annual purebred Arabian camel racing festival held for the sword of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. The festival runs for 13 days at the Al Sheehaniya and Lebseer race tracks until April 30, with wide participation from various racing fields across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Today's races were highly competitive and saw the awarding of six silver trophies. A total of 34 races were held for the Thanaya category, including both female camels (bakar) and male camels (qa'dan), for tribAl owned camels across morning and evening sessions. Twenty races took place in the morning, including 11 for females and 9 for males, while 14 races were held in the evening, evenly split between 7 for females and 7 for males.

In the evening session, where six silver trophies were contested, "Mazna," owned by Saeed Jaber Abdullah Al Harbi, won the first main race for open female Thanaya, taking the silver Shalfa trophy and a prize of 1.5 million Qatari riyals after finishing first with a time of 12:05.38, the fastest time of the evening. "Fa'ael," also owned by Saeed Jaber Abdullah Al Harbi, claimed the second main race for Omani-bred females, earning the silver Shalfa and 1.5 million riyals with a time of 12:11.24. "Shawahen," owned by Mohammed Muslim Bekhit Al Rashidi, secured the third main race for production-bred females, also winning the silver Shalfa and 1.5 million riyals after finishing in 12:11.37.

In the male Thanaya races, "Mubasher," owned by Mohammed Sultan Matar Al Ketbi, won the first main open race, receiving the silver Khanjar (dagger trophy) and 1 million riyals with a time of 12:12.81. "Muta'awed," owned by Saleh Mohammed Salmeen Al Ameri, won the second main race for Omani-bred males, taking the silver Khanjar and 1 million riyals with a time of 12:22.05. "Al Hareb," owned by Saeed Manana Ghadeer Al Ketbi, captured the third main race for production-bred males, also earning the silver Khanjar and 1 million riyals after finishing in 12:23.20.

During the morning session, "Shadida," owned by Saif Mohammed Zayed Al Khayarin, won the main race designated for Qatari-bred female Thanaya, finishing first with a time of 12:29.76. Meanwhile, "Al Assad," owned by Salem Nasser Salem Al Maksour, secured the main race for Qatari-bred males with a time of 12:38.98. "Al Anoud," owned by Saeed Bati Mohammed Al Marri, won the fifth main race for production-bred females after finishing in 12:26.01, while "Muwajeh," owned by Salem Saeed Manana Al Ketbi, took the sixth main race for production-bred males with a time of 12:34.95. The fastest time in the morning session was recorded by "Nada," owned by Salem Saeed Ghafan Al Jabri, who won the seventh race for female Thanaya after completing the 8 km distance in 12:24.41.

Tomorrow (Sunday), the eighth day will conclude the Thanaya competitions over a distance of 8 kilometers, with 24 races scheduled for both female and male camels in open races for camels owned by sheikhs. These will be held across morning and evening sessions, with 14 races in the morning, including 8 for females and 6 for males, and 10 races in the evening, including 6 for females and 4 for males, with four gold trophies to be awarded. (QNA)