Doha, January 05 (QNA) - The fourth group competitions in the Haddad Challenge Championship were held on Monday, as part of the activities of the 17th Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026).

The festival is held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, and is supported by the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM), in Sabkhat Marmi in Sealine, and will continue until Jan. 24.

The competition between the falcons and the homing pigeons resulted in the homing pigeons prevailing in this group, as none of the falcons were able to catch the homing pigeons, which returned safely to their nests in Umm Abeiriyah.

In this context, Chairman of Haddad Challenge Committee Shawi Al Kaabi said that in the previous two rounds, the falcons were able to defeat the pigeons, and the number of winners in the championship and those who qualified for the final reached 8 falconers. They will await the results of the 5th group competitions in Haddad Challenge, which will be held Tuesday evening.

Falconers from Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait affirmed their readiness for the competition and challenge, emphasizing that falcon owners dedicate their energy to training just as pigeon fanciers exert their energy to escape the falcons' clutches. They praised the excellent organization of the events and the festival's role in preserving the Gulf's falconry heritage. (QNA)