Saudi Camels Win 13 Races at Taif Camel Festival

Saudi-owned camels dominated the second day of the eighth Crown Prince Camel Festival 2026, winning 13 of the 21 morning races held at the historic Taif Camel Racing Track in Taif. Qatari camels took five wins and Emirati camels claimed three in the same session.

The festival, organized by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, runs for 11 days from 3 to 13 September 2026, with entry for spectators free of charge and open to the public.

In the Haqayeq category, run over 2 km, a standout camel named “Lahab,” owned by Saudi national Mohammed Al-Fuhaida, posted the fastest morning time of 2:56.781 minutes at a speed of 40.728 km/h in the third heat. The Haqayeq program comprises 92 races — 63 in the morning and 29 in the evening — with total prize money of around SAR 13.3 million for the category.

Total prize money across all festival categories and the Mazayen (beauty) competitions exceeds SAR 50 million. This eighth edition introduces Mazayen contests for the first time, focused on Mafarid camels, with scheduled days for different colors including Shqah, Sha’al, Wdah, Hamra, Asayel Bakar, Safar and Majahim.

Registration for men’s and women’s rider races also opened shortly before the event, with total prizes of SAR 620,000, held at the same Taif track. Morning sessions typically feature 21 races with more than 900 camels, while evening sessions host around 17 races. The festival remains a key fixture on the Kingdom's sporting and heritage calendar, drawing owners and spectators from across the region.

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