The King Abdulaziz Falconry Cups competition got underway today as part of the King Abdulaziz Falcons Festival 2024, organized by the Saudi Falcons Club. Elite falcons are competing for cash prizes exceeding SAR 4.9 million, distributed among the top five finishers across seven rounds held over three days.

Prize details and competing categories

Winners in each round receive cash prizes totaling SAR 710,000, distributed as follows:

  • 1st place: SAR 300,000.
  • 2nd place: SAR 200,000.
  • 3rd place: SAR 100,000.
  • 4th place: SAR 70,000.
  • 5th place: SAR 40,000.

Falcons are competing across seven categories, including:

  1. Shaheen Farkh (juvenile peregrine)
  2. Hurr Qarnas (wild-caught gyr-saker hybrid)
  3. Gyr Pure Farkh (juvenile)
  4. Gyr Pure Qarnas, local-born
  5. Hurr Farkh, local-bred
  6. Hurr min Hurr Qarnas, local-born
  7. Hurr Aswad/Adham (black/dark-plumed)

Day one results: champions shine

Shaheen Farkh round:

1st: the falcon "Dhahab," owned by Jaber bin Ees Al-Manai.
2nd: the falcon "Jallad," owned by Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Thani.
3rd: the falcon "Labbaik," owned by Saleh bin Ali Al-Adhba.

Hurr Qarnas round:

1st: the falcon "Maghzi," owned by Ghanem bin Mad'ath Al-Dosari.
2nd: the falcon "Assaf," owned by Ali bin Hadi Al-Ajmi.
3rd: the falcon "Sa'ab," owned by Ghanem bin Mad'ath Al-Dosari.

Gyr Pure Farkh round:

1st: the falcon "Al-Sa'ab," owned by Saleh bin Nasser Al-Hajri.
2nd: the falcon "Ghamam," owned by Fares bin Abdullah Al-Fares.
3rd: the falcon "Nasnas," owned by Zayed bin Sultan Al-Qahtani.

King Abdulaziz Falcons Festival: cultural heritage and global competition

The King Abdulaziz Falcons Festival is one of the most prominent cultural events reflecting the Kingdom's deep ties to its falconry heritage. Bringing together sport, culture and heritage, the festival serves as a global platform celebrating falconry enthusiasts and reinforcing the Kingdom's standing as a leading destination for this cultural legacy.