Al Ain is set to host the eagerly anticipated inaugural Al Ain Camel Racing Festival at the Al Rawda Camel Racetrack on Friday, 4th July 2025. Organised by the Presidential Camels and Camel Racing Affairs Centre under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, the event underscores the UAE’s commitment to promoting camel racing—a sport deeply embedded in the country’s cultural heritage.
Supervised by the Camel Racing Federation, the festival will span several months, beginning in July and continuing with three preliminary rounds in July, August, and September 2025. In total, the event incorporates an impressive 605 races, featuring a variety of age categories and trophy awards. The festival will culminate with a final round of challenges scheduled for early October 2025. Throughout the event, substantial prizes will be awarded, ensuring widespread participation and excitement.
Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Advisor to the President of the UAE and Chairman of the Camel Racing Federation, expressed his pride in the launch of this important festival. He praised the wise leadership’s support for the country’s “authentic national heritage” and highlighted the “generous patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan.” Sheikh Sultan also emphasised that the festival “represents a strategic step in the development of camel racing in the country” and enhances the participation of owners—especially young people—in this vital heritage sector, ensuring “the sustainability of the Emirati heritage and its transmission to future generations.”
This festival not only strengthens the foundations of Emirati identity but also highlights the nation’s ongoing commitment to preserving and celebrating its cultural roots and heritage.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
