Saudi Women Riders Claim First-Ever Wins at Camel Festival

In a landmark achievement for women in sports, Saudi women riders secured historic victories at the seventh Crown Prince Camel Festival held in Taif. For the first time in the competition’s history, female jockeys not only participated but also clinched top honors, setting new standards in this traditionally male-dominated sport.

Reema Al-Shuwaie emerged victorious in the first main round with her camel Absher, while Hadeel Al-Sharif claimed the second-round title atop her camel Mubshir. These wins mark a significant milestone in the evolution of women’s athletic participation in the kingdom.

“This is another aspect of the development witnessed in camel sports, and it is what we aspired to achieve by raising the performance levels of female camel jockeys in their races,” said Marwan Al-Johani, head of competition and registry manager at the Saudi Camel Race Federation. He emphasized that the results underscore the growing inclusion and advancement of women in camel racing.

Al-Johani also credited the transformation to the commitment of Prince Fahad bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Camel Federation, who has actively supported female riders and promoted greater competition across the sport. “The records we witnessed today are proof of that,” he added.

Held at the historic Taif camel square, the festival featured a staggering 249 races, including five exclusive competitions open to both men and women riders from diverse countries. The event saw participation from athletes representing Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Bahrain, Algeria, and the United Kingdom. The total prize money exceeded SR50 million ($13.3 million), reflecting the growing prestige and scale of camel racing in the region.

Saudi Camel Sports spokesperson Murdhi Al-Khamaali highlighted the broader impact of the event, saying it has “elevated camel racing beyond sport.” He noted that the Crown Prince Camel Festival serves as a platform for projecting authentic Arab culture globally by bringing together the cultural diversity of the Kingdom, the Gulf states, and the wider Arab world — transforming the festival into a socio-economic and cultural hub.

Al-Khamaali further stated that the festival has revived the cultural and historical memory of Taif, reinforcing its identity as a key location in the heritage of Arabian camel sports.

Since its inception, the festival has been known for record-breaking participation levels. Over its first six editions, more than 90,000 camels competed. In its seventh iteration, participation surged past the 100,000 mark, and several new Guinness World Records were achieved—affirming its global significance in the modern sporting world.

As women’s presence on the camel racing track expands, the victories of Reema Al-Shuwaie and Hadeel Al-Sharif stand as a resounding symbol of progress, resilience, and cultural transformation in the Kingdom.

Team V.DIR-EM-UAE