With a total prize pool exceeding 17 million dirhams, the Fazaa Falconry Hunting Championship competitions kicked off today and will continue until January 12 next year, cementing its status as one of the largest and most important falconry competitions in the United Arab Emirates and the region. The championship also renews its commitment to supporting this ancient traditional sport and ensuring its sustainability for future generations. The juniors category inaugurated the Fazaa Falconry Hunting Championship "At-Talawah," organized by the Fazaa Championships Management, at the headquarters of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Center for Heritage Revival in the Al-Habab area. The center is equipped to the highest technical standards and modern world-class facilities, reflecting the championship's sustainability and continuous development. In a scene rich with deep symbolism, signifying an investment in the future of falconry and the transmission of this authentic national heritage across generations, participants competed in the Thuab and Jir Thuab categories. The wide participation, featuring over 150 birds across eight rounds, reflected the significant interest and early passion for the sport of falconry. Regarding the launch, Rashid Harib Al-Khaili, Director of the Fazaa Championships Management, stated that the Fazaa Falconry Hunting Championship holds a prominent place in the regional falconry competition calendar due to its prestige, professional organization, competitive intensity, and broad participation from various categories. Al-Khaili said: "The Fazaa Falconry Hunting Championship is a key event in the regional falconry calendar. It is not merely competitions but a comprehensive system that combines heritage preservation and the reinforcement of this legacy within a sustainable vision that enhances falconry's status as a sport and an identity." He added: "The juniors category is a cornerstone for the sustainability of this traditional sport. We focus through it on preparing a conscious generation well-versed in the values of falconry, capable of shouldering the responsibility of preserving and developing this national heritage for the future, in line with the leadership's wise vision for maintaining the national identity." The Fazaa Falconry Hunting Championship continues to solidify its presence as a prominent sporting and heritage event, blending authenticity with high-level competition, and affirms the Hamdan bin Mohammed Center for Heritage Revival's commitment to supporting popular heritage and enhancing its presence in the contemporary sporting and cultural landscape.
