Today, the Al Ain racetrack witnessed a thrilling start to the second preliminary race at the 2026 Al Ain Camel Festival, featuring the highly competitive ‘Iydai’ event. Held over a distance of 4 km, the competition saw a significant participation from the camels of local tribes, showcasing the rich heritage of this traditional sport.
Outstanding Performances in the First Heat
The first heat was dominated by ‘Al Fahda,’ owned by Shateet Salem bin Rashid Al Ketbi, which finished with a remarkable time of 6:21.50 minutes. Following closely behind, ‘Siyaf,’ owned by Ahmed Saeed Ahmed Al Bahutah Al Ameri, claimed the second heat with the fastest time of the day at 6:15.39 minutes, setting a high benchmark for the remaining competitors.
Exciting Outcomes Across Subsequent Heats
As the heats progressed, ‘Reem,’ owned by Ahmed Abdullah Mohammed, clinched victory in the third heat with a time of 6:21.36 minutes, while ‘Al Wathba,’ belonging to Saleh Jaber bin Saleh Al Ameri, triumphed in the fourth heat, recording a time of 6:27.33 minutes.
Consistent Winners and Close Battles
The fifth heat saw ‘Al Dheeb,’ owned by Abdullah Rashid bin Khalifa Al Ghafli, secure the win with a time of 6:16.65 minutes. In the sixth heat, ‘Munaaf,’ owned by Salem Ahmed Sultan Al Rashid Al Suwaidi, proved their mettle with a finish time of 6:23.79 minutes.
The Last Heats Highlighting Exceptional Talent
In the seventh heat, ‘Thaminah,’ owned by Hamid Rashid bin Faleh Sif Al Shamsi, claimed first place with a time of 6:20.79 minutes. Following that, ‘Maqi,’ owned by Saeed Saleem Salem Al Aswad Al Ameri, showcased impressive speed and secured victory in the eighth heat, clocking in at 6:23.60 minutes.
Continuing the competitive spirit, ‘Al Bazee,’ owned by Hamad Mubarak Hamad Al Baoud Al Ameri, took home the win in the ninth heat with a time of 6:28.22 minutes. Finally, the ten races concluded with ‘Al Mansoor,’ owned by Abdullah Mohammed bin Muhayroom Al Muharami, finishing strong and earning the title in the tenth heat with a time of 6:18.58 minutes.
With each race showcasing resilience and speed, the preliminary events set the stage for an exciting festival ahead, celebrating the spirit of camel racing in the UAE.