Qatar Camel Festival 'Jazilat Al-Atta' 2026 Kicks Off Sunday

Qatar Camel Festival

The fifth Qatar Camel Festival "Jazilat Al-Atta" 2026, will kick off tomorrow in the Al Mazayen area in Lbuseir and will continue until Feb. 10, 2026.

The event attracts record participation from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and has become a landmark and luminous event in the history of local and Gulf camel competitions, building on previous editions.

The participating camels will compete over 31 days for 119 titles across three categories: 37 rounds for Al Magateer, 44 rounds for Asayel, and 38 rounds for Mujahim.

Sunday's contests will kick off with three rounds of Al Magateer for the production of Al Azbah in the Shual Safr, Shaqeh Hamar, and Wadh classes.

The camels will compete in the dedicated rounds: Al Azbah production for Wadh, Shual Safr, and Shaqeh Hamar.

Participants in these three rounds will be awarded three symbolic trophies, three vehicles, and 12 cash prizes, including a Tank 500 for first place and monetary awards for second through fifth places.

The Al Magateer contests will last for 10 days, concluding on Jan. 21, after which the Asayel category will commence, running for 13 days until Feb. 1, followed by the Mujahim category for 11 days until Feb. 10.

Substantial cash and in-kind prizes have been allocated to participants, including 56 vehicles, 149 symbolic awards, and additional monetary prizes.

In total, 1,090 winners will be recognized, with awards presented to the top ten in all rounds except the Khanjar, Shalfa, Bunduq, and Saif rounds, where only the top five will be awarded.

The organizing committee has spared no effort to ensure the event is showcased in its most magnificent form, with relentless work across all committees, particularly the Registration and Licensing Committee, which streamlines procedures through the Mzayen app, alongside direct field support for participating camel owners.

This festival is set to be held in a charming and innovative manner, both in coaching and organizational aspects, with Qatar Camel Mazayen Club harnessing all its available resources to promote this time-honored sport bequeathed by forebears on the global sports stage.

This new edition serves as a quintessential model to build on the tremendous successes the festival has achieved throughout the past years, significantly contributing to its advancement toward an elevated standing.

This edition stands out with a soaring increase in prize values, recognizing the relentless efforts of all those preserving one of the timeless Arab sports. The festival features 119 competitive rounds, 149 symbolic awards, and 387 sashes, with 1,090 winners set to claim these symbols and sashes in this tournament.

These enhancements reflect the organizers' enduring commitment to strengthening institutional partnerships to serve the festival and its national mission of reviving popular sports heritage.

This year's festival is held in collaboration with outstanding custodians from public and private agencies, primarily the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Social and Sport Contribution Fund (DAAM), Ministry of Interior represented by Dukhan Security, General Directorate of Traffic and Patrols, as well as the General Directorate of Civil Defence and Security Systems.

The Ministry of Municipality serves as a strategic partner, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change as the environmental partner, with Seashore Group of Companies as the logistical sponsor, Al Taysir Automobiles as the Gold Sponsor, Alkalive Water (Lusail Mineral Water) and West Walk as Platinum Sponsors, while AlKass Sports Channels will serve as the official broadcaster of the festival.

The festival also features a unique Prize to develop local judging talent and the "Jazilat Al-Atta" Poetry Award for the best poem, valued at QAR 30,000, honoring literary creativity and preserving Qatar's camel heritage and cultural legacy.

In essence, the club is committed to holding this festival annually in pursuit of preserving the sports of forebears, enabling generations to assimilate this kind of sport, protecting purebred and rare Arabian camel breeds, and increasing participation among owners in such contests.

The objective is ultimately to create an enduring popular legacy by encouraging members of Qatari society in particular, and the Gulf region in general, to continue practicing this sport in all its forms, thereby cementing humanitarian and social bonds.

In addition, the festival aims to advance domestic and Gulf tourism and spur economic activity, promoting Qatar's standing as the primary crossroads for camel festivals and heritage events on the domestic, regional, and global stages.

(QNA)