Camel Racing
Camels are an integral part of the history and culture of the
UAE. Local people revere camels; it is, in
fact, an honor to own a camel. Families
exchange camels as a woman’s dowry.
Camels traded and bartered for other good. Camels are transportation for goods and
people. Camels have adaptations and
traits that make them ideal for a desert environment. They can survive on small amounts food and
water. Locals sell camel milk and camel
meat. It cost approximately 700 dhs per
month to feed and house a camel. Camel
races held. After the unification of the
UAE, the leadership immediately recognized that the sport of camel racing was
something that could unite the varied peoples of the Emiratis. The people of the UAE consider camels to be magnificent
animals; they even hold camel beauty pageants. Sale prices for a camel can
range from 7000 to over one million dhs.
Originally, camel races would be at
weddings and festivals. Historians can
trace camel racing back to the seventh century.
Camel racing is something that unites the people of the UAE from rich to
poor across all demographics. In the
1970’s camel racing started to develop as an organized and recognized
sport. In 1971, a sheik Zayed built the
first track. Eventually, more and more
money poured into the camel racing. In the 80’s construction of racetracks and prize
money multiplied. As camel racing grew
more and more competitive, lightweight child-jockeys came into favor. At first, the jockeys were local but due to the
extremely high danger of injury or death, owners started bringing in children
from Pakistan and India. Camel racing is
of course extremely dangerous. Genetically
camels are not runners, at least to for any extended period. When camels run, it is awkward and makes it
difficult for the rider. One report
stated that over 40,000 children worked at one time, as child jockeys in the
Gulf States. Reports leaked to the press
of children as young as two or three riding camels as well as reports of sexual
and physical abuse. The UAE banned human
jockeys in 2003 and since that time robots have replaced humans. The robot is in the form of a rider, operated
by remote control. Most owners would
prefer to see real riders, but the stain of the “child-jockey” controversy
still hangs over camel racing. The
latest version of robots are cheap and produced locally. The robots weigh only
a few kilograms. Prize money varies but
averages around 700000 dhs for the winner of a race. It is much akin to horseracing in the United
States and the UK. The camels are drug
tested to prevent steroid use and owners spend vast sums feeding them taking
into account everything from water purity to vitamin percentages to attain
perfect nutrition and give the camels the best possible conditions to stay
healthy and race to their highest potential.
The future of camel
racing is bright. A broad cross section
of society follows camel racing. Camel
races have many sponsors, and people look forward to watching them live and on
television. Prize money and the money in
general invested in camel racing continues to increase every year. The sport of camel racing positively contributes
the economy in the UAE. Camel racing has
a long and rich history with the locals. Camel Racing Interview with Mr. Ahmed Almuhairi
