Fortnight-long Fakhr Al Ajyal ‘Pride of the Generation' Championship for Falconry will determine the two fastest birds in the Gulf

Dubai, Monday, February 1st 2016 – The fortnight-long Fakhr Al Ajyal ‘Pride of the Generation’ Championship for Falconry will get off to a characteristically flying start today (Monday) astride Emirates Road in the Ruwayyah area of Dubai. This fourth edition and the final series from the Tilwah competitions, which is being organised and supervised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), has received 3,500 registered participants so far.

Organisers have seen a high level of interest from Qatari and Saudi falconers for the contest, with the competitors split into 16 categories across two main classifications – ‘Farkh’ and ‘Jernaas.’ The winning bird in the ‘Farkh’ and ‘Jernaas’ fields will win Dh500,000 and a top-of-the-range Bentley each for his or her connections.

Souad Ibrahim Darwish, the Director of Championships at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), commented: “We are seeing an increase in the number of registered participants for this particular competition year on year and that is a clear indication of the progressive importance of it to Emirati falconers and people from across the GCC countries. We have attained a very high standard in relation to the fast times achieved by birds spanning the GCC region and our next goal is to give this heritage sport even more mass appeal by showcasing it to a global audience”

Dumaithan bin Swaidan, the Head of Committee for the Fazza Championship for Falconry Telwah, said: “The staging of such a championship only serves to enhance falconry’s standing as a prominent heritage sport here in Dubai and it underlines the UAE’s position as the preeminent pioneer of falconry – among other associated cultural pastimes and pursuits – in the Arab world.”