Fazza Championships for Falconry Continues with Younger Gear Tebha Category

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center overcomes strong winds, to see a great day of falconry

Dubai, 31 December, 2013: The Fazza Championships for Falconry, organized by Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, kicked off yesterday with the qualifying round ‘Gear Tebha Farakh Sheikhs' – which is the category where falcons who are owned or supported by Sheikhs compete. The qualifying rounds will carry on until mid-January, 2014. Due to strong winds the direction which owners fly the falcons from has switched from the usual North to South, to West to East

Ten participants out of almost 60 competing falconers qualified for the next round of the championship. With first place going to NAS (Ned Al Sheba) team, who managed to earn most of the first ten places.

Winners of the Category

Amid searing competition, NAS R earned the first place in 20:630 sec, second place went to Group NAS K as well with a speed of 21:086 sec, third place also went to NAS R with speed score of 21:274 sec, fourth place went to NAS H in a speed of 21:364 sec, fifth place went to NAS with a speed score of 21:449 sec, sixth place went to NAS scoring a speed of 21:474 sec, seventh place went to Khalif Obaid Bu Dhoum scoring a speed of 21:475 sec, eighth place went to NAS K Falcons with speed score of 21:556 sec, ninth place went to NAS R with a speed score of 21:696 sec and the tenth place went to NAS R Falcons with a speed score of 21:697 sec.

Falconry – Passing Down the Love from One Generation to the Next

“I have been involved in falconry since I was about 5 years old, raising and training falcons for competition. I always found them to be incredibly intelligent creatures that can recognize their owners. If I was to walk into a room my falcon would be calm but if somebody else was to go in without me the falcon would be restless. There is a very special bond between us. Today I am a committee member of the Fazza Championships for Falconry and I am taking part in quite a lot of the categories of the championship. Today my son Hamid is with me and he will be taking care of my bird. The falcon loves my son more than he loves me. All my sons take part in this traditional sport, not because I tell them to but because they have a natural love for the falcon” said Saeed Al Shamsi – Committee Member, Competing Falconer.

Like father like son, Hamid will be participating soon in the Juniors championship with his own two falcons.

Falcons and Owners Prevail Against Strong Winds

“Today we've experienced some very strong winds. We even had to turn the speed race course so the participants can release their birds to fly East with the winds as opposed to normally being flown to the North. Despite the winds the falcons and owners prevailed, with there being some fantastic results coming from this younger category of Falcons. We have noticed a great rise in the amount of people taking part in event this year and we are looking forward to welcoming more newcomers to the sport” said Dmithan – Head of Committee