Arabian Saluki Championship launches with four distance categories across the Emirates

A new professional racing system honours the UAE's heritage sport, beginning this November with qualifying rounds in Al Ain and Al Dhafra, followed by finals through March 2027.

The Arabian Saluki, that most elegant and swift of hounds, steps into a new era this month. Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, and H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, the inaugural Arabian Saluki Championship for the 2026–2027 season begins on 7th November in Al Ain, with a second qualifying round on 14th November in Al Dhafra.

The championship represents a significant development in how the UAE approaches its intangible cultural heritage. Organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club and the Arabian Saluki Centre in Abu Dhabi, it introduces a professional system for racing, registration and classification that honours tradition whilst embracing contemporary technical standards. The structure acknowledges the diverse capabilities of these remarkable animals: speed races over 1,000 metres, middle distance races over 1,500 metres, endurance races over 2,000 metres, and stamina races over 2,500 metres, each showcasing different qualities across ten competitive rounds.

The qualifying races over 1,000 metres commence at Al Rawdah Camel Racing Track in Al Ain on 7th November, with the final scheduled for 28th November at the Camel Racing Track in Al Dhafra. Races over 1,500 metres follow in December, those over 2,000 metres in January and February 2027, and the culminating stamina race takes place on 20th March 2027 in Al Dhafra. This extended calendar allows both established competitors and new participants to demonstrate their animals’ abilities across different distances and terrain conditions.

Beyond the racing itself, the championship encompasses the Arabian Saluki Beauty Contest and a simulated hunting competition using a mechanical lure, providing a fuller picture of the breed’s distinctive qualities. These accompanying events were first showcased during the latest Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition.

The strategic ambition extends deeper than sport alone. The championship aims to develop the Arabian Saluki breed itself through structured encouragement of breeding and rearing according to the highest standards. A specialised scientific database is envisioned, documenting genetic and physical capabilities and enabling research programmes to enhance the breed’s characteristics. Majed Ali Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, emphasised this multi-dimensional approach: the championship seeks to broaden participation among owners, breeders and enthusiasts whilst stimulating the economy associated with Saluki sport through breeding, training, equipment provision and heritage tourism.

In recognition of the UAE’s broader commitment to equestrian heritage, similar initiatives have marked recent months; the Emirates Arabian Horse Society celebrated the inaugural Tsholeeb competition, continuing the emirate’s tradition of supporting purebred breeding and competing across the region and beyond.

Al Mansouri offered particular thanks to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his continued support of the UAE’s cultural heritage, and commended the patronage of both H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The championship’s realisation reflects collaboration across multiple entities: the Ruler’s Representative Courts in both regions, the Camel Race Association, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center, Al Ain Municipality, Al Dhafra Municipality, and Yas TV.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The championship places Abu Dhabi at the centre of a professionalised Arabian Saluki sport, reinforcing the emirate’s position as a leading centre for this authentic heritage practice. By establishing comprehensive technical and organisational standards, the initiative creates a sustainable framework that preserves cultural traditions whilst attracting new generations to participate, whether as competitors, breeders or enthusiasts.

The economic implications extend across multiple sectors. The breeding, training, equipment and heritage tourism industries associated with Arabian Saluki sport will benefit from increased participation and profile, multiplying the beneficiaries from the sport’s growth. This structured approach to cultural preservation generates measurable economic activity whilst maintaining the integrity and authenticity that define the practice, positioning Abu Dhabi as steward of a living heritage that enriches both the region’s economy and its cultural standing.

Source: WAM