Qatar to Host Thrilling Founder Sheikh Jassim Camel Festival in December

Doha, Qatar: The Camel Racing Organizing Committee has announced the details of the inaugural Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Camel Festival, set to take place from December 13 to 27, 2025. This festival marks the beginning of the 2025-2026 camel racing season and promises to attract participants from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Festival Highlights and Competitions

Spanning over 15 days, the festival will unfold at the renowned Al Shahaniya and Lobsair Racetracks. This year’s event will feature a record total of 337 races, showcasing categories such as royal camels, which are reserved for Their Highnesses and Sheikhs, and Tribal Camels. With a total of 28 prestigious awards on offer, the highlight will be the Golden Sword, which recognizes excellence in tribal camel racing.

Competitors will include some of the most elite camels, making this festival one of the largest and most competitive in the region. The event will start at dawn on December 13 with two traditional “Human Rider” races, each covering a distance of four kilometers. The first race will be exclusively for Qatari riders, while the second will welcome GCC participants aged 18 to 35.

Significance and Rewards

This festival is set to become an annual highlight on the camel racing calendar, featuring evening competitions for royal camels up until December 17. Following this, the focus will shift to tribal camels, continuing until the festival concludes.

As a flagship event, the festival will attract camel owners from across Qatar and the GCC, solidifying its reputation as a leading contender in terms of participation and competitive spirit. The organizing committee has allocated an impressive array of cash and in-kind prizes across all categories, enhancing the festival’s prestige and motivating participants to deliver their best performances.

On the final day, approximately QR 25 million will be designated for the six concluding races. This includes QR 10.5 million specifically for the Golden Sword race for Al Heil tribal camels. Prize distributions will reward the top five finishers, with the winner receiving QR 5 million, second place taking QR 2.5 million, third QR 1.5 million, fourth QR 1 million, and fifth QR 500,000.

The Founder Sheikh Jassim Camel Festival not only celebrates the rich heritage of camel racing in Qatar but also underscores the cultural significance of this traditional sport across the GCC.