The skies above Malham, north of Riyadh, witnessed fierce competition on the seventh day of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2025 , organized by the Saudi Falcons Club. This event, the largest of its kind globally, brings together elite falconers from within the Kingdom and abroad in a cultural and sporting spectacle that reflects the depth of Saudi identity.
The importance of the festival and its cultural dimensions
The importance of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is not limited to being a field for sporting competition only, but it represents a fundamental pillar in preserving the cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. The festival has succeeded in establishing its international position after entering the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest gathering of falcons in the world, which enhances the Kingdom’s presence as a global tourist and cultural destination, and contributes to passing on this ancient heritage to future generations.
Details of local professional competitions
On Wednesday, the seventh day of competition, 185 local professional falconers participated across six rounds in the Al-Malwah competition. The results confirmed the professionalism of Saudi falconers and the strength of their preparations for this exceptional season.
Shaheen category results
The competition began with the Shaheen Farakh , where falconer Saud Al-Shaibani secured first place with his falcon (9), followed by Abdullah Hamad Al-Marri with his falcon (Al-Hashimiyah), and then Khalid bin Ta'is Al-Qahtani with his falcon (Madhkhurah). In the Shaheen Qarnas , Faisal bin Jumaa won first place with his falcon (Reef), Hani Al-Shalawi came in second, and Hamad Nasser Al-Marri finished third.
A female surprise in the Gir Shaheen category
The Gyrfalcon category witnessed fierce competition. In the young falcon round, Muqham Al-Qahtani secured first place with his falcon, Rumel. However, the most notable event occurred in the adult Gyrfalcon , where falconer Noura bint Hamid Al-Mansouri achieved a resounding upset, snatching first place with her falcon, Adbas, outperforming strong competitors. Abdulhadi Al-Mutairi came in second, and Mohammed Al-Hamdhawi third, reflecting the growing participation of women in this traditional sport.
Control in the gear category
The competitions concluded with the Gyrfalcon , where Abdulhadi Al-Mutairi secured first place in the young falcon round with his falcon, Hadawi. In the adult falcon round, Jaber Al-Marri took first place with his falcon, Munther, followed by Faisal Al-Marzouqi and Sultan Al-Amer in second and third place, respectively.
Huge prizes and unprecedented support
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2025 features substantial cash prizes exceeding 38 million Saudi Riyals , distributed across 1,012 prizes in 139 rounds. The competitions encompass diverse categories such as Al-Malwah (400-meter lure) and beauty contests, stimulating competition, increasing the market value of falcons, and directly supporting the economics of the falconry hobby.
