The highly anticipated "Al Mazayen" competition kicked off today, Monday, as part of the 2025 King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, held at the Saudi Falcons Club in Malham (north of Riyadh). This event is considered the most prominent of its kind globally, bringing together elite falconers and enthusiasts of this rich heritage from within the Kingdom and abroad in a unique cultural and sporting spectacle.
The falcon beauty contest continues for four consecutive days, from January 5th to 8th, where participating falcons compete for beauty titles according to precise criteria including feather symmetry, color, head size, eye size, and other aesthetic qualities that determine the rarity and value of the bird. The competition began its first day with two intense rounds; the first for the "Shaheen Fakh" category and the second for the "Hurr Qarnas" category, amidst a remarkable public turnout that reflects the Saudi community's passion for this inherited hobby.
As part of the competition schedule, tomorrow, Tuesday, will witness three exciting rounds, including the "Local Bred Hurr Chick" category, the "Mongolian Black Hurr Chick/Adult Hurr" category, and the "Mongolian Expatriate Hurr Chick/Adult Hurr" category. The excitement continues on the third day of the competition with the "Hurr from Hurr Adult" round for local breeders and the "Black/Dark Hurr" round. The competitions will conclude on Wednesday, January 8, with the "Pure Gyrfalcon Chick" round and the "Pure Gyrfalcon Adult" round for local breeders, bringing to a close one of the most exciting competitions of the festival.
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is of great importance beyond being just a sporting competition; it is a fundamental pillar in the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to preserve intangible cultural heritage and promote national identity in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Through its successive editions, the festival has succeeded in entering the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest gathering of falcons in the world, thus consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a leading global destination for falconers and tourists interested in environmental and cultural heritage.
It is worth noting that the festival, organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, offers substantial cash prizes to the winners of the "Al-Malwah" and "Al-Mazayin" competitions, with total prizes exceeding 38 million Saudi riyals. This generous support not only aims to honor the winners but also directly contributes to supporting investment in the falconry sector, stimulating buying and selling activity, and supporting local breeding farms, thus creating an economic boost alongside the cultural and sporting events taking place in the Malham region during the festival.
