The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2025 witnessed fierce competition on Sunday, its fourth day, with seven qualifying rounds for local amateur falconers in the renowned Al-Malwah competition. The Saudi Falcons Club is hosting this international event at its headquarters in Mulham (north of Riyadh), which will continue until January 10, 2026, amidst a large audience and wide participation from elite falconers.
A cultural legacy and a unique global event
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival is more than just a sporting competition; it is a massive cultural and heritage event aimed at preserving the tradition of falconry in Saudi Arabia and the region. In its previous editions, the festival has successfully entered the Guinness World Records as the largest gathering of falcons in the world, reflecting the wise leadership's commitment to preserving this rich heritage, which is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The festival seeks to strengthen national identity and pass on this time-honored tradition to future generations.
Details of the results for day four
The fourth day of competition featured 227 falcons distributed across seven rounds covering various categories. The detailed results for the top finishers are as follows:
- The three-year-old Gyrfalcon race: Falconer Youssef Al-Mustanir won first place with his falcon (Tarshih), followed by Faisal Al-Sharafi with his falcon (Sultan), and then Abdullah Al-Afees with his falcon (Ghanah).
- The three-year-old Gyrfalcon race: Awad Al-Aradi achieved first place with the falcon (Zann), Hamad Al-Marri came in second with (Daghsh), and Fahd Al-Qahtani came in third with (V12).
- Shaheen Farakh Round: Mo’ajeb Al-Dossari won first place with (Reema), Meshaal Al-Shammari came second with (Al-Samsama), and Rakan Al-Shaibani came third with (RG).
- Shaheen Qarnas round: Mohammed Al-Buainain won first place with the falcon (Shannaah), Hamad Al-Marri came in second with (Hamah), and Abdullah Al-Marri came in third with (Mabrouk).
- of the free-flying falcon competition , Abdulaziz Al-Fahigi won with his falcon (Latam), while Fawaz Al-Hajri won with his falcon (Ghaith) in the second round.
- Free round of Qarnas: The day concluded with Da’ij Al-Da’ij winning first place with the falcon (Habas).
Huge prizes and economic dimensions
This year's festival features substantial cash prizes exceeding 38 million Saudi Riyals, distributed across 1,012 prizes in 139 rounds of the Al-Malwah and Al-Mazayin competitions. The festival's significance extends beyond competition, impacting the economic and tourism sectors. It stimulates buying and selling activity in the falconry market and attracts tourists and enthusiasts from around the world, further solidifying the Kingdom's position as a leading global destination for falconers and lovers of authentic heritage.
