The sixth Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival, continuing at Sabkhet Marmi in the Sealine area of Mesaieed, will witness today the launch of the Dau event.
During the event, a falcon is required to cross in the shortest time a distance of 400m toward its owner, who signals the bird to approach, from the finish line.
“The event will feature 242 competitors, subdivided into two groups of 121 each,” said Jassem al-Hudaifi, head of the Dau organising committee.
After the first round today, the second round will be held tomorrow. “The ten best times of each day will qualify the falcons and their owners for the final round of the event,” the official explained.
A group of students of the Qatar Society for the Rehabilitation of Special Needs paid a visit to the festival yesterday, following an invitation sent by organisers. They toured the festival grounds, and were particularly interested in the Young Falconer and Hudud al Tahaddi challenge events.
“The students’ visit to the heritage festival contributes a great deal toward developing their intellectual capacities, while increasing their social engagement,” observed Ghaliad al-Dosari, who was supervising the group.
Malika Mohamed al-Shraim, head of the festival’s Media, Marketing and PR committee, underlined the organisers’ efforts to include all of society’s groups in the festival and promote the country’s cultural heritage.
Yesterday’s results featured the qualification of Abdullah bin Khalid al-Shahwani and Jaber Ubaid al-Ghayathin al-Marri for the final round of the Hudud al Tahaddi challenge, in addition to winning QR100,000. The Hudud al Tahaddi challenge is an event in which falcons seek to obstruct the flight of homing pigeons especially trained to fly away, and instead causing them to land.
The festival, being organised by the Gannas Society under the patronage of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, runs until January 31.
Some of the winners celebrating with their friends and families.
