Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival: Continuing A Cultural Legacy (image:instagram.com/visitsaudi)

Falconry refers to the sport of hunting animals and birds using birds of prey. The practice is in vogue in many Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia. The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, an annual international festival is conducted with the aim of advancing and preserving Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage.

Hundreds and hundreds of falcons and their owners are joining the festival from the Kingdom, the Gulf, and around the world, paying homage to an ancient tradition and also as a conservation effort.

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It is recognised as the world’s largest falconry competition, and in 2023, the festival entered the Guinness World Records for the third time.

The festival is organised by the Saudi Falcons Club in Malham, north of Riyadh. Aside from the festival, the Saudi Falcons Club is engaged in a number of initiatives, including the rehabilitation of wild saker falcons and other native species.

The festival focuses on two key competitions: the Mazayin, a falcon beauty pageant judged by experts, and the Milwah, a 400-meter race with categories for professional, amateur, and both Saudi and international falcon owners. The best-performing falcons and falconers will bag millions of dollars in prize money.

Since the beginning of the festival in 2017, it has set records. In the first year, with the participation of 1,723 falcons, it entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest falconry event, and in 2019, with 2,350 falcons, it broke the record again.

In earlier times, nomadic desert-dwelling Arab tribes trapped and trained these falcons to help in the hunt and feed their families. They released the birds back into the wild at the end of the season.

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The practice of modern falconry involves research and conservation initiatives as well. Aside from celebration, the festival ensures that the sport continues as a legacy for Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it holds cultural significance in the Kingdom.

Since the sport being held during winter, those visiting Saudi Arabia at that time make sure not to miss this experience.