Tuesday 31 / March / 2026
Barka: His Majesty the Sultan's Camel Racing Festival 2026 is currently underway with a distinctly competitive atmosphere and a notable turnout from camel owners and racing enthusiasts at the Al Fulaij racetrack in the Wilayat of Barka. The five-day event, which concludes this Thursday, is organized by the Royal Court Affairs, represented by the Royal Camel Corps.
Competitions on the third day commenced this morning, featuring seven rounds in the Yida'a (young camel) category.
Competitions will resume tomorrow (Wednesday) with ten rounds in the Thanaya (two-year-old) and Hawl (one-year-old) categories over a distance of eight kilometers, divided across morning and evening sessions.
The final day of competitions on Thursday will feature six rounds as part of the His Majesty the Sultan's Cup. Winners of the first five rounds will each be awarded a trophy and a car, with rounds spanning the Hijaj (adult camels), Laqaya (imported young camels), Yida'a, Thanaya and Hawl categories.
The festival will conclude with a Hawl category(human-rider) race, in which the first-place finisher will receive a car—a closing event that harmoniously combines symbolic tradition with high-level competitive distinction.
Meanwhile, the Royal Camel Corps at the Royal Court Affairs inaugurated the accompanying festival village last Sunday in the Al Fulaij area of the Wilayat of Barka in South Al Batinah Governorate. The inauguration took place under the patronage of Eng. Hilal Mohammed Al Waeli, Head of the Royal Horses, Camels, Farms and Gardens Affairs.
The festival village features participation from 47 institutions, comprising various pavilions that showcase the achievements of Royal Court Affairs units, alongside a dedicated section for small and medium enterprises and productive families displaying their products to visitors. The village also includes a theater hosting a series of continuous artistic evenings, as well as a traditional tent offering a diverse array of heritage and cultural activities, such as poetry evenings and the traditional arts of Al Wannah, Al Tariq, Al Taghroud and Al Hambal, in addition to interactive camel-related demonstrations.
It is worth noting that the festival village will remain open to visitors throughout the duration of the festival, until 2 April 2026, serving as an integrated destination that seamlessly combines entertainment with authentic cultural heritage
