Saudi Ministry of Health launches rapid response team training program

RIYADH: The Saudi Falcons Club auction has seen a lot of success in five nights, according to the club’s official spokesman, Walid Al-Taweel, who said it has so far sold six falcons for 645,000 SR ($172,000).

The third edition of the SFC auction is being held at the club’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, and will end on November 15.

Al-Taweel told Arab News that the club was seeking to encourage experienced falconers to participate in the auction through prizes. He added that the SFC calendar is full of surprises, with the launch of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival next December, an event eagerly awaited by falconers around the world.

The auction began with the sale of the peregrine falcon Qirnas (over a year old) from falconer Sami Al-Balawi for SR40,000 to Ali Al-Otaibi.

Then came the competition for the second falcon, a young peregrine, which was sold for 76,000 SR to Bandar Al-Enizi.

The young falcon belonged to falconers Yasser Al-Majed, Saddam Al-Banaqi and Habis Al-Hazimi.

In the Arabian Peninsula, falcons are revered as a heritage and heirloom that represent a large part of the culture of the region, and the peregrine is considered the most predatory bird of all falcon subspecies.

Sultan bin Towais Al-Qahtani, a businessman and expert in the field of falconry, told Arab News: “The price of falcons is determined by their weight, color and characteristics, such as shoulders and legs. .

“Qirnas refers to falcons over one year old. Unlike Qirnas, young basking sharks are priced higher, just as wild basking birds are more expensive than trained ones,” Al-Qahtani added.

The SFC aims to develop falcon auctioning in the Kingdom by preserving its cultural and economic value and welcoming falconry enthusiasts and those interested in animal husbandry from all over the world.

The club offers many benefits to falconers through its teams across the Kingdom. It provides a way to regulate and organize the buying and selling of falcons in Saudi Arabia.

Club teams receive the owner of the falcon – also known as Al-Tarouh – in their respective region, then provide accommodation and transportation for the Tarouhs to the auction house.

The falcon is then offered in a competitive, direct and fast-paced auction broadcast live on SFC’s TV channels and social media accounts without the buying and selling process being subject to any restrictions. costs.

Once the sale is finalized, electronic falcon anklets are fitted and official documents are issued to complete the sale procedures.

The Al-Melwah race was also launched, organized by the club on Fridays and Saturdays for six weeks alongside the auction.

Al-Taweel said the Al-Melwah race aims to promote falconry, raise awareness of the importance of preserving falcons, train younger generations in the sport and enable falconers to practice their hobby.

The first day of the race, devoted to the category of saker falcon chicks, was marked by great excitement. Six categories competed – lanner falcon, saker falcon, peregrine falcon, pure gyr, taba gyr and garmoosha gyr – with prizes amounting to SR756,000.

Many falconers said that the Al-Melwah race encouraged them and allowed them to practice their hobby. Falconer Wadih Al-Saadi praised the club’s efforts, noting that the race has many benefits as it breaks the period of stagnation and puts falconers in the spirit of competition.

Falconer Abdullah Ghazi, who said it was his first participation, said the Al-Melwah run was a good opportunity for falconers from across the Kingdom to meet. He noted that the incentives offered by the club have helped many falconers return to the hobby.

Fahd Al-Hajri stressed the importance of racing at this time, saying it helps falconers determine the readiness of their birds, especially chicks that have yet to get used to racing.

Al-Hajri thanked the club for its efforts to serve falconers and preserve this ancient heritage.

The SFC has awarded valuable prizes for each race of the Al-Melwah race, offered to the first five places in each race.

The first place holder receives 25,000 SR, the second place holder receives 15,000 SR, the third place holder receives 10,000 SR, the fourth place holder receives 8,000 SR and the fifth place holder receives 5,000 SR.