More join falconers’ contest
SHARJAH: The number of participants in the Sharjah Falconers Club Championship – (Telwah) has increased to 30 per cent compared to last year which is a huge success. The 3-day event is being attending by young falconers as young as 4 years old to seniors belong to different segments of the society but bound by one passion to demonstrate the inest falcons in the country’s heritage sport.
The 3-day championship held by Sharjah Falconers Club Championship under the patronage of Sheikh Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, the Sharjah Falconers Club Championship – Telwah (the lure) is organised and supervised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC).
Abdulaziz Bin Sultan Al Ali, Head of the Organising Committee of the Sharjah Falconers Club Championship, told The Gulf Today on the sidelines of the event, “The number would have further increased, but another huge competition is going on at the same time in Abu Dhabi where many falconers from Eastern Emirates have been participating but we noticed around 120 new entries from as young as 4-year-old to senior Emiratis this year.”
He added that the Sharjah Falconers Club in its 2 years has been playing a vital role to facilitate the young passionate falconers by holding lectures, training and other facilities aiming to promote the Emirati culture among the young generation.
The Sharjah championship will be followed by the Fazza Championship for Falconry Telwah from January 2-16, 2019 and the third edition of Rashid
Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Championship in Ajman on January 26, 2019, followed y Fakhr Al Ajyal from 1st to 16th February 2019.
Souad Ibrahim Darwish, Director of Championships at HHC, added, “With each year, falconry has become more popular in the UAE. Once an integral part of Bedouin life, falconry has evolved into a highly skilled sport, with high rewards for those adept at training their birds of prey. Fazza Falconry tournaments began in Dubai almost two decades ago, and have spread across Fujairah, Sharjah and Ajman.”
“One of the many achievements of the HHC has been to raise awareness among the general public about heritage sports, including falconry – and we look forward to more success and championships in the coming months,” she added.