Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Falcons Club has announced two major falconry events to be held in the Kingdom later this year, further strengthening Saudi Arabia’s importance as an international center of falconry excellence.

The 2nd King Abddulaziz Festival of Falconry will be held at the purpose-built falconry showgrounds on Qassim Road, Riyadh (Mulham exit) from Dec. 1-16, while the 2nd Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition will be held in Riyadh from Oct. 11-15.

Falconry has always been closely associated with the Arabian Peninsula and is an important part of the cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia. Indeed, the sport was ascribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2016.

Today there are more than 20,000 active falconers in Saudi Arabia who are represented by the Saudi Falcon Club, which was established by royal decree in 2016 in order to stage international falconry events and competitions within the Kingdom, and to protect falcons and other migratory birds from predation and habitat loss.

For more information about the exhibition, festival and falconry in Saudi Arabia, log on to: http://sfc.org.sa/en/home-en/