Saudi pageant drives falcon sales soaring

Saudi pageant drives falcon sales soaring

The AlUla Falcon Cup has galvanised sales and purchases at the falcon market with owners notching up profits of more than 180 per cent in deals prompted by participation in the falconry world’s biggest competition.

Image Credit: SPA

Cairo: The falcon market in Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries has recently flourished mainly due to a just-concluded Saudi competition offering record prizes totalling SR60 million, the highest in the world’s falconry events, according to experts.

The AlUla Falcon Cup wrapped up Friday in north-western Saudi Arabia after nine days of exciting competitions and marked local, regional and international attendance.

The event came on the heels of the King Abdulaziz Falcon Festival held in November in the capital Riyadh.

The AlUla Falcon Cup has galvanised sales and purchases at the falcon market with owners notching up profits of more than 180 per cent in deals prompted by participation in the falconry world’s biggest competition, according to falconer Abdullah bin Fahd.

“The competition opened up new prospects for supporting the local falconers in technical and financial terms,” he was quoted by the Saudi news agency SPA as saying.

“It has also consolidated investment in falconry, given its grand prizes that motivate professionals and