RIYADH: Twelve international professionals were recently crowned winners of the King Abdulaziz Cups in the Milwah lure-racing competition at the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival. 

Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, the festival is being held at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, until Saturday, with wide international participation.

The international rounds featured 224 competing falcons. Bahraini falconers claimed four cups, while Emirati participants also won four titles, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Mazayen beauty pageant also began on Monday, attracting falconers and enthusiasts from within the Kingdom and abroad. The competition will run until Jan. 8.

Cash prizes are awarded for each Mazayen round: SR300,000 ($80,000) for first place, SR175,000 for second, SR100,000 for third, SR30,000 for fourth, and SR20,000 for fifth.

The festival includes participants from the Gulf, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Pakistan, and the Syrian Arab Republic, the SPA reported.

The event has attracted exceptional numbers since its launch in 2019. It continues to expand its global profile, having previously set three Guinness World Records as the world’s largest falcon festival in terms of participating birds.

The festival features 139 rounds and offers 1,012 prizes worth over SR38 million, including for the Milwah (400 meters) and Mazayen competitions.

The Milwah race includes categories for owners, amateurs, professionals, and elite competitors, with separate rounds for local and international falconers. The Mazayen contest evaluates falcons based on strict beauty standards.