Riyadh: The Saudi Camel Racing Federation has announced a new competition exclusively for Saudi owners, introducing a Crown Prince Camel Festival Cup with a SR500,000 ($133,300) prize to be awarded to the owner who accumulates the most points during the season.
The cup, which will debut during the eighth Crown Prince Camel Festival beginning on Sept. 3 at the Taif Camel Racing Track, will be contested for the first time during the 2026-27 season.
Under the federation’s points system, winners of public races and Saudi-bred races will earn 25 points, while second place receives 20 points, third 15 points, fourth 10 points, and fifth five points. In all other races, only the winner will receive 10 points, with no points awarded to other finishers.
The federation has also introduced four regulations governing the competition. Points will only be officially confirmed after each festival once doping test results have been finalized. If a camel is sold or transferred during the season, any points it has earned will automatically transfer to the new owner.
Owners whose camels are found to have used prohibited substances, electric shock devices, or any other method that affects the animal’s physical condition will be disqualified from the competition.
In the event of a tie on points, the winner will first be determined by the number of championship titles, known as “symbols,” won during the season. If owners remain level, the title will be decided by the fastest recorded race time.
The federation said the new cup forms part of its efforts under the leadership of Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, chairman of the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, to encourage greater competition among Saudi owners, strengthen domestic camel breeding, and preserve the Kingdom’s camel racing heritage while supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
