ADIHEX launches new edition of ‘Most Beautiful Captive-Bred Falcons’ contest

ABU DHABI, 2nd August, 2022 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) has announced the launch of a new edition of the “Most Beautiful Captive-Bred Falcons” contest.

The contest has earned the appreciation of regional and international entities concerned with preserving heritage and protecting the environment by motivating falconers to preserve wild falcons.

The contest includes three categories: Most Beautiful Saker (Local & International), Most Beautiful Pure Gyr (Local & International), and Most Beautiful Gyr Peregrine.

A jury consisting of Emirati and international experts in the field of falcons and their breeding, and members of the Emirates Falconers Club and the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF), is responsible for carefully evaluating the participating falcons based on several criteria such as; the birds’ weight and body measurements, the symmetry and colour of the feathers, the details of the birds’ head, body and legs, the birds’ general aesthetic appearance, as well as their health and the absence of any diseases.

The contest will be held on the last day of the exhibition, Sunday 2nd October 2022, where the falconry companies and farms wishing to participate shall come to the stand of the Emirates Falconers Club at 6 pm.

The upcoming 19th edition of ADIHEX is organised by Emirates Falconers’ Club from 26th September to 2nd October 2022.

Majid Ali Al Mansouri, the Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee and Secretary-General of the Emirates Falconers Club, emphasised that the innovative competitions, which are annually launched during ADIHEX, have made the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, a leader in the field of events that seek to preserve cultural heritage, conserve wildlife, and protect the environment. “ADIHEX was the first to launch this unique event in the world, and through it, the idea of this contest was transferred to many countries,” he said.

He added that Abu Dhabi worked early on developing an effective strategy for the sustainability of falconry, based on expanding captive breeding to produce enough high-quality birds for sale at reasonable prices. This was done in conjunction with awareness campaigns targeting falconry enthusiasts to preserve wild falcons and limit their hunting.

The contest aims to encourage the falconers to use captive-bred falcons while practising their favourite sport. It motivates experts in falconry and falcon farms to produce larger and more beautiful falcons in terms of feathers and colour, thus replacing the use of wild falcons and allowing them to breed in their natural habitats.