Dubai, 6 February 2022: The qualifying rounds for the 15th Saluki Championship, organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), kicked off to a strong start over the weekend at Dubai’s Al Marmoom racetrack.
Saluki racing is one of the most popular heritage sports in UAE. A large number of participants took part in the qualifying races as the Bedouin hunting dogs put on a show of speed and stamina.
Categories
Salukis came from across the UAE and GCC. There were qualifying matches in both amateur and professional categories – for both male and female salukis – with the top three finishers in each race advancing to the finals. Races were also held in two distances – 2,500 metres and 1,000 metres.
Strong competition
Rashid Al Khasouni, HHC Director of Championships, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the participants who trained hard for the championship. He said: “This reflects the strong level of competition as we have also witnessed an increased turnout of young participants who brought in their salukis.”
“The popularity of Saluki racing is because of its ability to be passed on to the younger generation. We really focus on motivating the young generation to participate in various heritage sports and we provide all the necessary support to reach their dreams,” he added.
