The eighth edition of the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2026 draws to a close tomorrow at the historic Taif racetrack, where 114 camels are set to compete across four final rounds with an estimated market value ranging between SAR 270 million and SAR 492 million, according to specialists in the sport. The figures reflect the growing investment weight of the camels vying for the festival's top honours.
The closing rounds are distributed across the four races, with 35 camels in the first, 13 in the second, 46 in the third and 20 in the fourth, bringing together elite Saudi and Gulf camels. Camel owner and racing specialist Abdullah Al-Sharif explained that a single camel in the "Al-Hail" rounds is valued between SAR 3 million and SAR 6 million, while those in the "Al-Zamoul" rounds range between SAR 1.5 million and SAR 2 million, with some animals exceeding SAR 7 million to SAR 8 million depending on their record, results and lineage.
Al-Sharif noted that reaching the festival's closing symbol races raises a camel's market value, pointing to past achievements, production capacity and bloodlines as key price drivers, alongside the level of competition and the prize pool on offer. The eighth edition concludes under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and is organised by the Saudi Camel Federation with total prizes exceeding SAR 50 million.