The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2026 has introduced three dedicated rounds for Mongolian falcons acquired at the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition 2026, with one round in the Al-Melwah racing competition and two in the Al-Mazayin beauty contest for the «Farkh» and «Qarnas» categories, according to the organizing body. The move opens participation to both local and international falconers who purchase their birds directly from the exhibition, provided the falcon is registered at the point of sale and before leaving the venue.
Under the rules set for these rounds, each owner may enter no more than five purchased falcons, and the Mongolian-falcon rounds will be staged after the festival's final rounds conclude. The Al-Mazayin competition requires proof of ownership, allows each participant to register up to five falcons per round, and permits a bird competing in Al-Melwah to also take part in Al-Mazayin. Technical conditions for the beauty contest stipulate that the falcon must be free of congenital defects, signs of tampering or alteration, and feather deficiencies, with no changes to feather color, talons, or claws, in addition to meeting the approved technical standards for each category.
The decision aims to raise the competitive value of the Mongolian falcons on display and to link their acquisition to a competitive pathway that combines Al-Melwah racing with Al-Mazayin contests, as part of the National Falconry Center's efforts to develop falconry-related competitions, widen participation opportunities for falconers and owners, and sustain falconry activities and events throughout the season.
The International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition 2026 runs from October 1 to 10 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, north of Riyadh, under the slogan «A Destination for Everyone», while the National Falconry Center has announced that the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2026 will be held from November 17 to 30.