The historic Taif camel racing track is set to host the Al-Jatha category races starting tomorrow, marking the third approved category in the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2026, which follows the conclusion of the Al-Haqa'iq and Al-Lagaya categories, with the organizing committee allocating 38 rounds spread over Wednesday and Thursday and offering total prize money of 6.980 million riyals, as owners from Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council countries take part.
The first day's morning session will feature 15 general rounds for the 'Bakar' and 'Qadan' categories, each carrying prizes of 90,000 riyals distributed among the top ten finishers, bringing the session's total to 1.35 million riyals, while the camels cover a distance of 5 kilometers per round, amounting to 75 kilometers in the morning alone, with estimated completion times ranging between 7 and 8 minutes per round on the Taif track.
The eighth edition of the festival, organized by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, continues until September 13 with total prizes exceeding 50 million riyals, reflecting the federation's ongoing efforts to develop camel racing as a sport and strengthen its cultural and economic presence while sustaining the heritage associated with it.