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The third International Festival of Falconry held from December 7th-9th in the western region of Al Gharbiyah in Abu Dhabi has attracted hundreds of people from the world over and even more birds of prey, to gather in a secluded camp to practice what they all care for passionately: falconry.
The Festival, organised by the Emirates Falconers Club and the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee Abu Dhabi, will be moving to Al Forsan International Sport Resort in Abu Dhabi on December 11th - 13th where it will be open to the general public as well.
Nearly 800 falconers from as far as Kazakhstan, China, Austria and the United States have set up home in the desert, training their falcons and other birds of prey to perform in an arena show, which will happen during the Al Forsan days of the festival.
During the second day of the festival, on Monday, the falconers were surprised by the visit of H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of Emirates Falconers Club. A traditional Emirati folkloric show was organised in his honour and falconers of all nations dressed up in traditional clothes.
"We have morning and evening hunting trips on camel and horseback, to fit in with the Arab traditional way of hunting. They go houbara and rabbit hunting which roam wild in these grounds, and it is their season. People also go on camel and horse trips throughout the day," explained Obaid Al Mazrouei, member of the festival’s organising committee.
A special tent is set up at the festival grounds for the Falconry Conference, where participants from all over the world share stories, facts and the history of falconry.
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