RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Camel Festival will begin on Sunday, Aug. 8 at Taif Camel Square. This year’s event, the third edition, will feature 532 races and a total prize pool of SR53 million ($14.1 million). Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz, vice president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and president of the Saudi Camel Federation, said that the international festival aims to celebrate the heritage of camel racing and promote it as part of Saudi, Arab and Islamic culture. He added that the event will also help to support and develop tourism and the economy in the Kingdom in a way that encourages community participation, reinforces national heritage, and reflects the depth of the nation’s culture. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the minister of sports, president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee and president of the International Camel Federation, thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on behalf of workers in the sports sector and fans of purebred camel racing, for their support and interest in the event. The Saudi Camel Federation said the festival will include a preliminary stage for all age groups featuring 320 races, a marathon that includes eight races, and will culminate with 204 final races. It added that the full program will be announced within the next week. More than 13,000 camels competed in the second edition of the festival, in 2019, earning the event a place in the Guinness World Records.