King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival KAFF 2021 has closed its competitions "Melwah" and beauty pageant "Mazayen" Friday, where 2,110 falcons participated, at the Saudi Falcons Club Grounds in Malham, north of Riyadh. The festival had allocated financial prizes to the winners of its competitions, amounting to about SR25 million. The first place in each category of the finals for the Saudis and internationals runs were crowned with the title of the “Founder’s” Cup. Moreover, Mazayen competition was held during the past few days to choose the most beautiful falcons, and the winners of seven rounds of the competition were honored. The official spokesperson for the Saudi Falcons Club, Walid Al-Taweel, congratulated falconers on the success of the largest festival of its kind in the world. Saudi falconers from all over the Kingdom participated, along with falconers from 9 countries, in which participants of both sexes competed for the festival prizes and its most important title, "King Abdulaziz Cup”. He indicated that the club is keen on continuous development in the most important festival in the world that bears the name of the founder King Abdulaziz (may Allah rest his soul). Noting that among the features of the development it witnessed is facilitating registration procedures and extending the period for receiving participating falcons, as well as expanding the runs designated for future falconers, through allocating two rounds, (Al-Haytham) for children and young adults. The prizes for these rounds, amounting to about 100,000 riyals, were distributed among 20 winners, to preserve and sustain the heritage hobby. This move aimed at passing the ancient heritage to future generations. Al-Taweel explained that the festival succeeded in attracting a group of Saudi and international falconers, and it has become an event that everyone awaits every year, especially after the successes it achieved in becoming the largest gathering of falcons in the world. This was officially recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, by registering 1,723 falcons in the first edition. Then, it breaks the record with 2,350 falcons participating in the second edition, to enter the Guinness for the second time, as the largest championship of its kind in the world. The Melwah competition (Al-Da’w 400 m) concluded Friday. The competitions included five runs for Saudi and international owners and professionals, in the “Pure Gear” category (Farkh and Qarnas). The winning falconers received the King Abdulaziz Falcon Cup this year. The UAE team (F3-S), Falcon (B25), won first place in the first run of the Gear Pure Farkh and Qarnas category for international professionals. By crossing the race distance in a time of 16.672 seconds, it was crowned a champion of the King Abdulaziz Cup in that category. On the other hand, the falconer, Abdulaziz Almousa with his falcon Fox2, won first place in the second run of Gyr Pure Farkh for Saudi owners’ category, and was nominated the champion of the King Abdulaziz Cup in this category. As for the third run for the “Gear Pure Qarnas” Saudi owners’ category, the falconer, Muhammad Al-Mutairi, won first place with his falcon "Hattam" in a time of 17.123 seconds, and was crowned the King Abdulaziz Cup champion in this category. Moreover, the falconer, Mohammed Al-Mansoori with his falcon "B2" won first place in the fourth round of Gyr Pure Farkh Saudi professionals’ category, achieving a time of 17.098 seconds, to be crowned the King Abdulaziz Cup champion in his category. In the fifth run of the Gyr Pure Qarnas Saudi professional category, the falconer, Muhammad Al-Buainain, won first place with his falcon (Al-Qayed), in a time of 16.462 seconds, which was crowned as a champion of the King Abdulaziz Cup in this category. This festival comes within the framework of the wise leadership’s keenness and quest to preserve the cultural and heritage of the Kingdom and support it within its plans to achieve the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and to enhance the Kingdom’s leadership in supporting cultural and civilizational activities. — SPA