Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the 20th edition of the Al Dhafra Festival will be held as part of the Camel Mazayna Season in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, the season will span five stages from 27th October 2026 to 13th January 2027, featuring camel beauty contests and a range of heritage competitions with total prize money exceeding AED97 million.
The announcement was made during a press conference held on Monday at the Mohammed Khalaf Majlis in Abu Dhabi to unveil details of the festival’s 20th edition.
The event was attended by Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority; Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Acting Director-General of the Authority; senior Authority executives; camel owners, media representatives, and heritage enthusiasts.
Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Festivals and Events Sector, said that the Al Dhafra Festival’s distinguished standing after two decades is the result of the continued support of the UAE’s wise leadership for safeguarding national heritage.
He noted that this support has reinforced the role of camels in the UAE’s culture and heritage, advanced the development of heritage festivals, empowered camel owners, and encouraged enthusiasts of falconry, Purebred Arabian horses, and other traditional competitions.
These efforts, he said, have established Abu Dhabi as a leading model for organising heritage festivals that strengthen social cohesion, consolidate national identity and belonging, and reflect the leadership’s vision of reinforcing family and community bonds.
He affirmed that the 20th edition of the festival will feature five Camel Mazayna events across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra, alongside a variety of heritage competitions, diverse accompanying activities, and traditional markets. He added that this milestone edition marks a significant development in the festival’s history with the introduction of 22 new rounds designed to meet the needs of camel owners and breeders, bringing the total number of camel competition rounds to 383.
Al Mazrouei explained that the newly introduced rounds include nine for the Asayel crossbreds category in the Mafroodah, Haqqah, and Laqiyah age groups; six for the Wadh category in the same age groups; four rounds for the Al Jamal category across the Local Asayel, Majahim, Asayel crossbreds, and Wadh categories; and three additional rounds for the Asayel crossbreds category in the Jada’ah, Thaniyah, and Hayel age groups.
Al Mazrouei added that the season will open with the Sweihan Camel Mazayna, to be held from 27th October to 3rd November 2026, featuring 82 rounds with prize money totaling AED9.505 million. It will be followed by the Razeen Camel Mazayna, the second stage, from 15th to 22nd November 2026, which will also comprise 82 rounds with an identical prize pool of AED9,505,000.
The third stage will take place in Madinat Zayed from 3rd to 10th December 2026, with 88 rounds and prizes reaching AED10,255,000.
He confirmed that the competitions will continue into the Al Dhafra Festival Finale, where the fourth stage (Cash Prize Rounds) will take place from 12th to 19th December 2026. This stage features 66 rounds with prize money totaling AED20.56 million. The competitions will then culminate in the fifth leg with the prestigious Elite Rounds (Al Romooz) from 3rd to 12th January 2027, comprising 65 rounds with prize money exceeding AED43.092 million.
Al Mazrouei noted that the total prize fund allocated to the camel beauty contests amounts to AED92.6 million.
He noted that the Al Dhafra Festival Finale will host an extensive programme of accompanying heritage competitions, including falconry competitions, camel milking competitions, Saktoun rifle shooting, Insaf Al Qa’oud (young camel tackling challenge), Purebred Arabian Horse Racing Championship, Arabian Saluki Racing Championship, Falcon Mazayna, Arabian Saluki Mazayna, Al Naeem Sheep Mazayna, Shillat Al Dhafra contest, tea competitions, among others, held at the Al Dhafra Traditional Market throughout the final stage.
Mohammed Abdullah Bin Adhed Al Muhairi, Director of the Camel Mazayna, said the current edition of the festival introduces a range of developments, including new rounds, enhanced prizes, and updated conditions designed to meet the aspirations of camel owners and breeders.
He noted that these improvements are expected to significantly boost participation and raise the level of competition. He added that the festival continues to uphold rigorous standards and clearly defined judging criteria for the Camel Mazayna, with judging panels selected for their extensive expertise in the field. These measures, he noted, form the foundation for the success and integrity of Mazayna competitions.
Al Muhairi explained that each competition is overseen by an age and classification committee, a sorting committee, judging panels, and a veterinary medical committee comprising veterinarians and specialists, whose members are selected in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.
Al Muhairi encouraged participants to follow the Falak Al Namoos mobile application to stay updated on the latest announcements and news, and to consult the official festival guide for all other information and services related to the Al Dhafra Festival’s competitions and events.
The 20th edition reflects the festival’s continuous development year after year, reinforcing its status as a comprehensive platform for Emirati heritage.
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