Saeed bin Hamad Al Muhashadi (third right) receives the prize from H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani (second right) as other officials look on.
DOHA: The grand prize winner of the fifth Qatar International Falcon and Hunting Festival said he would donate the money to charity.
Saeed bin Hamad Al Muhashadi received QR500,000 for winning Al Mazain competition, a beauty contest for falcons, which carried the highest cash prize among various categories at the month-long festival.
He received the award which also included a memento in the form of a golden feather from the festival’s patron H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, who awarded all winners of various competitions.
The Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s Personal Representative H H Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, ministers and dignitaries attended the closing ceremony.
After the awards at Katara on Saturday, Al Muhashadi said he was happy for winning the grand prize and he would donate the money to Qatar Orphan Foundation (Dhreima).
This was the first time he took part in the competition and promised to keep participating in the future.
Al Mazain second and third prize winners were Muhammad Mubarak Al Khayarin who bagged QR300,000 and a silver feather and Mohammad Khalaf Al Mansouri from the UAE who took QR200,000 and a bronze feather.
In Al Tala’a competition, first prize winner Mohammad Ali Al Marri won QR300,000 followed by Khalid Omer Al Naimi (QR300,000) and Abdulhadi Mohammad Al Marri (QR100,000). Tala’a contest focuses on the ability of the falcon to identify the place where its prey is hiding.
More than QR2.5m was distributed to winners of various categories in the contest which also included Hadad Challenge, Al Da’o, Hadad Al Saluki, Young Saker and Old Saker competitions in addition to cars.
Organised by Al Gannas Association, the annual festival highlights falconry and hunting as significant aspects of Arab heritage and attracts domestic and regional tourists.
More than 1,400 people from Qatar and neighbouring countries took part in competitions at Sabkath Marma near Sealine, making this year the biggest in terms of participation.
The Peninsula
