The lips pouted to perfection, the neck was long and poised, and the judges were sure that no Botox was involved, as they awarded Qatar’s largest cash prize for a camel beauty contest in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Hundreds of spectators, who poured into the isolated desert venue in Land Cruisers and Jeeps, threw up their scarves in celebration as the animal, named Mangiah Ghufran, was declared winner of the 1 million riyal (US$274,650) top prize at the first Qatar Camel Festival late on Tuesday.
The animal paced nervously in the paddock as his owner, Fahed Farj Algufrani, collected the check and told how it had taken “years” to prepare the prize-winning beast.
Photo: AFP
Previous festivals were more local, but Qatar this year allowed camels from across the region, drawing breeders from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with millions of dollars in prizes at stake.
Organizers were on alert after a festival in Saudi Arabia, where 43 camels were disqualified after it was found they were given drug enhancements to make their lips droopier and their humps more shapely, official media reported.
“Work was done to combat tampering, which is the use of Botox and fillers and other things,” festival organizer head Hamad Jaber al-Athba said.
“We had a professional veterinary staff and advanced equipment, and we worked to combat tampering and limit the spread of cosmetic materials,” he said.
The camels are put through X-rays and other monitoring.
“Corruption was fought seriously at the Qatar Camel Festival,” he said.
To pick the winners, the judges look at “the size and beauty” of the head, the length of the neck and the position of the camel’s hump.
“These are the most important points,” al-Athba said.
For black camels, the size of its head can be a deal-breaker, but for white camels, the consistency of the color counts.
Authorities in Qatar are seeking to give traditional practices a higher profile, as they compete with mega events such as soccer’s World Cup and Formula One grand prix.
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