Al Dhafra Camel Festival

In one of the Gulf's most lucrative beauty pageants, contestants are judged according to strict criteria: the curvature of the ears, the size of nose relative to face and fullness of hump.

This is the International Camel Beauty Contest in Abu Dhabi, the Arab world's Crufts. More than 15,000 of the animals compete in the eight-day event for the coveted title of the most attractive camel in the world.
With prizes ranging from brand-new Range Rovers and Toyota pick-ups to more than $10 million (£5 million) in cash, the competition has drawn contestants from as far away as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

“Camels are a part of our culture and this is a chance to celebrate their beauty, and make some money at the same time,” said Salem Ebrahim al-Mazrouei, a spokesman for the festival, which is being sponsored by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates.

The pageant is part of an $80 billion campaign to revive Beduin culture. Camels, revered as a measure of wealth, have long been seen as central to the heritage of the Gulf.

Abu Dhabi produced the world's first test-tube purebred camel and has begun using remote-controlled robot jockeys in its camel races.
The pageant has transformed a barren stretch of desert outside the emirate into a Beduin carnival, with brightly coloured tents and a lively cafeteria that serves camel stew.

Locals call this place “Millionaire's Road” for its promise of rewarding the best-looking camels with instant wealth. Many owners spent several weeks travelling with their herd by foot for the chance to compete.Owners resemble nervous stage mums. Camels are groomed until their coats glisten. Some are adorned with colourful national flags or rhinestone harnesses.

Abdallar Fahad Dosari, 22, from Riyadh, has entered ten of his brood in the contest. He thinks that Madiah, a sprightly one-year-old dark-skinned “Majahim”, has the best chance of winning, so he has draped her in his most prized camel blanket, made of blue and white embroidered silk, that is meant to bring her luck. “People have seen her and offered to buy her from me but I will never sell her,” he said. “Well, maybe for 300,000 dirhams [£41,000] I would consider it,” he added.

For the wealthy the pageant provides a chance to buy rare purebreds that will add to their prestige. Some animals have been known to fetch millions of dollars. Others are considered so precious that their owners refuse even to entertain the notion of a sale. “One man from Qatar offered to buy a camel for 30 million dirhams but the owner refused,” Mr al-Mazrouei said.
Hamad Safia al-Mari, a renowned camel trainer from Saudi Arabia and the top judge at the event, says that he will pick a winner according to a secret formula devised over a lifetime of working with the animals. He likens the task ahead of him to selecting a perfect wife, of which he has three. “All camels are beautiful but I am looking for the perfect camel. I am certain that here I will find one,” he said.

After eliminating contestants that show signs of mixed breeding, Mr al-Mari will examine everything from the camel's comportment to the colour of its teeth. The final selection will be made by a panel of judges, with the results broadcast on a giant screen.

Like in any beauty pageant youth is a definite asset. Mr al-Mazrouei said: “People are looking for beauty so if it is old and skinny it won't be considered. Nobody cares about anything that is old and ugly.”