Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival 2023 has set a new world record by entering the Guinness World Records for the third time in its history.
It is now recognized as the largest falconry competition in the world, with 2,654 falcons participating.
The festival was held between November 28 and December 14 and was organized by the Saudi Falcons Club at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh.
This accomplishment stands as a testament to the steadfast backing of the Saudi leadership in safeguarding the Kingdom's cultural and civilizational heritage. In its inaugural year, the festival secured a Guinness World Record with 1,723 falcons, and in the following year in 2019, it repeated this feat by involving 2,350 falcons.
The festival drew participation from an esteemed gathering of falconers hailing from the Kingdom, Gulf countries, and across the globe. Competing for the festival's awards over a span of 17 days, they vied in Al-Mazayen and Al-Milwah competitions, with prizes exceeding SAR 33.6 million.
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance the ancient falconry heritage in the Kingdom, the Saudi Falcons Club is partnering with the Royal Commission for AlUla to organize the first edition of the AlUla Falconry Cup 2023.
The competition will be held in AlUla from December 28 to January 5, with prizes worth up to SAR60 million in the Al-Milwah and Al-Mazayen competitions. These represent the largest financial prizes ever in the history of falconry competitions in the world.
