Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and organised by Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, the first round of the Fazza Championship for Falconry, which kicked off on Saturday, attracted 405 contestants in the Faroukh - Qarmousha category for Sheikhs and general public.

Despite the strong winds, the modern technology applications and the fence windbreakers, falconers competed and earned good speed records.

"We are pleased to kick-start the season with the falconry championships. Although the winds were strong, the falconers still managed to compete smoothly. In the past, under such weather conditions the tournaments would be postponed for days. Nowadays, we are able to surpass all such challenges," said Souad Ibrahim Darwish, Director of Championships at the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre.

Dumaithan bin Swaidan, the Head of Committee of the Fazza Championships, welcomed participants on the first day and said that every year a remarkable change is registered, not only in the increased number of falconers, but also in the quality of the well trained falcons.

Ten falconers from every one hundred participants will qualify for the finals to be held this coming Thursday.

For the first time in the history of the Fazza Championships, a Hungarian Falconer is competing in this edition. Zolten Lofantay said that he practiced falconry at a young age and was happy to know that the door is open to all participants wishing to take part in the Fazza Championships.

Source: WAM