His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, attended the prestigious Saluki Championship – Greyhound on Monday.
A total of 180 greyhounds participated in the championship, which attracted a large number of fans of this heritage sport comprising both citizens and residents. Monday’s event witnessed strong competition among the participating greyhounds, which underscored the high level of training they had received.
Competitions were divided into two categories: “male” and “female”. The first round of competitions kicked off with the professional “female” category that saw the greyhounds chasing their prey over a distance of 1 kilometer amidst a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere. The second round was for the professional “male” category, which witnessed fierce competition among the participating greyhounds, with the results remaining undecided until the final stages of the race.
This was followed by the third and fourth rounds which involved competitions in the amateur category, in which the greyhounds compete on the same track but over a distance of 2 kilometers. The speed and competition readiness of the greyhounds were once again reflected in their vastly improved technical levels compared to last year.
Mohammad Abdullah bin Dalmouk, Head of Technical Support and Development for Fazza Championships, said: "The Saluki Championship has witnessed remarkable progress in the levels of participation, and the fruits of intensive training are obvious in the improved technical level of the participating greyhounds."
He added: "The race consists of 4 rounds, two for amateur and professional male Salukis and two for amateur and professional female Salukis, and extends over a distance of 2 kilometers for amateurs and 1 kilometer for professionals. The winners of the competitions are judged by a jury of independent experts and the entire judging process is kept transparent and fair, which is an important factor for the success of the championship."
Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Al Marzouki, one of the participants in the amateur “male Saluki” category, said: "We have been preparing our greyhounds for a very long time to participate in this contest. This however is not my first participation in this tournament; I had taken part in last year’s championship and had won the third rank."
