The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center launches the 20th season of Fazza Heritage Championships that began with the Fazza Championship for Youlah, welcoming another year of intense competitions deeply rooted to Emirati culture and traditions.
Held under the generous directives of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the championships continue to hone new talent and find new winners.
The new schedule of the annual competitions involves 14 main tournaments and events, which will begin in December and will culminate in March next year, spreading across key locations in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.
For two decades, the Fazza Heritage Championships have become an enduring legacy attracting nationals, expatriates, Arabs in the region and competitors from around the world competing in diverse heritage sports that include falconry, Saktoun rifle shooting, camel marathon, free-diving and Saluki racing.
“These competitions offer an authentic window to the past while serving as a bridge linking the future,” said Souad Ibrahim Darwish, HHC Director of Championships.
“The Fazza Championships have completed its 19th year from the date of the first tournament ordered by His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai. Over the course of two decades, it has become a destination for lovers of heritage sports and a platform to showcase the authenticity of the local heritage,” she added.
“This season we are organizing 14 main tournaments and events, and we have set preliminary schedules for each tournament, hoping the weather will not affect and postpone any of the listed competitions,” she noted.
Below are the details of the Fazza Heritage Championships; other major Fazza Championships will be announced later.
Sharjah Falconers Club Championship
Registration for the third edition of Sharjah Falconers Club Championship – Telwah, organised and supervised by HHC, will be held from December 14 to 17 while the main championship will take place from December 18-21.
Fazza Championship for Falconry – Telwah
This is one of the oldest and largest tournaments of its kind, which will run from January 2 to 18.
Registration will be announced soon to enable the competitors to get familiar with the course and prepare their falcons for the competition.
Fakhr Al Ajyal Championship – Telwah
The eighth edition of Fakhr Al Ajyal (Pride of Generations) Championship – Telwah will be held in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai from February 1 to 16.
A record number of elite and international falconers are expected to participate in this competition.
There will also be a new mechanism in the process of screening birds for the category of peregrine and Hurr falcons.
Rashid Bin Humaid Falconry Championship – Telwah
The fourth edition will take place on January 25 in Ajman.
The registration date will be announced before the tournament.
Saluki Championship (Amateurs and Professionals)
The 13th edition of the Saluki Championship (for amateurs and professionals), which is one of the most popular heritage tournaments, will be held from January 27 to 28, and the main championship will take place on February 20 in Al Marmoon.
Competition this year will be more exciting with the use of a robotic gazelle, according to Juma Al Muhairi, Head of the Organizing Committee.
Fazza Championship for Freediving
Freediving transports the participants to the UAE’s forefathers, who with little or no equipment made a living by harvesting pearls from the depths of the sea.
This year, the 14th edition of the Fazza Championship for Freediving will take place from March 1 to 4.
“Setting new records in the upcoming competitions is expected”, according to Hamad Al Rahoumi, Head of the Fazza Freediving Championship Organising Committee.
Open Fazza Championship for Shooting – Saktoun Rifle
The pre-championship training will be held for three days from March 15 to 17, at the HHC Shooting Range in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai.
Immediately after the training, the 20th edition Open Fazza Championship for Shooting – Saktoun Rifle will be held from March 18 to 21.
Meanwhile, the Fazza Championship for Shooting – Saktoun Rifle for UAE Nationals will be held from March 22 to 25 at the same venue.
The competitions for the two tournaments are divided into six categories, namely: men, women, seniors, juniors (boys), juniors (girls), and plate/clay shooting.
UAE nationals have a double chance of winning as they have the opportunity to participate in Open Fazza Shooting Championship and the one dedicated for nationals.
Last year, more than 2,000 participants from countries such as Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Canada and England competed.
The level of competition will be more intense as the number of contestants rise in each edition.
