First week of falconry tourney ends

Competition in the first week of the five-week long Bahrain Tournament for Falcon and Hunting concluded yesterday at Al Sabkha area near Bahrain International Endurance Village, in the presence of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of Bahrain Athletics Association, who presented awards to winners of the first week.

HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee appreciated the enthusiasm shown by participants from Bahrain and other GCC countries in the first week of the tournament and maintaining interest in traditional sports and heritage.

Competition concluded with the falconry contest for the HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Nasser Al Khalifa Cup and HH Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa Cup, besides a qualifying race for Saluki hunting dogs (males), a shooting contest for juniors and a traditional race for Arabian horses.

Attending the tournament were many members of the Royal Family along with Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, Governor of the Southern Governorate.

Shaikh Khalid awarded prizes to the top three in five competitions with trophies to Falconers, Ali Saeed Al Mirri, Salim Hamad Al Saeedy and Saad Abdulla Al Rumaihi for the HH Shaikh Faisal bin Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup, Falconers, Mohammed Shaheen Al Balooshi, Majid Hassan Al Nuaimi and Mubarak Ibrahim Al Buainain for the HH Shaikh Hamad bin Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup and for the HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa went to falconers, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Buainain, Salim Mohammed Al Otaibi and Hamad Saad Al Salimi. 

Shaikh Khalid also awarded trophies to winners of the Saluki hunting dogs race and the traditional Arabian horses race.

The championship is being covered by Bahrain Sports Channel, Al Sahra Channel, beIN International Sports Channel and Al Dawri and Al Kaas Qatari Sports Channels.

Competition resumes next Thursday for the second week and concludes on Saturday and includes several falconry competitions and advanced stages of Saluki hunting dogs races, shooting contests and a traditional Arabian horse race.

The championship is being covered by Bahrain Sports Channel, Al Sahra Channel, beIN International Sports Channel and Al Dawri and Al Kaas Qatari Sports Channels.