The 14th edition of the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2023) concluded with a ceremony at Katara - the Cultural Village on Saturday.
The ceremony was attended by VIP guests, heads of diplomatic missions, dignitaries and the board of directors of Al Qannas Qatari Society, alongside a number of falconers from Qatar and other GCC countries as well as other guests.
Accordingly, HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, patron of Marmi 2023 festival, crowned the winners of the falcon beauty contest, which saw the participation of 101 falcons across different types and categories.
The first winner in the category of wild falcon breeds won a prize of QR700,000, the second QR500,000 and the third QR300,000.
In the category of farm-bred falcons, the first prize amounted to QR200,000, the second QR150,000 and the third QR100,000, while in the category of spotted kestrel falcons, the first prize stood at QR200,000, the second QR150,000 and the third QR100,000.
Saleh Mohamed al-Kuwari, controller of the falcon beauty contest at the festival, pointed out that the contest this year was strong due to the high level of the participating falcons and the negligible difference among them. He stressed it was hard for the jury members to decide the first three winners in each category but they were eventually able to find particular points of beauty in the winning falcons.
Marmi 2023 was organised by Al Qannas Qatari Society at Sbkhat Marmi in the Sealine area, under the patronage of HE Sheikh Joaan. It drew local, regional and international attention as one of the major festivals in its category, pioneered by Qatar to maintain and develop the heritage sport.
Sheikh Joaan crowns the winners of the Al Mazayen championship at the end of the Marmi 2023.
Sheikh Joaan crowns the winners of the Al Mazayen championship at the end of the Marmi 2023.
