Women’s camel beauty contest concludes at King Abdulaziz Festival in Riyadh

RIYADH: Camel beauty contest judges at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, held in the northeast of Riyadh, have announced the results of the women’s singles contest.

The contest involved Al-Mughateer camels, a famous breed among locals of the Arabian Peninsula. Bedouin tribes divide Al-Mughateer camels into colors ranging from white shades to yellow and red, and each color has a name.

Haya Al-Askar ranked first, followed by Rasma Al-Dosari in second, Malath bint Aoun in third, Lamia Al-Rashidi in fourth and Dalal bint Abdullah Al-Otaibi in fifth place.

Al-Rashidi told Arab News that she was pleased to be among the first Saudi women to take part in such an event.

The festival, in its sixth edition, allowed women to take part and showcase their camels for the first time.

“I would like to thank King Salman for allowing women such an amazing opportunity. I aspire to participate next year and hopefully win first place,” Al-Rashidi told Arab News.

Munira Al-Mushkhas, who took part in the contest, expressed her happiness to participate and said that she attended the event because it was “the first of its kind.”

She added: “I invite all ladies to participate in this festival, and it is an honor for me to have my camel in the top 10.”

The youngest participant at seven years old, Malath bint Aoun, who placed third, thanked Fahd bin Hithlin, chairman of the board of the camel club, for providing the opportunity for women to take part.

Al-Askar, who won first place, spoke of her happiness at winning first in the contest, in which 34 women took part.

The participation of women in the festival is the beginning of broader plans by the club to expand the presence of women in camel events