AmericanBadu
Blog about the natural & cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia
about
I’m Joshua Van Alstine — an American writer and researcher living and working in Saudi Arabia. I document the natural and cultural heritage of the Arabian Peninsula, from Bedouin traditions to desert ecology, camel racing, falconry, and ancient history.
Category: Cultural Heritage
Explore the rich cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia — from Bedouin traditions and Islamic art to historic cities, royal history, and the living customs that define Arabian identity.
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As the seventh edition of the Crown Prince Camel Festival draws to a close in Taif, the numbers tell a story of Saudi dominance. With 159 first-place finishes—56% of all heats so far—Saudi camels are leading by more than 100 wins over their closest rivals, securing three Cups and strong results in the Hijin rider…
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Taif, Saudi Arabia — September 9, 2025 In a stunning performance that defied predictions, the Saudi-owned camel Barraq, trained by Ibrahim Mish‘an Al-‘Amir from Najran, clinched victory in the Cup of the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025 for the Jadhāʿ category (qaʿdān – general). Barraq clocked a winning time of 7:54.720 minutes, earning Saudi Arabia…
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Taif, Saudi Arabia – In a historic moment at the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025, Saudi riders achieved a clean sweep in the “Sabāq al-Hijānāh” (human rider races) for both men and women. For the first time since the category was introduced, the Kingdom’s athletes secured every first-place finish across all heats, a milestone that…
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Tomorrow marks a historic moment at the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025 in Taif as the Human Jockey Races (Sabāq al-Hijānāh – سباق الهجانة) return to the track. For the sixth day of the festival, spectators at the historic Taif Camel Racing Track will watch 78 male and female jockeys from 8 countries compete across…
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The Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif launched its seventh edition with an electrifying start on the historic Taif track, where heritage and competition collided in spectacular fashion. On Day One, the spotlight fell on the ḥaqāyiq class (فئة الحقايق, fi’at al-haqāyiq), the youngest category of racing camels. A total of 31 heats (أشواط, ashwāt)…
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Camel racing is the sport of running camels at speed, over a set course, with lightweight riders or robot jockeys. The sport almost exclusively features the dromedary camel—its very name comes from the Greek dramein, “to run”—reflecting the animal’s natural design for speed. On the Arabian Peninsula, the homeland of the dromedary, camel racing can…
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All eyes of camel racing enthusiasts and sports fans will turn tomorrow, Tuesday, to Taif and its historic racecourse, as the seventh edition of the Crown Prince Camel Festival kicks off, organized by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation. The festival begins with 92 races in the Ḥaqāyiq category over three days, run in morning and…
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Don’t call them animals! The camel is for the Arabs what blood is for the body. Without them Arabia would have never been the same. In the eyes of the Arabs these gifts from God are not mere animals they in themselves were walking bank accounts, tribal ledgers, producing milk, meat, wool, providing transportation for…
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🌴Atleast 6,000 years of of cultivation. I recently read an article from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew discussing the ancient history of date palms. As it so happens The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is thought to have been domesticated around 4000–3000 BCE in Mesopotamia and the Arabian Gulf. Archaeological finds in Iraq (Ur, Eridu) and Bahrain…
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🐪 🏁 Ladies and Gentleman Lets Get Ready To Ruuuuuumble! Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025 🐪 is here!🗓️ 2–12 September📍 Taif Camel Racecourse Already Guinness World Records largest camel racing tournament 21,637 camels lined up on 11 Sept 2024 and now back with scale and grandeur. Across 11 days, 249 races run in morning and…