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.
Tag: crown prince
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“اجتمعنا مع بعض العرب تحت الحماطـه .. حن قلبي على دار الدواء وانا لحالي” “We gathered, we Arabs, beneath the fig tree’s shade…My heart aches for that home of warmth, now that I sit alone.” Under the branches of a Ficus carica, the fig tree (hamaatah), a poet once found both companionship and silence. In…
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The historic Taif Camel Racing Track hosted the grand finale of the 7th edition of the Crown Prince Camel Festival, held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Organized by the Saudi Camel Federation, the closing ceremony was attended by His Royal…
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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 – The seventh day of the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025 delivered another powerful performance from Saudi Arabia, as local camels swept to victory in the Jidhāʿ (جذاع – jidhāʿ, two-year-old camels) category. Out of the 22 heats staged on Monday, Saudi camels claimed 15 first-place finishes, reaffirming their dominance in one…
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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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Taif – September 6, 2025 The Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025 entered its fourth day with Saudi Arabia extending its dominance in the Laqāyā (لقايا – laqāyā, camels around 3 years old) category, while experts and officials highlighted the cultural and global significance of the event. Saudi Sweep in Laqāyā Saudi-owned camels stormed through the Laqāyā…
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Ajeeb storms to victory as ḥaqāyq (حقايق – ḥaqāyq, 2-year-olds) finals conclude in Taif The third day of the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2025 in Taif ended with a spectacular finish, as Saudi-owned camel “Ajeeb” (عجيب), trained by Salman Ubayd Al-Dosari, clinched the Colts (قعدان – qaʿdān, young males) Cup (ʿĀm – General) with an…
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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)…