Wad and Al Saree take top prizes at Al Ain festival

By James Mercer • 8 October 2026, 13:34 • 2 mins read

Wad won the open Thaniya al-Abkar Cup and Al Saree took the open Thaniya al-Qa'dan rifle at the Al Ain Camel Racing Festival 2026. Six evening races of 6km each were held at Al Rawdah.

Each of the six evening races at Al Rawdah on Wednesday covered 6km. The festival's final competitions ran from 3 to 8 October under the patronage of Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Abu Dhabi Media Office said the Race Organising Centre and Presidential Camel Racing organised the events under the supervision of the Camel Racing Federation.

The two headline prizes

Wad, owned by Ahmed Sultan Balrashid Al Suwaidi, won the open Thaniya al-Abkar Cup in the first race with a time of 9:06:40 minutes. In the second race, Al Saree took the open Thaniya al-Qa'dan rifle for owner Mohammed Sultan Markhan Al Ketbi, clocking 9:08:38 minutes. The Emirates News Agency, WAM, confirmed both wins in the 6km contests.

Al Ittihad reported that the festival's final programme comprised 150 races: 10 traditional races and 140 age-group races. Thaniya accounted for 22 races across the programme.

Al Ittihad

Al Ain also features in other local sports coverage, including an earlier school visit report about Al Ain players meeting pupils.

Four more race winners

Al Marai, owned by Mohammed Faraj bin Hamouda Al Dhaheri, came first in race three. Manhaf, owned by Salem Ahmed Sultan Balrashid Al Suwaidi, led race four. Shaheen, also owned by Mohammed Sultan Markhan Al Ketbi, won race five in 9:15:55 minutes. Al Mansour, owned by Abdullah Mohammed bin Muhairum Al Mahrami, took the sixth and final race. WAM reported Al Mansour's winning time as 9:13:93.

Al Ittihad reported that the morning Thaniya session on the same day featured 16 races over 6km. The first three winners were Bayan (9:34:99), Siyada (9:28:28) and Asyad (9:30:28).

Al Ittihad

Six different camels won the six evening races. The Cup and rifle prizes went to the winners of the first two contests. Available independent coverage reported the evening results as final and listed no subsequent protests, disqualifications or revisions.

Topics: #Competitions & Events #Al Ain

UAE CUE Sports Desk

James Mercer

James Mercer is the Founder, Owner, Publisher and Managing Director of UAE CUE Sports, where he oversees editorial direction and the publication's development across the Emirates. He writes about UAE sport, sports media, major events, venues, sports business and the wider relationship between participation, audiences and the country's sporting industry.