Government of Dubai Media Office – 11 January 2023:  Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the UAE Falcons Federation, the second edition of the Shield for National Falcon Breeding will be held on 16 February 2023 at Dubai’s Al Ruwayyah fields.

Featuring a total prizemoney of AED800,000, the second edition of the championship seeks to build on the success of the first edition which evoked a large response from breeders, falcon owners and falconry enthusiasts. Open to falcons bred in the UAE, the championship features three categories for Sheikhs, the public and owners. There will be a total of 10 winners in each of the championship’s categories.

The Shield for National Falcon Breeding is aligned with the UAE Falcons Federation’s commitment to promoting falcon racing and preserving the traditional sport rooted in the UAE’s heritage. Falcon racing, or Telwah falconry, is a traditional Emirati sport in which a falconer flies a falcon to catch the prey as fast as possible.

The championship also features an award for the Best Bred Falcon. Contestants can participate in two categories of the award: Individuals and Breeding Centres.

Organised in cooperation with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC), the championship is aligned with the UAE Falcons Federation’s commitment to promoting falcon racing and preserving the traditional sport.

Under the directives of the leadership, the Federation has launched several initiatives to promote falcon breeding in the UAE. The support of the leadership and the efforts of the UAE Falcon Federation have led to an increase in the number of falcon breeding facilities as well as the introduction of global best practices in falcon breeding. Over the years, falcon breeding farms across the country have played an instrumental role in promoting the revival and sustainability of the sport.

Rashid Mubarak bin Markhan, Secretary General of the UAE Falcons Federation, said the Shield for National Falcon Breeding reflects the Federation’s support for the sport of falcon racing. The Championship is the third falcon racing event held under its umbrella in the 2022-23 season, following the UAE Falcons Federation Cup and the qualifying ‘Telwah’ races.

Yusef Abdullah Muhammad Al Ali, member of the Board of the UAE Falcons Federation and Chairman of the National Production Shield Committee, stressed the importance of meeting the criteria for participating in the competition, which is open only to falcons bred in the UAE with identification rings issued from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.