ABU DHABI, January 1 : The annual Sheikh Zayed Camel Race Grand Prix Festival kicked off Sunday at Al Wathba camel racetrack bringing together more than 10,000 camels competing in various events from racing to beauty contests.In attendance at the opening ceremony were Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs , Shaikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, officials and diplomats. The event which will run to January 5 is being held under the patronage of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The festival offers prizes totalling AED 30 million to winners of 155 races over various categories and distances. Besides the races, the festival also sees competitions including beauty shows, milking and breeding, and auctions as well as cultural and folklore sideshows. Traditional horse and camel shows were held at the event on its first day which featured a 4 kilometer camel race and an auction on 59 camels.
