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Women’s camel beauty quest makes debut in KSA
By J.Lo
“I hope today to reach certain social standing, inshallah ,” a participant in weekend contest in the Rumah desert northeast of the capital Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said Saudi women, in a first for conservative kingdom, have paraded their camels in a beauty pageant for the prized “ships of the desert”.
The event, part of the prestigious King Abdelaziz Festival, was previously men-only affair.
“I’ve been interested in camels ever since I was little,”the source said whose family owns 40 camels.
“Once this event was opened to women, I decided to participate,” said the young woman, wearing a black face covering and with colorful shawl over her shoulders.
The top five in the field of about 40 participants in the women’s event went home with total prize money of one million riyals (about $260,000).
The camels’ beauty is judged on several criteria, but the shape and size of the lips, neck and hump are the main attributes.
In December, several participants were disqualified because their animals had undergone botox injections.
In a parade at the event on the red sand track of women in black on horseback rode ahead of men in white robes on camels as male musicians, some with swords, danced to the beat of drums.
The oil-rich Gulf state adheres to rigid interpretation of Islam, but since the rise to power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017, some restrictions on women have been lifted as the country opens up with sweeping reforms.
Saudi Arabia is seeking to diversify its economy away from oil, investing heavily in tourism, entertainment and sports sectors.
The shift has enabled women to get behind the wheel and take part in mixed-gender settings, even as a rigorous crackdown on dissent remains in place.
“Women have always been an integral part of Bedouin society. They owned and looked after camels,” said Mohammed al-Harbi, a manager of the festival.
Women’s participation was in keeping with ” historical heritage” of Saudi Arabia.
Another participant, chimed in “camels have been part of us for a long time, but staging contest for us women is big step forward.”
Her proud father, a 35-year-old camel dealer who said he owns more than 200 beasts, was very pleased with entrance of women.
“This will increase enthusiasm for the festival and increase value of camels,” said Enad bin Sultan, clad in traditional costume and red-and-white keffiyeh headdress.
The 40-day festival, which kicked off last month, Dember 2021 is an annual Bedouin event that lures breeders from across the Gulf with total prize money of up to $66 million.
The high-stakes camel beauty pageant in Saudi Arabia has been hit by cheating scandal after 43 entrants were disqualified for botox injections and other cosmetic enhancements.
The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival is an annual bedouin event held in the desert northeast of Riyadh that lures breeders from around the Gulf with prize money of up to $66 million.
Organizers have in recent years cracked down on cosmetic enhancements, a malpractice that has thrived amid stiff competition and despite heavy penalties.
The enhancements are made in a bid to make camels’ lips droopier and their humps more shapely — key attributes in the pageant.
“Forty-three camels were disqualified after it was discovered they had been tampered with”.
It was the largest number of disqualifications since beauty contest was inaugurated six years ago. In 2018, more than a dozen camels were barred.
Tampering is uncovered when camels undergo physical and clinical examinations, such as X-rays, to detect cosmetic surgery that includes injection of botox.
“The authorities are keen that camels remain and be presented in their true form and breed,” a festival official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
The official said practice of cosmetic enhancements on camels was considered animal abuse.
“Violators face hefty fines and are banned from participating in future competitions,” the official added.The 40-day festival, which ends mid-January, also features camel racing
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