Hundreds of exotic Arabian greyhounds to race in Dubai

Dubai - The event, which is organised and supervised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC), is widely regarded as the most lucrative and prestigious pastime among all of the traditional pursuits.

Hundreds of exotic Arabian greyhounds are set to compete in the ninth Saluki Championship here in the Al Marmoum area of Dubai on Sunday from 2pm.
The event, which is organised and supervised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC), is widely regarded as the most lucrative and prestigious pastime among all of the traditional pursuits.
Salukis are one of the oldest-known breeds of domesticated dogs in the entire world. The Saluki Championship is a highly regarded among Arabs, whose fondness for the sport has been firmly established for a fair old while now.
The 2014 edition saw records broken in both the amateur (2km) and professional (1km) categories, and attracted international representation from France, Ireland, Australia, South Africa and Syria.
"The race consists of four rounds - two for amateur and professional male Salukis and two for amateur and professional female Salukis and extends over a distance of two kilometers for amateurs and one kilometre for professionals," explained Ahmed Saif Al Zafin, the Head of the Organising Committee for the Saluki Championship.
"The winners of the competitions are judged by a jury of independent experts and the entire judging process is kept fair and transparent, which is an important factor for the success of the championship."
Al Zafin added, "The fruits of intensive training are obvious in the improved technical level of the participating greyhounds and the Saluki Championship has witnessed remarkable progress in the levels of participation over the years."
Souad Ibrahim Darwish, the Director of Championships at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, commented. "The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre is honoured to be a part of the revival of one of the oldest traditional Emirati sports and the technical management of the championship has consistently improved on a year-to-year basis."