Nearly 25000 camels take part in this beauty pageant every year. This unique event takes place in Madinet Zayed, Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi. All the participating camels are first tested by medical and screening committees, whereby only purebred camels from the Asayel and Majaheem bloodlines are allowed to participate. Contestants at the pageant will be judged on their physical attributes such as, camel’s lips, neck, and head and hoof size is assessed, as is its' posture. Camel owners will make and exchange millions of dirhams during this event. The top three camels are draped in winners' blankets. Camel beauty pageants are becoming more common across the Gulf states, and camel breeders look forward to this yearly event. The pageant aims to celebrate Bedouin culture, generate tourism and preserve the purity of certain camel breeds. (Khushnum Bhandari/ The National News)
