The "Open General" rounds commenced as part of the Fazza Falconry Championship, taking place at the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center, under the organization of the Fazza Championships Administration. The first day featured strong competition in the Gyr Falcon category. The event has drawn elite falconers, with bird counts approaching the milestone of 1,000 since its launch, and expectations of record participation in the coming days.
The "Open General" category is particularly distinguished by the participation of falconers from all Gulf Cooperation Council countries, enhancing the special atmosphere of this heritage sport that unites the region's people across generations.
In the Gyr Falcon rounds, Saif Jamal Al-Huraiz excelled, securing the top three positions by winning the championship for the "Jurnas" falcon with "Ajeeb" recording a season's best time of 16.979 seconds, followed by "Al-Batal" at 17.273 seconds and "Muhayb" at 17.328 seconds.
Sultan Nasser Al-Hajri achieved first and second places in the Gyr Falcon hatchling championship with "Sarmatat" clocking 17.023 seconds and "Homeless" at 17.198 seconds. The Dubai team came third with "Tajouri" at 17.411 seconds.
In the first prize round for Gyr Falcon hatchlings, Sultan Ahmed Al-Falasi took the lead with "82" at 17.606 seconds, followed closely by Khaled Nasser Al-Hajri in second place with "Sarmad" at 17.610 seconds, while the Qatari team "QR" placed third with "20" at 17.723 seconds.
Dhamithan bin Suwaidan, the head of the organizing committee for the Fazza Falconry Championships, stated, "This championship has consistently attracted an increasing number of participants over the years, witnessing noticeable growth with each edition. We are proud of the achievements we have made to promote and revive our cultural heritage through high-level competitions."
He added, "What distinguishes this edition of the championships is the remarkable increase in new falconers, achieving the goal of these championships to spread this cherished heritage and encourage youth to engage in it, following in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents."
