Abu Dhabi:The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has announced that the Razeen Camel Mazayna, part of the 20th edition of the Al Dhafra Festival, will take place from 15th to 22nd November 2026 at the Razeen Camel Mazayna Arena in Abu Dhabi. This event will feature 82 rounds of camel beauty pageantry, with a total of 775 awards and AED 9.95 million in cash prizes.
According to Emirates News Agency, competitors in the Razeen Camel Mazayna will participate across four main breed categories Local Asayel with 38 rounds, Majahim with 32 rounds, Crossbred Asayel with 9 rounds, and Wadh with 3 rounds. This edition has expanded the competitive schedule by introducing three new rounds to the Crossbred Asayel category and three new rounds in the Wadh category for the same age groups.
The festival's first stage, the Suwaihan Mazayna, occurred in the Al Ain region from 27th October to 3rd November, featuring 82 rounds and a prize purse of AED 9.95 million. After the Razeen leg, the festival will move to Madinat Zayed for its third stage from 3rd to 10th December 2026, which will include 88 rounds with AED 10.73 million in prize money.
Following Madinat Zayed, the festival will proceed to its fourth stage, the Cash Prizes Rounds, from 12th to 19th December 2026, featuring 66 rounds with a total prize purse of AED 20.56 million. The final stage, the Ramouz Rounds, will take place from 3rd to 12th January 2027, featuring 65 rounds with AED 46.77 million in prizes. Across all stages, the 20th edition will host a total of 383 rounds with an aggregate prize money of AED 97.24 million.
Individuals aged 18 and above are eligible to participate in the 20th edition of the Al Dhafra Festival. Prospective participants can register via the official 'Falak Al Namoos' smart application, which provides participant identification cards, competition round selection, and serves as a digital hub for festival information. The app offers real-time announcements, news updates, a festival handbook, and services related to the camel beauty contests, along with information on all heritage festivals organized by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority.