Mohammed Abdullah Bin Dalmook scored 70 points to eliminate last year’s winner and defending champion, Juma Obaid Al Ali.

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

It was a tough competition till the end but Emirati Mohammed Abdullah Bin Dalmook displayed consistency and top form to emerge victorious en route to grabbing the third ticket to the semi-final round called Golden Square of the 21st edition of the Fazza Championship for Youlah.

The heritage event, which promotes the local traditions, is being organised by Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC). In the event held on Friday at the Heritage Village inside Dubai’s Global Village, Mohammed Abdullah Bin Dalmook scored 70 points to eliminate last year’s winner and defending champion Juma Obaid Al Ali.

Bin Dalmook will join Hamid Al-Razi Al Shamsi and Mohammed Salem Bin Daghash Al Ameri in the semi-final and only one Yuweel (youlah performer) is awaited to complete the Golden Square.

Youlah, which is part of the UAE’s intangible cultural heritage, is a very technical sport that requires great skills. Aside from spinning the rifle and tossing it in the air between 17-20 metres, the Yuweels are also obliged to make sure that their ghutra (traditional headgear) will not fall to avoid point deduction. But this year, competitors are also tested by their skills in horse and camel riding, Saktoun rifle shooting, and traditional poetry.

Nathalie Awadissian, chairman of the Organising Committee of the Fazza Championship for Youlah and HHC Director of Radio Stations Department, Media and Corporate Communication, said: “This season, contestants who qualified have been empowered in various heritage competitions and have shown great merit and enthusiasm. The new voting app Al Meydan has enhanced the voting system and limited to a one time vote, thus allowing Emiratis to excel in the other heritage competitions to gain points.”

She noted all participants have shown great desire to learn all aspects related to UAE heritage sport. “This is a positive sign that the Emirati culture will be passed on to the largest possible number of future generations.”

It is also mentioned that the HHC is the foremost resource and the most credible reference on the conservation and propagation of national heritage in the United Arab Emirates. Its vision focuses on deepening the sense of national identity among the younger generation of Emiratis and promoting Emirati culture, values and traditions at both a regional and international level. The Center organizes events and competitions, conducts heritage studies and specialized research on the preservation and documentation of the UAE’s national heritage, and provides heritage sources and references for researchers and members of the public who are interested in heritage studies.

ANTAR GRACED THE RECENT EVENT: Antar, the falcon of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, had a strong participation in the Fazza Championship for Falconry–Telwah, organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC) at Dubai’s Al Ruwayyah desert area recently.

Antar competed in the tightly contested 400-metre race for Hur Jirnas and finished third with a time of 19.625 seconds.

Mansour Ali Al-Ketbi falcon edged Antar by only a split second to clinch first place with a time of 19.574 seconds, and followed in second place by Swaidan bin Demaithan falcon ‘S2’ that finished in 19.604 seconds.

“The participation Sheikh Hamdan’s falcons has added an atmosphere of joy and bolstered the sport of falconry in the UAE to greater heights,” noted Suad Ibrahim Darwish, Director of Championships at HHC.

“Falconers sought to achieve the best times and highlight their strong competitive capabilities in this championship that is held under the patronage and support of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan,” Darwish added. Darwish also noted the new season of falconry is remarkable as it coincides with the UAE’s ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign, a 45-day campaign aimed at promoting the UAE as diverse winter destination.

She underlined, “Falconry defines the UAE’s rich cultural heritage and we are happy to present the championship in the best way possible to showcase the intangible Emirati culture. Over the years, the Fazza Championship for Falconry, organised annually by the HHC, has grown in size, popularity and prestige and is now recognised as a highly-anticipated annual gathering of the best falconers from across the region and beyond.”