QOC President and Patron of Qatar International Falconry and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026) H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani crowning winners of the falcon beauty contest at the Katara Cultural Village Foundation yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: The 17th edition of the Qatar International Falconry and Hunting Festival (Marmi 2026) concluded yesterday with the crowning ceremony for the winners of the falcon beauty contest, held at the Katara Cultural Village Foundation.
The festival is held under the patronage of H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani and with the support of the Social and Sports Activities Fund (Daam) from January 1st to 24th, 2026.
The ceremony was held in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the festival’s patron, along with a number of Their Excellencies the Sheikhs, senior state officials, heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the State of Qatar, the board of directors of the Qatar Falconry Association, falconers from Qatar and other Gulf countries, and festival guests.
H E Sheikh Joaan, the festival’s patron, crowned the winners of the beauty contest, which this year included competitions in two categories: the local and international beauty contest, held in two categories: “White and Light-Colored Gyrfalcons” and “Black and Dark-Colored Gyrfalcons.”
In the category of white and blond falcons, Sheikh Ahmed Abdulaziz bin Saud Al-Thani won first place, Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz bin Saud Al-Thani came in second, and Saleh Ali Al-Adhba took third. The prize for this category is QR700,000 for first place, QR500,000 for second, and QR300,000 for third.
In the category of black and dark falcons, Fahad Matar Al-Dosari won first place and a prize of QR400,000. Mohammed Abdulhadi Al-Dosari came in second and received a prize of QR300,000, while Ali Issa Al-Sada took third place and a prize of QR200,000.
Sheikh Joaan, the patron of the festival, crowned the winners of the various festival competitions on Friday evening at the Marmi Sabkha in Sealine. These competitions included the finals of the Haddad Al-Tahadi (Challenge Hunt), the Da’wa (Falconry) competitions in its various categories and the Elite Round, the Tal’a Championship, the Saluki Racing Championship, and the Promising Falconer Championship. Mutaib bin Mubarak Al-Qahtani, Chairman of the Marmi Festival, stated that the falcon beauty contest is one of the most important events at the Marmi Festival each year, attracting special attention from falconers who are keen to acquire the most beautiful, strongest, and rarest falcons. He pointed out that while the falcon’s strength and speed in hunting are crucial, there is also significant interest in its appearance and the aesthetic qualities bestowed upon it by God.
He explained that the aesthetic qualities vary from one falcon to another, as no single falcon possesses all the desired attributes. He noted that the beauty contest committee faced a challenging task in selecting and narrowing down the participating falcons.
He added that the judging criteria are precise and based on scientific principles, excluding the highest and lowest scores, thus ensuring satisfactory results for all participants.
