Photo Credit: Qatar Camel Festival / Twitter
The finest camels in the Middle East competed for the title of 'most beautiful' camel at the Qatar Camel Festival.

Prancing gracefully before the critical eyes of the judges, the finest camels in the Middle East competed to win first prize at the camel beauty pageant held Tuesday on the final day of the first Qatar Camel Festival.

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This is serious business. Camels are greatly respected in the Middle East, not only for their transportation prowess but also for their milk, which is reputed to have special healing powers.

The contestants were led by their respective trainers as they paraded for the judges.

“We had a professional veterinary staff and advanced equipment and we worked to combat tampering and limit the spread of cosmetic materials,” chief festival organizer Hamad Jaber Al-Athba told AFP. “Corruption was fought seriously at the Qatar Camel Festival.”

Hundreds of spectators attended the event, held in Labseer Square in the Al Sheehaniya area northwest of Doha.

A total 47 million Qatari riyal (approximately $12.9 million) was allocated to the winners in three camel categories: Al-Asayel, Majaheem, and Al-Mughateer.

Late in the day, after assuring that no tampering – read: Botox, fillers and the like – was involved, the judges awarded first prize to Mangiah Ghufran, the camel owned by Faed Farj Algufrani.

First prize, by the way, was one million Qatari riyal ($275,000).

Saud Mubarak Shafi Salem Al Shafi’s camel won second place in the Majaheem international category.

The camel owned by Faraj Salem Khajim Al-Athba won third place in the “elite run” category, Majaheem international.

US Ambassador to Qatar Natalie Baker tweeted enthusiastically following the event, “A beautiful way to end the day,” adding that she sat by “the honorable Iraqi Ambassador and enjoyed meeting the winners.”

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Hana Levi Julian
Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.