Sultan Qaboos initiated a countrywide camel-racing season which has turned camel breeding into big business. The modern fairy tale, straight from 1001 Nights, begins where camels are traditionally to be found – in the desert. For many generations, the Bedouins have kept and bred dromedaries. Their daily fodder cocktail is a carefully blended mix of rushes, wheat, dates, milk and honey.
The winners of the races are rewarded with 4X4 vehicles and prize money down to the 7th place. The camels are ridden by child-jockeys, who are often only 4 or 5 years old. The camels from Oman are considered to be the fastest in Arabia. The winning animals are, as a result, often sold off immediately after a race to the neighbouring wealthy Emirates.
