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Camels being led by boy

 

Camel Race Track, Tabuk

The camel race track is approximately 20 km from Tabuk along the Medina Road. It is very basic with only a rudimentary stand for spectators. When we visited the track camels were being exercised. Some groups were as small as two or three camels and others of half a dozen or more and led or ridden by youths or young boys. To our untrained eye the camels did not appear to be different to the feral camels that can be found roaming the open spaces in Saudi Arabia. The exercises did not seem particularly energetic, only occasionally breaking into the equivalent of a canter. The children seemed perfectly at ease when riding not being strapped or tied on but the conditions would probably have been very different when racing. Everybody was friendly and they acknowledged us and appeared to be quite happy to be photographed. Click on the photograph at the top of the page to see a full set of images or view our video from one of our visits.