Falconry is an essential pillar of heritage in the United Arab Emirates. Even today, falcon auction attracts falconers to assemble in Abu Dhabi. Last year’s astounding success of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) has pumped promise into the 2023 auction, packed with surprises that will be remembered fondly in the world of falcon auctions and beauty contests. The auction in 2022 was memorable owing to the sale of the most expensive falcon in ADIHEX’s history. The glorious ultra-white American falcon sold for about $275,000. The 20th edition launched with the theme “Sustainability and Heritage… A Reborn Aspiration” by Emirates Falconers’ Club.
The event will take place from 2nd to 8th September 2023. The Abu Dhabi Falconers Club was born to protect and develop the UAE’s falconry heritage. The organization achieves this goal by arranging competitions and heritage events. The 2023 auction will include six different categories for local and international productions, and the auction will be broadcasted live on social media platforms. Falcons are the ultimate status symbol, and the wealthy with a penchant for the bird dont bat an eyelid before splurging on an auction or on their precious birds.
These expensive birds have their own passports, and the pets are permitted to fly with their owners by several airlines, like Qatar, Emirates, Lufthansa, Etihad, or Royal Jordanian Airlines, in the Middle East. In 2017, a photograph of a cabin full of falcons (80 in all) traveling to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia went viral. It is also common for these prestigious birds to travel in private jets, especially when it involves a Middle Eastern royal. Dubai’s Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the billionaire crown prince of Dubai, is well-known for his passion for falconry. The personal zoo in his $2 billion residence includes a private falconry with a falcon hospital and control room inside.
