Prized Racing Camels Bred for Success

Tapei Times ^ | Mon, May 02, 2016

[nickcarraway]

Deep in the Qatari desert, Musharif spends his afternoons “swimming” in a large pool that doubles as a Jacuzzi, just one of the perks of being a racing camel.

“It is for his muscles, it is good for the speed,” shouts one of Musharif’s handlers, pointing at the water as the calm three-year-old animal is led by a rope along the length of the pool at the Tharb camel hospital.

SNIP

In a region where camel racing is big business, Tharb’s work is increasingly important, and the first camels bred at the center are already racing in Qatar.

Tibary admitted that research into breeding camels had “lagged behind” similar work with other animals, but no longer.

SNIP

[ComputerGuy]

Sitting on top of the camels are tiny robot jockeys, which can be remotely-controlled to whip the racers.

Do the camels blow up if they finish last?

[Cicero]

Hot tubs for camels. When those Muslims make a lot of money, they sure know how to spend it.

[Farmer Dean]

Middle easterners have way too much of our money.

[GraceG]

[Doogle]

....but if his racing slicks are too tight...look out pit crew

[elcid1970]

Our horse jockeys are men of short stature.

Arabs use ten year old boys for camel jockeys and treat them atrociously like Bacha Bazi doing triple duty. It’s a human rights nightmare for those boys.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

They have to be fast, to protect their backside.

[Gay State Conservative]

I've been to Dubai several times.They do,in fact,show camel races on local TV.They also show falcon races,the falcon being some kind of revered bird there.Ninth century sand monkeys with oil.

[BenLurkin]

Ouch!