Posted on 12/31/2020 2:37:43 AM PST by nickcarraway
Chinese expat Alexis (Xiaozhe Huo) has won the second trial race for the Camel Trek Marathon at Dubai’s Al Marmoom racetrack.
A total of 11 expatriates from nine countries participated in the race.
Organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC), the annual Camel Trek Marathon is now open to expats in the UAE.
German national Linda Krockenberger and Russian-Armenian expat Nonna Akopian clinched the second and third spots, respectively.
Alexis said: “It was not just (a) physical race ... but also psychological. You need to have clarity of mind, avoid fear and be courageous in achieving your goal. The secret of winning the race is how I treat my camel.
“The camel feels the person riding it. If the rider is afraid, it will affect the performance of the camel; so you have to calm down and focus on the race. I hope to win again in the main race.”
The main Camel Trek Marathon will take place next month as part of the Arabian Camel Festival, held annually under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Zainab Al Bisher, HHC’s Head of Initiatives, noted the camel race for expats is organised within the “framework of spreading tolerance among different cultures”.
Head to Australia, the outback, they have been racing camels out there for as long as the colony was opened.
The kids out there, and adults...if you get to an after muster party or a town ( maybe 1 person per 50 miles) that has a celebration you got camel jockeys wandering about like flies.
Great booze, great food, you go home broke, but you will never forget it.
Where do you think the arabs buy their premier Camels from....
Ushaaa hahaha Go !!!!!
Camel racing is a Very Big Deal in Dubai. A few years ago, I was there while the Super Bowl was on in the US, and local TV was covering a big camel race (the latter was actually more enjoyable).
Never play cards or drink the desert made hooch of a travelling circus racing camel owner.
First, you wake up with a head full of rocks but remember winning that last of the night big pot at the card table.
Second, you see the travelling owner has broken camp and headed to the next town but you can hear the bellowing of a camel
Third, as you get up, after many attempts and get back to your land rover you see the legs of a camel
Forth, you are it seems the proud owner of a racing camel. But stone the crows it’s only bloody well 4 foot 6 inches at the hump ?????
Fifth, after trying to get the little bugger into the trailer you realize either you give up or sign over the ownership of the lady to the bloody camel and walk off into the desert n did happy!!!
Sixth, after another hour of cussing and sweating like a water buffalo in heat, said camel is in trailer and off you go.
About midday, just as the races are getting under way you arrive, much to the laughter and huge smiles from the locals and kids crowding around checking out that weird looking midget camel.
After hitching by his nose link to a post outside the pub you push your way through to the bar and get the best dcooner of beer you can. The day looks better.
Heck, there is that spot of a cane toad card shark who saddled you with the flea bag camel.... You face up n he lol and says, you won him far and square, oh, his name is Roger.... WTH ??
Well as you all spill out into the dusty red clay street littered with loosing bet tickets, pie wrappers and drunk stockmen you and Rodger go to the entry registrations, $20 damn, steep, ok, do next you look to see what type of race is next. The Owners special... $200 for a win.
Bingo, gotta have a go at that, ok maybe we should not have had another or three beers back at the bar, moving on..
Reins in, belt tight, and the howled of laughter even drown out the old battered speaker they are telling through to mount up and get ready.
Note please, Roger was 4’6” to the hump, and yours truly, is just shy of 6’5”, and in the shad it is 120f, so dehydrated, full of beer and bravado the race is ready and so was I.
There off... It would take about 30 minutes to describe the race, which in fact only took 2 minutes, but they said I had concussion.
After a quiet stay in the local first aid tent in came that bloody camel, with a ribbon round it’s neck.
He spat at me and near took down the tent as he bolted out with me screaming fit to tan his hide.
There in front of the tent was that bloody card camel loosing guy again lol git to bust.
Slapping my back and shoulders like I was the lost son who came home.
I was bruesed n battered, he told me I lasted 20 seconds on Roger, best ever time by a rooky rider of Roger the Rocket....
What !!! What!!!!!
Before he slapped $100 into my hand, winnings from him getting I would beat the old record by 10 seconds it dawned on me I was never in control of anything from the moment I sat to play cards.
I laughed, coughed, laughed a bit more and happily passed out.
Why the story?
Because at some time in life, you to may meet a situation that’s strange and unknown, but in the end things turn out ok, even after a few cuts n bruises and fractured ribs....
One thing is for sure, if you see a dude with camels and one is named Roger, run like your life depends on it
Thanks to you all and Happy New Year.
E&EO ommited. Lol
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