Camel racing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Camel racing is a popular sport in the Arab States and Australia. Professional camel racing, like horse racing, is an event for betting and tourist attraction. Camels can run at speeds up to 40 mp/h (64 km/h) in short sprints and they can maintain a speed of 25 mp/h (40 km/h) for an hour.

Camels are often controlled by child jockeys, but allegations of human rights abuses have led to nationwide bans on underage labor in the UAE and Qatar. Recent controversy over the employment of children has led to increased use of robot-controlled camels [1] [2].

A major camel race in Australia is the Camel Cup held at Alice Springs. It is held annually and includes not only the camel races themselves, but also a collection of market stalls and other entertainment.

[edit] External links

• RAQBI - Qatar, the first country which leads the Camel jockey Robot from dream in to practice.
• dubaicameljockeys.org - Facts about UAE's efforts to end the employment of underage camel jockeys
• camelraces.com
• Information and Resource Guide to Camel Racing
• Arabian Camel Race in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Camel Cup, Alice Springs, Australia

[edit] Blogs

• Mental Mayhem A blog entry with some pictures of the event.