Dozens of riderless camels race through desert of Jordan
- 5 years ago
Camels raced through the desert of Jordan on Saturday - the closing day of an annual festival dedicated to the sport.
The riderless animals tear along a five-kilometre (3.1 mile) course at Wadi Rum.
Their owners follow closely behind in cars, urging their camels on via radios attached to the animals' humps.
This seasonal tournament has cash prizes on offer of up to 2,000 US dollars.
The track was built in 2005 with funds from UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is named after him.
Camel owners now use a remote control which operates a saddled robot that whips their animals.
The new technology replaces child jockeys, a practice that had attracted controversy and is now banned in some countries such as the UAE.
The riderless animals tear along a five-kilometre (3.1 mile) course at Wadi Rum.
Their owners follow closely behind in cars, urging their camels on via radios attached to the animals' humps.
This seasonal tournament has cash prizes on offer of up to 2,000 US dollars.
The track was built in 2005 with funds from UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is named after him.
Camel owners now use a remote control which operates a saddled robot that whips their animals.
The new technology replaces child jockeys, a practice that had attracted controversy and is now banned in some countries such as the UAE.