Bullfights are a weekly event at a ring close to the beach in Fujairah. Organisers admit the sport is rough but insist it is animal-friendly, and they ensure the bull is never killed.
Fujairah - Fujairah's version of bullfighting pits two bulls against one another instead of man against beast
Published: Tue 14 Jun 2016, 4:43 PM
There's no matador, betting or blood when bulls lock horns in Fujairah, but a winning beast in the popular sport can still earn its owner a fortune.
Bullfights are a weekly event at a ring close to the beach on the east coast of the UAE.
Organisers admit the sport is rough but insist it is animal-friendly, and they ensure the bull is never killed.
While it's believed 16th century Portuguese invaders introduced bullfighting to the Gulf, Fujairah's version pits two bulls against one another instead of man against beast.
And unlike at bull-on-bull tournaments in Southeast Asia, spectators place no bets - Islamic tradition and Emirati laws forbid it.
A fight lasts just minutes, ending when one of the bulls gives up or is pushed back by its rival to the roar of a commentator's voice over loudspeakers. Upon his word, more than a dozen barefooted handlers use ropes to pull the bulls apart before the next bout kicks off. "Dr Thomas and Jackson," says the commentator, introducing the next pair of animals to lock horns.
As the two bulls square off, an alarm pierces the air. Known as "Al-wannan", the sound is intended as a form of applause to heighten the excitement.
Despite soaring temperatures, local families and tourists gather around the fenced bull-ring. Some sit atop SUVs, sipping juice.
Around 80 bulls take part in the hours-long contest. The winning bull in each round is decided by a committee of judges formed of eight local elders.
There are no cash prizes for the owners. But the value of a winning bull can shoot up in price, attracting offers by traders, some of whom drive in from nearby Oman where the sport is even more popular.
"When a bull is always distinct - winning against other bulls - its price can reach Dh600,000," said Hamad al-Matrushi, an elderly committee member and bull-owner. "But the price of a bull which sometimes performs well and other times not so well would go down to around Dh120,000 or 80,000," he said.
This form of bullfighting, known in Arabic as munatahat al-thiran (bull-butting), has its own set of traditions.
The brightly-coloured "traje de luces" (suit of lights) clothing that distinguishes Spanish matadors is replaced by the traditional white robe worn by Bedouins, known locally as the dishdasha.
Twelve-year-old Swati, an Indian girl who came with her family from the modern city-state of Dubai, was expecting to see a matador waving a red cape.
"But when I came here, my father told me that it's actually two bulls fighting," she said.
Matrushi pointed to another difference with the Spanish version.
"There, they could mistreat the animal or torture it. Here we are merciful towards it. We provide it with medical treatment, we take care of it and feed it properly."
Mohammed Abdullah, a 30-year-old government employee who himself owns 15 bulls, agreed.
"We give them food and nourishment from the best types of proteins and vitamins," he said. He estimated that feeding his bulls costs him Dh10,000 a month.
There is no system of weight classes for the bulls, which can fight from the age of two until they retire to the fields or are given away as gifts. The Jersey and Holstein breeds are the most popular. Fujairah's champion is named Reyla, a massive black hulk of flesh. It always wins, attracting fans who cross the border from Oman to watch it fight.
"It comes with its own audience," said Abdullah. The owner has been offered Dh300,000 in cash and still refuses to sell.
From an early age, owners can tell if a calf will grow up to be successful in the ring. Potential fighters are trained by walking them in the sea to strengthen the legs, before they are taken to the mountains to build up chest muscles.
Matrushi said a farmer can often "provide the bulls with more attention than that he gives to his own children".
Bullfights are a weekly event at a ring close to the beach in Fujairah. Organisers admit the sport is rough but insist it is animal-friendly, and they ensure the bull is never killed. - AFP
Emiratis watch a bullfight in Fujairah on May 13, 2016. No matadors, blood, or betting when bulls lock horns in Fujairah's ring, but a winning beast might capture the hearts of traders and bring its owner a small fortune. While believed to have been passed down from 16th-century Portuguese conquerors, bullfights in the Gulf emirate are more similar to those which take place in parts of Asia, pitting two bulls against one another instead of a man against beast./ AFP / MARWAN NAAMANI
The sport sees visitors from across the UAE flock the ring.
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