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Turkmen falconers to take part in Adihex

When it started in 2003, Abu Dhabi Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex) was meant to encourage Emirati falconers to use farm-bred birds instead of endangered wild falcons.

The event was purposely set in September, the time when falconers buy their new birds for the hunting season.

“Back then, everybody was sceptical because the bred birds were not very good. Now, they are even better than the wild ones,” said Sultan Al Shamsi, an Emirati falconer.

“Wild falcons don’t normally hunt for houbara bustards — they usually go for rodents and hares, but we train our bred falcons what to prey on,” he added.

Capturing, buying, keeping or hunting with wild falcons is no longer legal in the UAE, so all of Al Shamsi’s six falcons are farm-bred, two of which he bought from the previous Adihex.

The exhibition has grown to “cover” pretty much everything that is related to Emirati heritage — international hunting and safari, camping and even arts and crafts. Yet, falconry remains at the centre stage and this September 4-7, Adihex will welcome, for the first time, falconers from Turkmenistan.

This is the result of the UAE, together with 11 other nations, registering falconry as a Unesco humanitarian cultural heritage in 2010. This played a significant role in counting falconry as one of the richest global cultural heritage activities, which helps preserve this tradition, passing it on to generations to come. It also attracted more interest in the UAE falconry from falconers as far as Central Asia and beyond.

Japanese falconers will also be present at the 2013 edition of Adihex. As in the Arab Gulf, falconry in Japan is considered an art, which has been practised for over 1600 years.

The Japan Oil Development Company (JODCO) will exhibit Japanese hunting gear and swords, and will showcase Japanese falconry and hunting traditions such as tea serving to samurai warriors.

“At the forefront of the international institutions taking part in Adihex 2013 is the International Committee for Wildlife Consultants, the International Association for Falconry and the World Council for Preserving Fishing and Wildlife,” announced Abdulla Al Qubaisi, director of Adihex.

Other activities at Adihex 2013 include archery, camel auction, saluki beauty competition, painting and photography exhibition and a flying demonstration of birds of prey.