This Week on the Hump: Al-Haboob Rise, Wathba Wraps, and Australia's Camel Trail Makes History
- Humpdaystats.com
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
It's been a big few weeks in camel racing — and if you haven't been paying attention, here's everything that matters.
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AL-HABOOB MAKE HISTORY AT SULTAN'S CAMEL RACING CUP
Saudi Arabia's Al-Haboob — the world's first professional camel racing team — scored their best result to date at the Sultan's Camel Racing Cup Festival 2026 in Oman, finishing second across a five-day event featuring 85 races, 23 trophies, and 27 cars on offer.
The standout performer was Hajjma — whose name means "attack" in Arabic — a recent signing bred from strong racing lineage and already proving her worth at the highest level. Hajjma had previously taken first place at the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Camel Racing Festival, and she delivered again in Oman.
"Second place marks our highest finish so far, and Hajjma's performance reflects the level of detail behind every decision we make," said co-founder Safwan Modir.
Team ambassador Paul Pogba weighed in too: "What we're building at Al-Haboob is real. Seeing Hajjma deliver straight away shows the level and the detail behind everything we're doing."
The team held sixth at the Al-Marmoom Heritage Festival earlier in the season — the jump to second in Oman marks clear upward momentum for a team that only launched in late 2025.
Next up for Al-Haboob: The Grand Annual Closing Festival at Al-Shahaniya Racetrack in Qatar, held under the patronage of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
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WATHBA 2026 WRAPS IN ABU DHABI
The 47th edition of the Final Annual Camel Races Festival — Wathba 2026 — ran at Al Wathba Camel Race Track in Abu Dhabi from May 11, marking the close of the UAE's 2025/2026 racing season. Qatari camels continued their strong form at the festival, with 'Trom' among the notable winners of the week.
With the UAE season now wrapped, attention shifts to the Qatar Grand Annual Closing Festival and then the Australian winter circuit.
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AUSTRALIA'S CAMEL TRAIL MAKES OUTBACK HISTORY
The inaugural Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail ran a month-long circuit across five Outback Queensland towns: Boulia, Jundah, Bedourie, Birdsville, and Winton.
The two stars: Geoffrey and Polished Copper — both from Oakfield Ranch near Newcastle.
- Geoffrey (ridden by Tegan Beck) won in Boulia and Winton
- Polished Copper (ridden by Emily Sansome, third-generation cameleer) won in Jundah and Bedourie
Geoffrey sealed the overall Cup at the Winton finale, 1,400km from Brisbane.
Next up in Australia: Boulia Camel Races, July 17–19, 2026.
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WHAT'S COMING UP
- Boulia Camel Races | Boulia, QLD | July 17–19, 2026
- Tara Festival | Tara, QLD | July 31 – Aug 2, 2026
- C1 Championship Race 1 | Al Marmoom, Dubai | October 31, 2026
- Dubai Season Opens | Al Marmoom, Dubai | October 2026
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Stay on the hump.
— Humpday Stats
