Interview Questions:
I will interview Mr. Faisal Hamad
Al Shamesi camel race farm owner and winner of many trophies in Al Wathbah.
1- Tell
us about yourself and when did you start in the field of camel racing and breeding?
My name is Faisal Hamad Al Shamesi. I own a camel racing
farm in the Swihan area. My father was one of the known camel racing figures in
the UAE, also one of the main trainers for His Highness Shaikh Zayed. I was
raised with the love of this sport which allowed me to enter that field and
compete to win. As a family we had camel racing farms for more than 35 years.
2- Why
is camel racing very important in the UAE and how is it related to UAE history?
UAE people in the past didn’t have any means of
transportation other than the camel and the camels represented wealth and status.
This didn’t apply to the UAE only, but to the whole region. Also due to the
desert environment the camel was the only animal that could survive the
environment and travel through the desert. Owning camels in the past was just
about pride; they started the racing to show that their breed is better than
the other. This was a very long time ago through history; still Arab bedouins
follow it.
3- What
was the role of His Highness Shaikh Zayed in promoting the camel racing?
Shaikh Zayed's role was very important to promote the camel
racing as a sport. Shaikh Zayed noticed that as the people in the UAE became
wealthier with the oil money, they began to forget their past and how life was
difficult; not only that but the historical sports were vanishing. He began
promoting the historical sport by giving prizes in races and addressing those
people who win to congratulate them in person; this made the people participate
to win and have the honour of meeting His Highness. His role made camel racing
sport to be a much known sport in the region and the world.
4- What
was the problem that UAE camel racing faced during the end of the nineties?
During the nineties the UAE and many other countries where
camel racing is considered as a sport were facing a very big awareness campaign
about using children as jockeys. The children were favored as jockeys because
of their light weight. A lot of children were injured during races and abused
while living inside the racing farms. In 2002 the UAE banned jockeys below
fifteen from racing; many of them were collected from farms and taken to
shelters before taking them back to their families in South East Asia. Also the
UAE paid compensation to more than 800 former jockeys.
5- How
did they get rid of it?
The UAE got rid of it by issuing penalties such as jail and banning
from racing for those found using children jockeys. Later on the UAE forbade
the use of human jockeys in camel racing and forced the use of robotic jockeys.
6- Was
the robotics jockey policy applied successfully?
Yes robotic jockey was successfully applied and now is
used by the whole region. It proved to be an easier way and more successful
than having a human controlling the camel. You can control the robotic jockey
with a remote control while following it by car.
7- After
forbidding the child jockey and forcing robotics did camel racing participation
increase or decrease, and why?
In the past not every person can afford to have a camel
racing farm because of the jockeys and the multiple trainers you should have.
After applying the robotics jockey, having a camel racing farm became much
easier and affordable. A lot of youths joined in and begin training and racing;
It was very nice to see that many youths participate and learn their history.
8- Any
more information you would like to add to conclude our interview?
I would like to thank you for giving me the chance to
talk about such a historical sport for us all and I hope that you got lots of
information that will help you.
