By Habib Toumi
ABU DHABI: For centuries, the Arabian Saluki has been celebrated as one of the desert’s most exceptional hunting companions. Renowned for its remarkable speed, keen tracking instincts, agility and extraordinary endurance, this elegant deep-chested, long-legged hound that hunts primarily by sight and speed rather than scent, has occupied a special place in the traditional hunting culture of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly alongside falconers whose pursuits depended on the speed and precision of their canine companions.
Today, those centuries-old attributes are finding renewed expression in a modern sporting arena.
Through its Simulated Hunting competition, the Emirates Falconers’ Club is bringing the Saluki’s traditional hunting abilities into a structured competitive environment, where instinct meets discipline and heritage is measured through athletic performance.
Part of the 2026–2027 Arabian Saluki Championship, the competition is designed to recreate essential elements of the traditional pursuit, challenging participating dogs to demonstrate their ability to follow a designated path, negotiate sharp turns, respond to sudden changes in direction and maintain concentration throughout a demanding course.
More than a test of speed, it is an opportunity to appreciate the distinctive combination of physical ability and natural instinct that has made the Arabian Saluki such a valued hunting breed.
When instinct becomes sporting performance
The Saluki’s reputation was built in the demanding conditions of the desert, where successful pursuit required considerably more than the ability to run fast. A hunting dog had to remain focused, interpret movement, adjust its direction swiftly and sustain its effort over challenging distances.
The simulated hunting format seeks to capture these qualities through a carefully designed sporting challenge.
Rather than relying exclusively on finishing times, the competition evaluates five essential performance characteristics: speed, tracking, agility, endurance and enthusiasm. Together, they provide a broader assessment of each Saluki’s capabilities during pursuit.
Each participant competes individually in a single heat, with separate male and female categories and no age-based divisions. Following the judge’s signal, the dog embarks on a three-lap course, navigating turns, physical challenges and changes in direction. Its performance time is recorded electronically, while judges assess the other elements according to established criteria.
The scoring system allocates a total of 100 points: 30 points for speed – The time electronically recorded to complete the course, 25 points for tracking – The ability to follow the designated pursuit path while maintaining concentration and consistency, 15 points for agility – The capacity to negotiate turns and respond effectively to changes in direction, 15 points for endurance – The ability to maintain performance throughout the competition, and 15 points for enthusiasm – The Saluki’s drive, responsiveness and engagement during the pursuit.
This approach ensures that the final standings reflect the overall quality of each performance rather than speed alone. A Saluki must demonstrate a combination of physical strength, concentration, adaptability and sustained determination to achieve a leading position.
Three courses, five measures of excellence
The competition features three distinct course designs, incorporating turns, obstacles and designated safety zones. Each presents a different combination of movement patterns and pursuit challenges, requiring the dogs to adapt while maintaining their focus.
The variations are intended to test the Saluki’s responsiveness and ability to navigate unfamiliar challenges without losing momentum.
In this respect, simulated hunting offers an opportunity to observe the breed’s natural characteristics in action. The emphasis is not simply on completing a race, but on demonstrating the coordinated abilities that historically distinguished the Saluki as an accomplished hunting companion.
The format also introduces a consistent framework for evaluating performance, allowing breeders, owners and enthusiasts to appreciate different aspects of the breed’s athletic potential.
A championship journey across Abu Dhabi’s heritage events
The Simulated Hunting competition is being staged through qualifying rounds at several prominent heritage events across Abu Dhabi, giving participants multiple opportunities to secure a place in the season’s final.
The inaugural round took place at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) on September 5, 2026, marking the beginning of a circuit that brings the Arabian Saluki into the wider setting of the UAE’s traditional sporting and cultural celebrations.
According to the approved championship calendar, subsequent qualifying stages will be held alongside major heritage events throughout the season, culminating in the final at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba on January 24, 2027.
The qualification system is designed to reward the strongest performances across the different stages. The three highest-ranked male Salukis and three highest-ranked female Salukis from each qualifying event earn places in the final, where they will compete for the season’s distinction.
The simulated hunting rounds complement the Arabian Saluki beauty contests held at the same heritage events, offering two different perspectives on the breed: its physical appearance and traditional conformation on one hand, and its athletic abilities and pursuit instincts on the other.
Celebrating the names and spirit of the Saluki
The first round at ADIHEX also introduced the competitors and their Salukis to the championship’s sporting platform. Names such as Lam’ah, Reeh, Sarab and Mushkil became part of the opening chapter of the simulated hunting series, reflecting the individual identities of the dogs taking part.
Beyond the competition results, the event provides a meeting point for Saluki owners, breeders, falconers and heritage enthusiasts, bringing together people whose shared interest extends beyond sporting achievement to the preservation of a longstanding Arabian tradition.
The Saluki’s historical association with hunting is particularly significant in the cultural context of the region. For generations, the breed formed part of a wider relationship between people, animals and the desert environment. Its speed, endurance and ability to pursue quarry made it an indispensable element of traditional hunting practices.
Preserving this legacy, therefore, involves more than maintaining the breed itself. It also means sustaining an understanding of the skills, traditions and cultural values that gave the Arabian Saluki its distinguished place in regional heritage.
Heritage with a sporting future
The development of the Arabian Saluki Championship reflects a growing effort to give traditional sporting disciplines a contemporary platform without losing their historical character.
By combining established heritage practices with modern competition standards, the Emirates Falconers’ Club is creating an environment in which the Saluki’s abilities can be assessed, celebrated and passed on to new generations.
The simulated hunting competition is particularly relevant to this objective because it places the breed’s traditional function at the center of the sporting experience. Rather than treating the Saluki merely as a symbol of cultural identity, it highlights the qualities that made it exceptional in the first place.
As the 2026–2027 championship progresses towards its final at the Sheikh Zayed Festival, the competition will continue to showcase the distinctive combination of speed, instinct, agility and endurance that defines the Arabian Saluki.
Ultimately, the significance of the initiative extends beyond the pursuit of trophies and championship titles. It is about keeping alive a remarkable relationship between a people and one of their most treasured animals—ensuring that the qualities once celebrated across the open desert continue to find recognition in the sporting arenas of today.
For the Arabian Saluki, the setting may have changed, but the spirit of the chase remains.
