An Abu Dhabi falcon auction at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi pushed a UAE-bred Qarmousha Pure to Dh200,000 on Sunday night, the second of eight auctions tied to the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX).
Six falcons crossed the block at the session, fetching a combined Dh326,000. The night opened with a white Jeer Pure from YSL farm that drew silence before a Dh21,000 opening bid finally arrived, eventually closing at Dh38,000 after a slow, stuttering climb.
UAE-bred bird drives Abu Dhabi falcon auction to its high point
The Dh200,000 sale came when a UAE-produced Qarmousha Pure from Bheiran farm entered the ring. Auctioneer Khalid bin Saifan Al Muhairi, who handled the session, pushed bidders to consider the bird’s record in local competitions and its potential value on the circuit.
‘Production from the UAE,’ he told the crowd repeatedly, urging support for domestically bred birds. He also asked the cameraman to zoom in on the falcon’s build, feathers and talons, giving online bidders a close look before the price climbed from a Dh20,000 opening to its final figure.
Khalid had himself paid Dh250,000 at Saturday’s opening auction for a Jeer Pure Super White, drawn by its bloodline, rare colouring and versatility. He described the bird as suited to hunting, racing and beauty competitions. ‘It is a bird that can do everything,’ he said.
He had been prepared to go further. ‘I had put Dh350,000 for it,’ he said. His approach to bidding, he explained, comes down to supply: ‘If we need something and we find it, we won’t stop at Dh1 million.’
The other lots at Sunday’s session sold at more modest levels. A locally produced Jeer Taba from Bheiran farm, with a hazel-striped chest and black wings, went for Dh13,000 against a Dh10,000 opening. A British Jeer Pure from KH Falcon Team rose from Dh10,000 to Dh30,000, a British white Qarmousha Pure sold for Dh23,000, and another UAE-produced Jeer Pure from Bheiran farm fetched Dh22,000.
ADIHEX programme runs pre-show and in-event auctions
The falcon auctions are part of a broader programme ahead of and during ADIHEX. Four auctions are taking place before the exhibition opens, with four more scheduled during the event itself, which runs from 28 August to 6 September at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. Earlier reporting states this is the 23rd edition of ADIHEX; an ADNEC press release for the 2025 event refers to it as the 22nd edition. The exhibition is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club.
Beyond the falcon sales, the event’s programme has expanded this year. An Arabian camel auction at the Live Arena recorded Dh1.77 million in total sales on its opening day. The exhibition also features falconry drones, described as high-tech devices that simulate prey to train falcons while reducing stress on wild birds, as part of the event’s blend of heritage and conservation.
For Khalid, falconry is a family inheritance: his father travelled to Pakistan in 1983 for falconry purposes, and he traces his interest through both his father and grandfather. He said the birds had taught him patience above all, describing falcons as creatures that communicate with their handlers without speech. ‘We communicate as if he were a human,’ he said. ‘Only he doesn’t speak.’
Four more auctions are still to come during the main exhibition run, which opens on 28 August.
