The first live falcon auction before the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2025) witnessed enthusiastic bidding on Saturday night, with a rare white American Garmousha Pure fetching Dh350,000 as the highlight of the event.
Dubbed as “the bride of the night” by the auction host, this falcon stole the show. The bidding war lasted over 30 minutes before Hassan Al Qubaisi from Qatar secured it.
“The Garmousha is considered invaluable for breeding – it yields the finest falcons and is extremely rare,” explained Mohammed Nabil, a member of an online auction group present on behalf of remote bidders. The prized falcon, restless as the bids soared, captivated the attendees.
Stay informed with the latest updates. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The rare white falcon amid bidding
“This Garmousha is related to the Ultra White breed. It wins any contest, especially beauty pageants. Always first place. This was a rare chance to acquire it,” Nabil noted.
He mentioned that its new owner, Al Qubaisi, is “a major participant in Gulf competitions, so owning this bird is invaluable for him. He instructed us to keep bidding until he won it – no limit.”
A night of intense bidding
The night kicked off with heated exchanges over a Gyr Pure from Holland, sourced by Naseem Falcon Farm. The bid soared from Dh25,000 to Dh40,000 in mere minutes after the falcon’s face was revealed.
“Let’s reveal the falcon’s face… wow, masha’Allah!” exclaimed the host as the crowd admired its striking features, prompting a rapid escalation in bids. Emirati bidder Khaled Al Hammadi eventually acquired the bird for Dh40,000.
Al Hammadi with his falcon
In total, seven elite breeds were auctioned off on the opening night:
-
Auction 1: Gyr Pure, Holland, Naseem Falcon Farm – Dh40,000
-
Auction 2: Gyr Shaheen, Spain, Mabrook Falcon Farm – Dh29,000
-
Auction 3: Gyr Hur, UAE, Al Sarami Falcon Farm – Dh50,000
-
Auction 4: Garmousha Pure, US, RW Farm – Dh350,000
-
Auction 5: Gyr Taba, Spain, Falcon Centre – Dh35,000
-
Auction 6: Gyr Taba, Spain, Falcon Centre – Dh28,000
-
Auction 7: Gyr Taba, Spain, Falcon Centre – Dh14,000
‘Best of the Best’
Saeed Al Hassani, director of ADIHEX, stated only top-quality falcons were selected for the auction.
“This is the first live auction for the 22nd edition of ADIHEX. From 1,000 birds that applied, we chose the best of the best,” he told Khaleej Times. Throughout the eight weekend auctions until ADIHEX concludes, seven to ten falcons will be offered each evening.
“The four auctions preceding the exhibition are the elite – top tier. During the exhibition, we will offer falcons for different categories: elite, medium, and audience-focused to engage the public and encourage falcon purchases. Prices are generally reasonable, unlike the elite ones we saw today,” Al Hassani stated.
Asked about price expectations, he said: “We remain optimistic. We aim to break records. The highest price before was one million, and we hope to surpass that this year.”
A veteran falconer’s bid
Not everyone left with a falcon. Saif Al Meqbali, 48, bid Dh25,000 for the Gyr Shaheen but lost at Dh29,000. “The Gyr Shaheen excels in speed, courage, and hunting. I wanted to enter it in competitions,” he described.
Al Meqbali with the falcon he lost
A falconer for 32 years, Al Meqbali reminisced buying his first falcon – a Gyr Garmousha – at 17. “We like to take the bird from the nest and train it ourselves. The joy is in raising it and succeeding, which gives us a sense of achievement,” he said. “It’s not enjoyable to acquire a trained falcon – we intentionally seek untamed birds to train from scratch. The process is rewarding.”
He explained why the Gyr Shaheen remains a favorite. “It has greater endurance than the Shaheen. It withstands fatigue and hunger in the desert – like a camel. That’s why I wanted it.”
