Al Rumhiya, Saudi Arabia: Huddled together on a dusty racetrack, Saudi judges scrutinise pouty lips and shapely humps in a high-stakes camel beauty pageant mired in scandal after botox and cosmetic fillers were detected. Some 14 camels have been disqualified from the month-long King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, an annual bedouin tradition supported by the Saudi royal family that lures breeders from around the Gulf with prize money of up to $57 million (46 million euros). Organisers of the festival — with 30,000 participating camels — are cracking down on cosmetic enhancements, a malpractice that has thrived amid stiff competition and despite strong penalties as some stake millions on acquiring top breeds. “Some breeders cannot afford to buy expensive camels,” said Abdullah bin Naser al-Dagheri, one of the judges, scribbling scores on sheafs of papers as he stood on tracks littered with camel droppings. “They buy cheap, not so good-looking camels and try to beautify them artificially. We’re cracking down on such fraud.” Droopy lips, a tall neck and a perfectly placed hump are all winning attributes in camel pageantry.
from The News International - World http://ift.tt/2ErHdYr
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