Camel Beauty Contest-Camel Pageant: Isn't She Lovely? August 2009 National Geographic Magazine
Families from seven Arab countries travel with their finest camels to Abu Dhabi for the Camel Beauty Contest. Some camels ride in trucks; others walk across the desert to compete for prizes and prestige. Camels worth millions of dollars are washed then decorated with tassels. Beauty is judged on shape and size of the lips and head, neck, humps and toes. Behind the scenes, Bedouin men eat, pray and share stories by campfire.
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Although camels can walk miles in the desert,...
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Million Road is crowded with camels and cars as...
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Favored camels can bring their owners fantastic...
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Camels have help mating at the Ramez Al Menhali...
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Camel care takers camp outside the family...
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Young camels are joisted up to encourage them...
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Hot tea is served at the Mohamed Khamisi...
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As with tradition, sandals are removed before...
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The Mohamed Khamisi compound where they meet a...
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Mansori family has many prize winning camels in...
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A mother camel is lifted into a truck for a...
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This is the Qatar Sheiks compound where they...
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Some competitors use camel calves to lure antsy...
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Wealthy Bedouins watch the judging from a tent...
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Chaos along the Million Road, crowded with...
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Camels walk to the race track on a foggy...
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Racing camels are exercised in the morning to...
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The road is crowded with cars and camels as...
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Sunrise brings early competitors to line up at...
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A trainer lines up camels in the early morning...
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Bedouins stand on their cars to try to view the...
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Children ride a baby camel in the compound of...
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The Al Mansori family prays at sunset near the...
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Evening prayers end and the Al Mansori family...
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Traditional emblems of Bedouin culture--tents,...
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The Al Mansori family around the campfire at...
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Trainers control camels preparing for a morning...
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A trainer coaxes camels to the judging by...
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Camel Beauty Contest outside of Abu Dhabi where...
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Dark camels with tassles line up for the camel...
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Friends gather outside the beauty contest to...
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Family around campfire is the Ali Saeed Nasser...
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Million Road is crowded with camels and cars as...
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Judges walk through pens viewing camels in...
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Bedouin trainers wait with camels in the early...
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Bedouins from seven countries gather for the...
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Families gather and pass time waiting for their...
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From across the vast and parched Arabian...
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A baby camel curiously looks on. From across...
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Camels are auctioned after the judging every...
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Covered women photographers gather for a view...
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Sheik Tahnoon Bin Mohamed (Guy with...
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Photographers and curious bystanders surround...
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The Ramez Al Menhali compound where tents are...
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The Ramez Al Menhali compound... general scenes...
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The Ramez Al Menhali compound where they wash...
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The Mohamed Khamisi compound is an elegantly...
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The camel's services don't stop at...
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Cool shade of a dark tent in the hot sun at the...
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The Mohamed Khamisi family parades their camels...
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The Mohamed Khamisi family parades through the...
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The Mohamed Khamisicovered their camels in...
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Writer Matthew Teague at the Camel Beauty...
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Early morning at the Camel Beauty Contest. This...
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Riding in the back of a pick up truck, some...
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This is the face of a beautiful, happy camel at...
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A beautiful camel has droopy lips and long eye...
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Silver tassles and decoration show off the...
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Special features help camels survive desert...
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143 Automobiles were given away as prizes as...
