No more human jockeys
A camel race in Sohar has, for the first time, featured robots at the reins. History was created when robot jockeys – instead of human ones -- were introduced on the backs of the camels at the seventh annual local camel race (2009 to 2010) at the Sohar race track, recently.
A thingamajig on her back is smacking and spurring young Saraba onto the finish line. She surges ahead, her neck stretching forward and head rocking, froth flying high in the air and on her as she successfully pounds past the line before anyone else.
At the same time, Saraba’s owner in a dusty Land Cruiser wildly pulls up just after her, on the parallel track. Others follow, raising mighty dust. More camels clomp behind with the same contraption whirring and smacking on their backs like disabled miniature windmills gone cuckoo.
Even when they cross the finish line, the device tied to their back is seen whipping itself to frenzy (or was it desperation?). This was seen mostly on those camels that seem to have somehow fallen behind the others in the race; a sort of last ditch effort in the hope that the four-legged contestant would pip past the others at the finish line. It is not about the money alone, but winning any race brings along certain pride. For Omanis who have been literally brought up on a camel’s back, a camel race is a natural passion, if not at times, compulsive.
And for those Omanis whose first-ever sight has been a camel, races and such competitions as this seventh annual local camel race (2009 to 2010) in the wilayat of Sohar (camel race track), Batinah region, is part of a culture, which despite the infusion of technology and the sweep of modernity, still evokes a fervour that is more encompassing than the dust raised on the track.
But, there is something in the air this time. The race just run is no ordinary one. For you realise with a start that these camels have run the race sans jockey, at least a human one that is. As of September 30, Oman has taken that step to introduce a fresh dose of safety into the races: the thingamajig on the back is no ordinary contraption -- it is a RO500 (approximately) worth remote-controlled robot that has replaced the young Omani jockey. This is the first time that a robot jockey is being introduced into an official camel race in Oman: A step, which Oman is perhaps late in taking (when compared to the region), but better late than ever, the camel race enthusiasts gathered at the camel race festival organised by the Royal Court Affairs, represented by the Royal Cavalry, aver in unison.
But, amidst this hoopla on safety, the dust, raised by the camels and the many 4WDs, curl into a question mark: is something missing? Safety is the name of the game, but has the thrill gone out of the race? Are the long-honed skills of the young Omani jockeys going to be wasted?
Naif bin Hamood bin Hamad Al Mammari, deputy wali of Sohar, who is unable to take his eyes off the track, raises the same query and answers it himself: “Yes, such a thought does occur. Will the skills of our trained young Omani jockeys go waste? We have thought about it and the answer is, no, camel racing is in our blood. So, if not on the race track, the young jockeys will still race…it is our culture.”
Robot jockeys are new to Oman, but not to the region, which has introduced them nearly five years ago, facing criticism that small children, some as young as four, were being brought from poor Asian countries to race the camels. Introduction of robot jockeys in the region is seen as a panacea for what was seen as one of camel racing’s most objectionable practices. Racing camel owners in many Gulf countries traditionally used children as jockeys, some quite young, a practice that was condemned by human rights groups.
“The UAE and Qatar have been using robot jockeys since the last five years or so. Oman is the last one (to use them), I guess. Officially, we are introducing the robots at the Sohar racetrack. This is a step to bring about safety through technology and we feel it is time we safeguarded young jockeys and reduce the risks involved. A seven or 12kms race is physically draining and stressful for a young jockey.
Moreover, we care for the camels and we need to maintain lighter weights on their backs. With the robot jockeys, the risk of the young jockeys falling off the camels backs can be eliminated… They (the camels) race at a speed of approximately 50 to 60kms per hour, sometimes, even faster! So, we don’t want to lose our young ones on the tracks.
“The Omani Camel Race Federation and members of the camels committee in the wilayat are all aware of this move and they have welcomed the change. Government authorities, Royal Court Camel Affairs, and the Omani Camel Race Federation are funding and supporting this venture,” the deputy wali of Sohar said.
Sayyid Hilal bin Badr Al Busaidi, wali of Sohar, the chief guest at the race, made public that Oman had recognised and approved the use of robots at the reins of the camels. He said that the introduction of machine-mounted camels on the race track was the first step in safeguarding the ancient heritage of camel racing through modern technology. “Technology plays a vital role in all fields today. The introduction of robot Jockeys in our ancient heritage of camel racing is a safety requisite and a progress of the new and modern technological advance.
“Camel racing and the passion behind these races depict the love of camels of Omanis and the robot jockeys will be a lot safer and easier to race, especially for participating successfully in long distance camel racing like His Majesty’s Cup.”
“The robot jockeys are good and safe; deaths can be avoided on the race track,” opined Sheikh Hamad Nasser, a referee of four plus years, who was a referee at the Sohar camel race. “A human jockey brings in that traditional aspect, but with the new robots, life is going to swing to an entirely new safe mode.” He recalled some racetrack deaths in and around 1998. “I welcome this joint move of the Royal Court Camel Affairs, Oman Camel Race Federation and other related authorities.”
“I have been part of the federation and camel racing for nearly a decade now and I feel positive about this introduction,” adds Falah Al Mammari, a board member of the Omani Camel Race Federation.
“We need to safeguard our younger generation as well our resources. When the jockey is a young Omani boy, he needs to be trained, and paid a pretty high fee. If the camel he rides on wins, he has to be again paid a handsome amount. Since there are a lot of risks involved, the young jockey’s father needs to be paid an amount too.
This makes camel racing an expensive affair. With robot jockeys, many Omanis and camel owners can participate in an affordable and cost-effective manner. I don’t think our heritage will be lost; we are just playing it safe…”
Hamad Khamis Abdullah Al Omrani, a former jockey and currently a referee at the race, explained why camel racing, despite the admix of technology and tradition, would still ride steadily into the past: “The first thing that I saw when I was born was a camel. Camel racing is in my blood. It is not a passing passion; it is our heritage and culture. It is Omani. My father rode camels, my grandfather and my great grandfather also… so did my sisters.
“I was trained by my father to be a jockey at a very young age; now, my sons have been trained too… it is a way of life. Camel racing is our life. There is passion, involvement and contentment in it. The introduction of robot jockeys will not take anything away from the thrill of camel racing; instead, it will instill in a brand new safety aspect; it will make it lighter for the camel, as the robots are only around 1 to 2 kgs.
The robots will not stop our youth from racing a camel. Maybe not in a race like this…but, they will still race.”
A camel race in Sohar has, for the first time, featured robots at the reins. History was created when robot jockeys – instead of human ones -- were introduced on the backs of the camels at the seventh annual local camel race (2009 to 2010) at the Sohar race track, recently.
A thingamajig on her back is smacking and spurring young Saraba onto the finish line. She surges ahead, her neck stretching forward and head rocking, froth flying high in the air and on her as she successfully pounds past the line before anyone else.
At the same time, Saraba’s owner in a dusty Land Cruiser wildly pulls up just after her, on the parallel track. Others follow, raising mighty dust. More camels clomp behind with the same contraption whirring and smacking on their backs like disabled miniature windmills gone cuckoo.
Even when they cross the finish line, the device tied to their back is seen whipping itself to frenzy (or was it desperation?). This was seen mostly on those camels that seem to have somehow fallen behind the others in the race; a sort of last ditch effort in the hope that the four-legged contestant would pip past the others at the finish line. It is not about the money alone, but winning any race brings along certain pride. For Omanis who have been literally brought up on a camel’s back, a camel race is a natural passion, if not at times, compulsive.
And for those Omanis whose first-ever sight has been a camel, races and such competitions as this seventh annual local camel race (2009 to 2010) in the wilayat of Sohar (camel race track), Batinah region, is part of a culture, which despite the infusion of technology and the sweep of modernity, still evokes a fervour that is more encompassing than the dust raised on the track.
But, there is something in the air this time. The race just run is no ordinary one. For you realise with a start that these camels have run the race sans jockey, at least a human one that is. As of September 30, Oman has taken that step to introduce a fresh dose of safety into the races: the thingamajig on the back is no ordinary contraption -- it is a RO500 (approximately) worth remote-controlled robot that has replaced the young Omani jockey. This is the first time that a robot jockey is being introduced into an official camel race in Oman: A step, which Oman is perhaps late in taking (when compared to the region), but better late than ever, the camel race enthusiasts gathered at the camel race festival organised by the Royal Court Affairs, represented by the Royal Cavalry, aver in unison.
But, amidst this hoopla on safety, the dust, raised by the camels and the many 4WDs, curl into a question mark: is something missing? Safety is the name of the game, but has the thrill gone out of the race? Are the long-honed skills of the young Omani jockeys going to be wasted?
Naif bin Hamood bin Hamad Al Mammari, deputy wali of Sohar, who is unable to take his eyes off the track, raises the same query and answers it himself: “Yes, such a thought does occur. Will the skills of our trained young Omani jockeys go waste? We have thought about it and the answer is, no, camel racing is in our blood. So, if not on the race track, the young jockeys will still race…it is our culture.”
Robot jockeys are new to Oman, but not to the region, which has introduced them nearly five years ago, facing criticism that small children, some as young as four, were being brought from poor Asian countries to race the camels. Introduction of robot jockeys in the region is seen as a panacea for what was seen as one of camel racing’s most objectionable practices. Racing camel owners in many Gulf countries traditionally used children as jockeys, some quite young, a practice that was condemned by human rights groups.
“The UAE and Qatar have been using robot jockeys since the last five years or so. Oman is the last one (to use them), I guess. Officially, we are introducing the robots at the Sohar racetrack. This is a step to bring about safety through technology and we feel it is time we safeguarded young jockeys and reduce the risks involved. A seven or 12kms race is physically draining and stressful for a young jockey.
Moreover, we care for the camels and we need to maintain lighter weights on their backs. With the robot jockeys, the risk of the young jockeys falling off the camels backs can be eliminated… They (the camels) race at a speed of approximately 50 to 60kms per hour, sometimes, even faster! So, we don’t want to lose our young ones on the tracks.
“The Omani Camel Race Federation and members of the camels committee in the wilayat are all aware of this move and they have welcomed the change. Government authorities, Royal Court Camel Affairs, and the Omani Camel Race Federation are funding and supporting this venture,” the deputy wali of Sohar said.
Sayyid Hilal bin Badr Al Busaidi, wali of Sohar, the chief guest at the race, made public that Oman had recognised and approved the use of robots at the reins of the camels. He said that the introduction of machine-mounted camels on the race track was the first step in safeguarding the ancient heritage of camel racing through modern technology. “Technology plays a vital role in all fields today. The introduction of robot Jockeys in our ancient heritage of camel racing is a safety requisite and a progress of the new and modern technological advance.
“Camel racing and the passion behind these races depict the love of camels of Omanis and the robot jockeys will be a lot safer and easier to race, especially for participating successfully in long distance camel racing like His Majesty’s Cup.”
“The robot jockeys are good and safe; deaths can be avoided on the race track,” opined Sheikh Hamad Nasser, a referee of four plus years, who was a referee at the Sohar camel race. “A human jockey brings in that traditional aspect, but with the new robots, life is going to swing to an entirely new safe mode.” He recalled some racetrack deaths in and around 1998. “I welcome this joint move of the Royal Court Camel Affairs, Oman Camel Race Federation and other related authorities.”
“I have been part of the federation and camel racing for nearly a decade now and I feel positive about this introduction,” adds Falah Al Mammari, a board member of the Omani Camel Race Federation.
“We need to safeguard our younger generation as well our resources. When the jockey is a young Omani boy, he needs to be trained, and paid a pretty high fee. If the camel he rides on wins, he has to be again paid a handsome amount. Since there are a lot of risks involved, the young jockey’s father needs to be paid an amount too.
This makes camel racing an expensive affair. With robot jockeys, many Omanis and camel owners can participate in an affordable and cost-effective manner. I don’t think our heritage will be lost; we are just playing it safe…”
Hamad Khamis Abdullah Al Omrani, a former jockey and currently a referee at the race, explained why camel racing, despite the admix of technology and tradition, would still ride steadily into the past: “The first thing that I saw when I was born was a camel. Camel racing is in my blood. It is not a passing passion; it is our heritage and culture. It is Omani. My father rode camels, my grandfather and my great grandfather also… so did my sisters.
“I was trained by my father to be a jockey at a very young age; now, my sons have been trained too… it is a way of life. Camel racing is our life. There is passion, involvement and contentment in it. The introduction of robot jockeys will not take anything away from the thrill of camel racing; instead, it will instill in a brand new safety aspect; it will make it lighter for the camel, as the robots are only around 1 to 2 kgs.
The robots will not stop our youth from racing a camel. Maybe not in a race like this…but, they will still race.”
Adarsh Madhavan, Priya Arunkumar and Najib Al Balushi
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