$2.7 Million... For a Camel?

[Hostile]

Dubai crown prince pays $2.7 million for camel

Son of Dubai's ruler attends camel beauty contest during desert carnival



http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Sources/Art/APTRANS.gif

updated 11:57 a.m. MT, Tues., April. 8, 2008

Dubai's crown prince bought a camel for a record $2.7 million during a desert festival in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the son of Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed and his heir apparent, bought 16 camels for $4.5 million during a camel beauty pageant taking place during a desert carnival that aims to preserve the nomadic way of life in the oil-rich Gulf.

Sheik Hamdan paid $2.7 million for one camel, Emirates' state news agency reported Tuesday. It gave no details on the camel.

More than 17,000 camels from the oil-rich Gulf countries — the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain — were registered for a camel beauty contest taking place over two weeks in the Emirates' Western desert.

Camels are registered for beauty contest in several categories, defined by age and skin color. The owners of the top three camels in each category split a 2 million price fund and each receive a car from a pool of more than 100 4x4 vehicles and pickup trucks.

Five judges assess the camels' bodies as a whole and their necks, heads, lips, noses, humps, legs and feet separately.

The money and cars for the camel beauty contest were donated by the members of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, which organized the festival in a bid to preserve the nomadic way of life in the desert that predates the discovery of oil in the region in the 1960's.

The ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who is also the Emirates' president, and his brother Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan both own an undisclosed number of camels.

Abu Dhabi is the capital of United Arab Emirates and, with the lion's share of the country's oil resources, the richest of the seven semiautonomous emirates that make up the Gulf country. Dubai, the largest emirate in population, has been undergoing an unprecedented boom as its leaders shape it into a major financial center.

[Mavs Man]

Well, I hear they get really good mpg.

[silverbear]

Even if he plans on having sex with it, that's a mighty high price for a camel...

There's a hump joke in there somewhere, but I've had enough infractions this year... :D

[ajk23az]

This is the same guy that pays Tiger Woods $3 Million JUST TO PLAY in the Dubai Desert golf tournament over the FBR Open in Scottsdale, AZ.

Not to mention, Tiger ALWAYS wins that tournament and the pot is another $1.5-2 million.

[DallasCowpoke]

Five judges assess the camels' bodies as a whole and their necks, heads, lips, noses, humps, legs and feet separately.

What, no toes!?

[StanleySpadowski]

If it was a horse, we'd all just yawn and wonder why someone of such wealth wouldn't spend more on a decent prospect.

[Hostile]

If it was a horse, we'd all just yawn and wonder why someone of such wealth wouldn't spend more on a decent prospect.No, I don't get paying that much for a horse either. Not even an Arabian stallion.

[Big Dakota]

Dubai crown prince pays $2.7 million for camel

Son of Dubai's ruler attends camel beauty contest during desert carnival



http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Sources/Art/APTRANS.gif

updated 11:57 a.m. MT, Tues., April. 8, 2008

Dubai's crown prince bought a camel for a record $2.7 million during a desert festival in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the son of Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed and his heir apparent, bought 16 camels for $4.5 million during a camel beauty pageant taking place during a desert carnival that aims to preserve the nomadic way of life in the oil-rich Gulf.

Sheik Hamdan paid $2.7 million for one camel, Emirates' state news agency reported Tuesday. It gave no details on the camel.

More than 17,000 camels from the oil-rich Gulf countries — the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain — were registered for a camel beauty contest taking place over two weeks in the Emirates' Western desert.

Camels are registered for beauty contest in several categories, defined by age and skin color. The owners of the top three camels in each category split a 2 million price fund and each receive a car from a pool of more than 100 4x4 vehicles and pickup trucks.

Five judges assess the camels' bodies as a whole and their necks, heads, lips, noses, humps, legs and feet separately.

The money and cars for the camel beauty contest were donated by the members of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, which organized the festival in a bid to preserve the nomadic way of life in the desert that predates the discovery of oil in the region in the 1960's.

The ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who is also the Emirates' president, and his brother Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan both own an undisclosed number of camels.

Abu Dhabi is the capital of United Arab Emirates and, with the lion's share of the country's oil resources, the richest of the seven semiautonomous emirates that make up the Gulf country. Dubai, the largest emirate in population, has been undergoing an unprecedented boom as its leaders shape it into a major financial center.


Nothing says Nomad like 4.5 million;)

[StanleySpadowski]

No, I don't get paying that much for a horse either. Not even an Arabian stallion.


I don't "get it" either but every year it seems like dozens of thoroughbreds go for quite a bit more than 2.7 million.

And this gentleman has spent more than that on horses plenty of times in the past.

What I meant was that this is only a story because it was a camel and some people don't understand how big camel racing is in some parts of the world. Nor do they see the plight of child camel jockeys as one of the greatest underreported crimes.

[DallasCowpoke]

Y'all ought to research the price of "stud fees" of not just thoroughbred race horses, but quarter horses, trotters etc.

My dad and myself have been partners in a quarter horse "syndicate" with 2 other breeders for nearly 20 years. Those little vials of "horse enjoyment" we freeze then ship out 2-3 times a year, have paid for more than one new vehicle.

Always remember kiddies. Never :horse: until your sure he's just not lying down, tired from beating-o...... wellll, you get the idea!! ;)

[Hostile]

Y'all ought to research the price of "stud fees" of not just thoroughbred race horses, but quarter horses, trotters etc.

My dad and myself have been partners in a quarter horse "syndicate" with 2 other breeders for nearly 20 years. Those little vials of "horse enjoyment" we freeze then ship out 2-3 times a year, have paid for more than one new vehicle.

Always remember kiddies. Never :horse: until your sure he's just not lying down, tired from beating-o...... wellll, you get the idea!! ;)Yet another reason why I want a horse.

[DallasCowpoke]

Yet another reason why I want a horse.

I can make you a real sweet deal on cute lil' buckskin mare w/ very low mileage and nearly all her own teeth. You can trust me!

:muttley:

[Cowboysfan22]

A camel who (besides the dude we are talking about) would pay 2.7 million buckaroos for a camel come on.:lmao:

[DallasCowpoke]

A camel who (besides the dude we are talking about) would pay 2.7 million buckaroos for a camel come on.

Not me, but I would walk a mile for 1.