Unusual Sports: Camel Wrestling!
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
On the third Sunday in January every year, the annual camel wrestling championship is held in Selcuk in Turkey.
This event involves two male ‘Tulu’ camels who wrestle in response to a female camel who is on heat and is led before them.
The camels are bred especially for the purpose of the ‘sport’ and there are an estimated 1,200 of them in Turkey.
The camels wrestle with others in the same weight class and the camel that makes the other camel retreat, scream or fall is declared the winner.
The owner of a camel, who is concerned for its safety, may throw a rope into the field of battle and declare a forfeit.
The event involves much pomp and ceremony, and the camels are decorated and take part in a march, accompanied by musicians, the previous day.
The sport is declining in popularity as the costs for keeping the camels continue to rise and, not surprisingly, concerns, amongst animal rights campaigners, grow for their welfare!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
