Making History: Katie Higgins, the First Irish Female Camel Racer in Dubai
An unprecedented set of words that have never been put together before tell us so much about the direction the UAE is taking towards the future. A woman who is a foreigner is participating in a sport that is rooted in the ancient, long-lasting, heritage of the UAE.
Guess there is a first time for everything, but how did this pleasant, history-making, coincidence come to be? What’s all this hype about, it’s just camel racing, right?
Camel Racing in the Past
Every country has its tradition and heritage. In the UAE just like in other GCC countries, a lot of things that have to do with the harsh nature of the desert are considered part of the national heritage. The top of these culturally significant symbols and habits is camel racing.
The sport dates back to ancient times when it was a favorite activity to pass time. it was also rumored that it had a political significance between the pre-Islamic tribal natives. Either way, Emiratis still hold this historical sport dear to their hearts. Holding races and events annually to this day with a modern twist of course to go with the times. One of the latest modern twists that’s a first in the whole region is having an all-female team of camel racers. Even though the sport is strictly male dominant.
The First Female Camel Racer
The woman of the hour, Katie Higgins, is an art teacher from Caherlistrane in Galway, Ireland. Even though she lived in Dubai for five years, an unpaid leave because of Covid-19 from the school she works in was the ultimate catalyst to this precious moment. As she took to her bucket list before leaving Dubai she told BBC, “I wanted to learn to really ride a camel properly – not to do the tourist thing where you sit on a camel and do a quick loop,” and the rest was… well, history.
First Place into The Future
According to BBC, Katie struggled to find a place that properly teaches camel riding, until she found the Arabian Desert Camel Riding Centre (ADCRC). The center owners are extremely focused on teaching all comers from all around the world the importance of camel riding and how to care for and respect the desert ship. But they also teach visitors about the heritage, customs, and, language of the UAE.
And in 2021, Katie joined the first all-female team of camel riders in the region under the training of the ADCRC.
All in all, the whole thing is actually exciting for the whole MENA region. The mix between keeping traditions and breaking away from them at the same time is hard to achieve but not impossible. UAE is no stranger to achieving the impossible which is something that launches the country to first place into the future.
