RIYADH — A rare Canadian falcon, a beauty, was sold Saturday, on the eighth day of the International Falcon Breeders Auction (IFBA). The price achieved a new record in the auction organized by the Saudi Falcons Club (SFC) at the club's headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh.

The auction was for a Super White Gyrfalcon farkh (under one year old) from the Canadian "Jim Wilson Falcons" farm. The bidding started Saturday at $66,676 (SR250,000), to finally be sold after a stiff competition that lasted about half an hour for $93,347 (SR350,000).

The Canadian falcon is 18.5 inches long and wide and weighs 1600 grams, making it the most expensive falcon since the beginning of the IFBA on the Aug. 5.

Faris Al-Faris, the spokesman for the Canadian farm, said that the farm produces about 300 falcons annually from Canadian and Siberian Gyrfalcon with the same quality as the falcon sold Saturday at the auction.

Al-Faris explained that the farm is known worldwide for its purest breeds since the late seventies. It is the international farm that achieves most first places in the Al-Mazayen competitions (falcon beauty contests) and Falconry Races.

He confirmed that the falcon sold was worth its price and these are their international prices. He added that another falcon was sold in the auction for $24,803 (SR93,000) and revealed that a third falcon will be put up at the auction over the coming days.

IFBA witnessed the sale of another rare falcon for $71,994 (SR270,000) of a Saudi breeder in the previous days, coming from the Al-Aradi Falcon Farm from Saudi Arabia.

It was a "Saker Falcon"17 and a half-inch long, 16 and three-quarters inches wide, and weighs 1105 grams. Its owner will participate in Al-Mazayen competitions for local breeding, the largest event of its kind, part of the fourth edition of King Abdulaziz Festival. — SPA