Falconry-Canadian falcon commands huge price at Saudi breeders auction

Aug 15 (Reuters) - A ‌Canadian-bred bird ​was ​sold for $346,000 at the International Falcon Breeders Auction in Saudi Arabia ‌on Saturday, making it the most expensive ⁠sale so far at this year's event, and the ‌second-highest price ever achieved ‌at the annual auction.

Bred by the Jim Wilson farm in Ontario, Canada, the juvenile ​three-quarter gyr super white falcon was sold on the seventh night of the ⁠auction, which is organised by the National Center for Falcons ​at its headquarters in Malham, around 65 km (40 miles) north of the Saudi ​capital of Riyadh.

Birds sold ‌at the auction are automatically qualified to take part in popular falcon ⁠races in Saudi Arabia, where the total prize pot for the racing season is around $12.5 million.

The ⁠bidding for the Canadian falcon opened at 200,000 Saudi ​riyals ($53,000), and the auction drew strong interest before the bird was eventually sold for 1.3 million riyals ($346,000).

The ‌highest price ever paid at the international auction was achieved in ‌2021, when a bidder paid 1.75 million ⁠riyals ($467,000) for a juvenile ‌ultra-white three-quarter pure ​gyr falcon.

The auction runs until August 25.

(Reporting by Philip O'ConnorEditing by Rod ‌Nickel)

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