(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Bisher Rashid bin Bisher was declared the winner of the Dh1 million Fazza Youlah Championship that was held at the heritage quadrant at Global Village last Friday evening. Youlah is the traditional sport of the UAE and involves the participant spinning and throwing a rifle (dummy) made of wood and metal. The competitors are judged based on skill and concentration.
Bin Bisher polled 180,360 votes compared to the runner-up Rashed bin Harmash Al Mansouri's 126,950 at the closing ceremony of the 11th edition of this event, which is organised and supervised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC).
"It's really a dream come true," said an elated Bin Bisher. "I would like to extend my thanks to everyone that supported me, including my family, friends and the general public. I will continue to compete in this tournament in the coming years to emphasise our connection to our nation's precious heritage. I would like to dedicate this win to the very first supporter of this tournament, Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and all the other participants."
Abdullah Hamdan bin Dalmook, the CEO of HHC, attended the gripping finale to the TV show. The programme started by playing the UAE National Anthem and a special profile report on Shaikh Hamdan. The report highlighted the pioneering role Shaikh Hamdan, who is also known as 'Fazza,' has played in endurance, equestrian and heritage sports - among others - and how that, in turn, has inspired young people here in the UAE.
Bin Dalmook explained: "Based on the directives of Shaikh Hamdan, this competition aims to strengthen our national identity among young people, to develop their skills and assist in their maturing from teenage boys to adult men."
The renowned Emirati recording artist Eida Al Menhali also sang a song titled The Only Health to a live audience that had travelled from all over the UAE to witness Bin Bisher's victory. "I participate in all of the events organised, supervised and produced by HHC as the revival and continuity of our rich Emirati culture and heritage is very important to me," Menhali said.
"First and foremost, we must do our duty - to support our heritage, especially as these events attract media coverage in the UAE and GCC. To play a part in the Fazza Youlah Championship and other UAE heritage events are important assignments in my annual calendar," he added.
Fayez Al Saeed, who helped compose Menhali's contribution as the show's 'Ambassador of Songs' and performed the self-written The Joy of Dubai himself, said: "I've composed a lot of melodies over the last 12 years - the main song of the tournament and the songs sung by artists at the conclusion of the tournament. It has been an absolute privilege to contribute to the show and I wish happiness and joy to everyone who has contributed to its success."
Hussein Al Jasmi, who performed The Pride of the Arabs, said: "I'm really very happy to have participated in the closing ceremony of the Fazza Youlah Championship, which is a confirmation of our pride in our heritage - a heritage that represents the image of the UAE, its culture and its history. This demonstration of our heritage is important in all of our lives, especially for our young people who deserve our encouragement as an integrated society that is supportive of all initiatives that benefit the country and its citizens."
Souad Ibrahim Darwish, the Director of Championships at HHC added: "We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all the winners in this year's edition of the tournament and we hope to see them participating again in the coming years alongside new faces to compete against each other in the revival of our heritage, which we all hold dear. I must take this opportunity to thank everyone who had an impact on the success of this tournament, especially the artists and the members of the jury. The successful staging of this tournament is the fruit of a collective effort and it's the right of each one of us to be immensely proud of it."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.