RIYADH, Dec 14: The falconry amateur and falcon trainer, Athari Al-Khalidi with her participation recently in the King Abdulaziz Falcon Festival has proven that women too can join this male-dominated field or rather the field that is restricted to men, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

She is the first female falcon trainer to take part in the festival. With her falcon ‘Ma’aned’, Al-Khalidi says she decided to participate this year in the third edition of the festival, and was the only Saudi Arabian woman to qualify and participate and turn her dream into a reality.

Al-Khalidi said her passion for falcons began 10 years ago and since then she has been developing her skills by hunting birds. Al-Khalidi indicated, last year she participated in the second festival with her bird, ‘Sattam’ but she had no luck which made her participate for the second time – a hobby she loves passionately since her childhood.