Record Falcon Sale Closes ADIHEX Auction Programme
White Falcon Sells For AED2,100,000
A Gyr Pure Ultra White falcon sold for AED2,100,000 (US$571,000) at the final falcon auction of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) 2026, setting the highest price ever achieved for a falcon at auction.
The sale, held on 6 September 2026 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club, brought the exhibition’s ten-day falcon auction programme to a close on a record note. ADIHEX 2026 is organised by ADNEC Group in strategic partnership with the Emirates Falconers’ Club.
US-Bred Bird Prized For Rare Plumage
The falcon that set the new benchmark originated from the United States and was prized for its exceptionally rare white plumage, pure lineage and striking appearance, qualities that organisers said made it the most sought-after bird among this year’s falcon auction offerings. Bidders competed strongly for the falcon before the winning bid was confirmed at AED2,100,000 (US$571,000), surpassing any previous result recorded at a falcon auction.
The result underlines the continuing strength of demand for exceptional birds of prey within the falconry community, both in the UAE and internationally. ADIHEX’s falcon auctions have built a reputation over successive editions as one of the exhibition’s most closely watched fixtures, drawing falconers, breeders, collectors and enthusiasts to compete for birds prized for their rarity, lineage and hunting pedigree.
Falconry itself occupies a central place in Emirati and wider Gulf heritage, and the ADIHEX falcon auctions have become one of the clearest commercial expressions of that cultural significance. Through its dedicated falconry programmes, competitions and exhibitions, the event continues to promote the tradition’s cultural importance while supporting efforts to preserve it for future generations.
ADIHEX has, across its history, served as a gathering place for those with a professional or personal interest in falconry, bringing together breeders and collectors from the UAE and abroad alongside casual visitors curious to see prized birds presented and sold in person. This year’s record sale adds a further landmark to that history, giving the 2026 edition a headline result that organisers are likely to reference in future editions as a measure of the auction programme’s growth.
Organisers pointed to the combination of the falcon’s rare white plumage, pure lineage and striking appearance as the specific qualities that placed it among the most closely watched lots of this year’s auction programme, and ultimately drove the competitive bidding that produced the record price.
Ten-Day Falcon Auction Programme Ends
The record sale came as ADIHEX 2026 concluded its run at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, following ten days of activities staged under the theme “A Legacy of Pride.” Organisers had already described this year’s edition as the largest in the exhibition’s history in terms of exhibition space, participating exhibitors, brands and visitor experiences, and the falcon auction’s record result gave the closing day of the 23rd edition a further high point to add to that broader scale.
The falcon auction’s record result came at the end of a ten-day programme that also included heritage displays, equestrian sport, Arabian Saluki showcases and cultural performances across the exhibition’s closing days, reflecting the breadth of activity organisers built into this year’s staging alongside the falconry-focused auction itself.
With the auction programme now concluded for this edition, attention turns to how the result will shape expectations heading into future ADIHEX falcon auctions, with this year’s AED2,100,000 sale setting a new reference point for the value collectors and falconers are prepared to place on birds combining rarity, pure lineage and distinctive appearance.