40th Camel Wrestling Festival in Turkey's Selçuk

For 40 years now, proud owners of camels in and around the western province of Aydın come together to let their companions wrestle it out.

Black-eyed Nirvana and Mr. Isa, two male camels wearing colorful saddles, circled the grounds with their owners and then wrestled fiercely as thousands cheered.

They were competing as part of 80 pairs, or 160 camels, in the Efes Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival, the biggest and most prestigious festival of its kind, which celebrated its 40th run Sunday.

The wrestling grounds is a few miles away from Ephesus, the site of ancient Greek ruins. Smaller festivals are held across Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean provinces.

The games take place during the camels’ mating season because the males are more aggressive during this time, especially when they are withheld from mating, they are primed to fight.

The scoring system is complicated for outsiders but a camel who gets its opponent to scream, flee, fall or push its embroidered saddle to the ground wins.

Spectators and fans enjoyed a cold, sunny day of music, traditional dances and a barbecue with camel sausage and meat, as they imbibed “lion’s milk,” Turkey’s anise-flavored spirit raki.

The day before, camels were paraded in a beauty pageant, decked out with colorful beaded muzzles, fabrics, pompoms, bells and Turkish flags. A jury judged them as they strutted through the town.

The Federation for Camel Culture and Camel Wrestling says there is no exact date for when the tradition began in Anatolia but it is thought to date back to the 19th century among competing nomadic groups.

A pair poses with their camel at the wrestling grounds, Jan. 16, 2022.

A cotton candy seller at the wrestling grounds, Jan. 16, 2022.

Two camels fighting as their owners direct them, Jan. 16, 2022.

An elderly man leads his camel along the grounds, Jan. 16, 2022.

Wrestling camels, bearing elaborately decorated saddles, parade during a contest in Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Jan. 15, 2022. Ahead of the games, on Saturday, camels were paraded in a beauty pageant titled "the most ornate camel contest" when they are decked out with colorful beaded muzzles, fabrics, pompoms, bells and Turkish flags.

Camels wrestle during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

Camels wrestle during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

A camel owner strokes his camel prior a contest parade in Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 15, 2022.

Spectators watch camels wrestling during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Jan. 16, 2022.

Men dance during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Jan. 16, 2022.

Spectators watch camels wrestling during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

Camels wrestle during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

Spectators watch camels wrestling during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

Musicians perform traditional folk songs, as spectators watch perched on a hill overlooking the arena where camels wrestle during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

A wrestling camel adorned with colorful ornaments takes part in the Camel Beauty Contest ahead of the annual 40th Efes Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival, Jan. 15, 2022.

Camels and their owner wait for the start of the competitions at the Pamucak Arena during the annual 40th Efes Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

A wrestling camel gets ready for his competition at the arena, Jan. 16, 2022.

A wrestling camel leaves the field after his competition at the arena, Jan. 16, 2022.

Camels wait for the start of competitions at the arena during the annual festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

Wrestling camels, bearing elaborately decorated saddles, parade during a contest in Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Jan. 15, 2022.

Camels fight at the arena during the annual 40th Efes Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival, Jan. 16, 2022.

A camel owner prepares his camel during a contest parade in Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Turkey, Jan. 15, 2022.

A camel is led into the arena during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Turkey, Jan. 16, 2022.

A man prepares a camel during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Turkey, Jan. 16, 2022.

Spectators watch camels wrestling during Turkey's largest camel wrestling festival in the Aegean town of Selçuk, Jan. 16, 2022.

Wrestling camel Özarslan Bey, adorned with colorful ornaments, takes part in the Camel Beauty Contest ahead of the annual 40th Efes Selçuk Camel Wrestling Festival, Jan. 15, 2022.