Saudia Arabia has opened its traditional annual beauty pageant for camels with the preliminary elimination of some forty contestants caught using Botox to illegitimately improve their appearance.
In the traditional competition, named after King Abdul-Aziz, the most beautiful camels in different categories are selected each year. The camels are examined according to their general color as well as the shape of the ears, nose, lips, and even the size of their hump. As part of the competition rules, camels need to maintain their natural appearance and are not allowed to undergo cosmetic surgery or receive various injections.
The prizes in the competition can reach up to $ 66 million, although the main prize is considered to be the bragging rights accorded to the winner and their family. The global camel market is a multimillion dollar industry, with winning camels or successful farms fetching considerably higher prices than the competition.
This is not the first time that competitors have been caught cheating, and it turns out that this is a common phenomenon. Just last year, as well as three years ago, camels were disqualified from the competition after they were discovered to have had Botox injections in order to inflate their lips and face.
In case you were wondering, the ideal camel according to the judges is a camel with delicate ears, protruding lips, and a high hump.