Omani women meet a local sheik at the handicraft market before heading to the beauty contest arena at the Al Dhafra Festival during February 2010 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The fifty most beautiful camels of the Al Dhafra Festival’s camel beauty contest, known as the Bayraq Lap, are walked back to their camp to a chorus of honking trucks and riffle blasts, at the Al Dhafra Festival.

Thousands of people from around The Gulf watched the action from the stands. A handful of judges sifted through the camel pens picking out the top talent.

Camels of different ages and types competed in 48 different categories - winning a total of $10 million - during the 10-day festival, which ended on Monday.

Says head judge Mohammed Abdullah al-Mehairi: “Most of the competitors are female because… females look better.”