Camels raced through the desert of Jordan on Saturday - the closing day of an annual festival dedicated to the sport.

The riderless animals tear along a five-kilometre (3.1 mile) course at Wadi Rum.

Their owners follow closely behind in cars, urging their camels on via radios attached to the animals' humps.

This seasonal tournament has cash prizes on offer of up to 2,000 US dollars.

The track was built in 2005 with funds from UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is named after him.

Camel owners now use a remote control which operates a saddled robot that whips their animals.

The new technology replaces child jockeys, a practice that had attracted controversy and is now banned in some countries such as the UAE.

The events and runs of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Camel Race Festival are held annually in various categories amid the presence of a mass of different events, who attend to the camel track in the area of ​​Disa Wadi Rum to watch and follow the events of the race.
The closing day of the 12th Sheikh Zayed Camel Festival included two runs, the eleventh and twelfth, in addition to the ten runs held on the first day.