1.
GV Parade to arena for camel wrestling
0.11

2.
SV 1978 champion camel in parade (2 shots)
0.22

3.
CU People marching in national dress AND PAN TO people following procession to stadium
0.30

4.
GV Soldiers controlling crowds before contest
0.35

5.
SV Camels being prepared for wrestling (2 shots)
0.51

6.
SV Crowds look on
0.53

7.
SV Last year's champion brings down opponent (2 shots)
1.09

8.
CU Camels wrestling
1.18

9.
CU Camel's owners looks on
1.20

10.
CU Camels wrestling
1.31

11.
CU Referee shouts instructions
1.38

12.
SV Last year's winner brings opponent down
1.49

13.
GV Spectators applaud as winning camel receives prize of a carpet (2 shots)
1.55

14.
SV Winner led away
2.02



Initials BB/



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The camel-wrestling season is on again, in Turkey at least. For the last one hundred years, Turks in the provinces of Aydin, Mugla, Izmir, Manisa and Canakkale in Western Turkey have gathered between December and February to pit their prize camels against all-comers. It's a heavyweight sport with only Tulu camels, weighing in at around 1,100 killogrammes trying to bring each other to the ground.

SYNOPSIS: It is popular sport and the sound of Turkish pipes leading the procession to the stadium in the town of Kusidasi attracts thousands of spectators.

Troops keep the crowds in order while the contestants, which include the 1978 winner, are brought into the arena. Just before the wrestling begins, the pack-saddles on the camels' backs are tightened so that they can be used to push an opponent or as a means of defence.

The 1978 champion is the favourite and proves his worth by bringing his opponent to his knees in the first few minutes of the fight. That is all the damage he can really do because muzzles prevent them doing serious damage to each other.

Like any racehorse owner, the owner of a fighting camel can only look helplessly on while his animal's fate is decided.

The town's mayor is the chief referee and he is helped by four other adjudicators. In this case, however, there is no doubt about the contest's result with the challenger being brought down by the reigning champion.

It is all over as the champion retains his title. His prize is a carpet and now he goes back to work, until the next contest begins.