Camel wrestling has attracted interest from Turks for nearly 200 years. About two weeks ago, money from camel wrestling in Aydın’s Turanlar village in the Germencik district was collected to be used for educational purposes. Camel wrestling matches are primarily organized in the province of Aydın, where ticket sales bring in important revenue. Camel wrestling matches take place between male camels who wrestle over a female camel in heat.The Kırkpınarı camel wrestling matches in Germencik have been taking place and generating revenue for 62 years. This year, the revenue from the wrestling season, which began in November, will be used by the district municipality to purchase a minibus that will be used to transport students and residents. Germencik Mayor Ahmet Yavaşoğlu told the Anatolia news agency that that the 62nd Camel Wrestling Festival that they are planning to hold will generate most of the money needed for the minibus. “We’ve set out with this plan along with people involved in the camel wrestling business. This year as in years past, the famous wrestling camels of the region will participate in the festival in much-talked-about matches. Our goal is to bring a minibus to our municipality with the funds generated. We’ll use this minibus to transport people. In years past, the revenue from camel wrestling has been used for things like school and mosque construction,” he said.
In Aydın’s İncirliova district, the money will be used this year to ease the financial burdens of the municipal soccer team, İncirliova Belediyespor. İncirliova Mayor Fadime Orbay explained: “This year we will organize the 24th annual Camel Wrestling Matches great festive atmosphere. We’re going to give the proceeds to our sports club.”
As for Aydın’s Ortaklar Municipality, the camel wrestling matches will this year provide financial support for the establishment of the Mobile Electronic System Integration Project (MOBESE) -- an alarm system with integrated security cameras placed throughout the city streets to fight crime -- in the municipality. Mayor Ümmet Akın said the camel wrestling matches that they have been organizing for three years have been a source of important funds to realize municipal projects. Rıza Posacı, the mayor of Aydın’s Umurlu district, said that the funds will be used to encourage the participation of young people in sports sponsored by the municipality. Camel wrestling in the Yenipazar and Köşk districts will go toward the construction of an extra building at the campus of the Adnan Menderes University School of Higher Vocational Education, while in the Bozdoğan district the revenues will go toward the construction of a hospital.
