SAUDI BREEDERS SEARCH FOR NEW 'MISS CAMEL'
Camels are being prized for their beauty - not just their usefulness - in Saudi Arabia where strict Islamic laws and tribal customs prohibit beauty contests for women.
Camel breeders are open about their admiration for the physical attributes of the animals as they gather at this spring's camel markets.
"It's just like judging a beautiful girl," said Fowzan al-Madr, a camel breeder."You look for big eyes, long lashes and a long neck."
Public displays of affection between men and women are rigidly policed by the feared officials of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice but in the camel bazaars anything goes.
"Camels are just like humans," breeder Haza al-Shammari told the International Herald Tribune. "They love and hate just like humans. That's why you have to bring them up very gently."
Mr Shammari grabbed his favourite camel's neck and kissed the beast on the mouth.
"She isn't married yet, this one," he said. "She's still a virgin. Look at the black eyes, the soft fur. The fur is trimmed so it's short and clean, just like a girl going to a party.
"When you get to know the camels, you feel love for them. My camels are like my children, my family."
With camels changing hands for as much as 17 million Saudi Riyals (£2.2 million), camel owners are keenly awaiting the emergence of a new reigning champion.
The previous top camel, Mashoufan, died in January. Four of its offspring are seen as favourites to claim the crown.
The organiser of the pageant said it was drawing as much interest as a human competition would elsewhere in the Middle East.
"In Lebanon they have Miss Lebanon - Here we have Miss Camel."
jackfrost
Pro 
i love camels heres a good recipe
1 whole camel, medium size
1 whole lamb, large size
20 whole chicken, medium size
60 eggs
12 kg rice
2 kg pine nuts
2 kg almonds
1 kg pistachio nuts
110 gallons water
5 lbs black pepper
salt
Directions
1 Skin, trim and clean camel, lamb and chicken.
2 Boil until tender.
3 Cook rice until fluffy.
4 Fry nuts until brown and mix with rice.
5 Hard boil eggs and peel.
6 Stuff cooked chickens with hard boiled eggs and rice.
7 Stuff the cooked lamb with stuffed chickens.
8 Add more rice.
9 Stuff the camel with the stuffed lamb and add rest of rice.
10 Broil over large charcoal pit until brown.
11 Spread any remaining rice on large tray and place camel on top of rice.
12 Decorate with boiled eggs and nuts.
13 Serves a friendly crowd of 80-100.