Starters ready for iconic Alice Springs Camel Cup at Blatherskite Park

THE Uluru Camel Cup has stolen focus from the original Alice Springs event, say industry stalwarts.

Stuart Wells Camel Farmer Neil Waters on his homestead 80 km's from Alice Springs, on past Camel Cup winner 'Curly' who was rescued from the meat works a few years back by Neil's wife Jayne. Neil and his wife Jayne Waters from Camels Australia continue to donate camels for the annual race in Alice Springs.

THE Uluru Camel Cup has stolen focus from the original Alice Springs event, say industry stalwarts.

Nearly 50 years since the first Alice Springs Camel Cup took place, the iconic annual event is returning to Blatherskite Park on Saturday.

While it is still set to shine as a stellar day out, some of the wider attention it had previously garnered as a one-of-a-kind extravaganza has been snatched by the relatively new and similar event at Uluru.

Stuarts Well camel farmer Neil Waters, who will be bringing some of his camels in for Saturday’s races, said “a lot of the attention has gone to the Rock”.

“I don’t understand why the tourist mob are promoting them, to take it away from Alice Springs,” Mr Waters said.

“They do it for their own personal benefits, not for charity or anything like that.”

Founder of the original Camel Cup Noel Fullerton has echoed the sentiments.

“It’s a bit of a slap in the face to Alice Springs,” Mr Fullerton said.

“Now they want to put the Camel Cup out at Ayers Rock, where they make money and they kind of sell it to the corporate people.”

The first race of the Alice Springs event will jump at noon.

Full Camel Cup feature in Friday’s Centralian Advocate.