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Cockfight
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cock
Fight by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1847)
Training
for a cockfight in Hell-Bourg on Réunion Island
A cockfight is a blood
sport between two specially trained roosters held in a ring called a cockpit.
The combatants, known as gamecocks
or cocks, are not typical farm roosters. The cocks are specially bred
and conditioned for increased stamina and strength. The comb and wattle are
removed from a young gamecock because, if left intact, the tissue might
encounter health issues, such as frostbite or parasites. Cocks possess inherent
aggression toward all males of the same species; thus, cocks do not require
fight training. Often wagers are made on the outcome of the match, and the
winner is determined by various rules: not all fights are to the death. Cockfighting
can be considered a traditional sporting event or an example of animal cruelty.
In some regional
variations, the birds are equipped with either gaffs or knives tied to the leg
in the area where the bird's natural spur has been partially removed. A cockspur
is a bracelet (often made of leather) with a curved, sharp spike which is
attached to the leg of the bird. The spikes typically range in length from
"short spurs" of just over an inch to "long spurs" almost
two and a half inches long. In the highest levels of seventeenth century
English cockfighting, the spikes were made of silver. In the "naked
heel" variation, the bird's natural spurs are left intact and sharpened:
fighting is done without gaffs or taping. [1]
Nicaragua, Belgium, Colombia,
France, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Italy, Philippines, Peru, Puerto Rico, Canary
Islands and Guam have well-established arenas with seats or bleachers for
spectators surrounding the ring, similar to a wrestling or boxing arena. Fights
may be held all throughout the day, with people betting on which birds will
win. In many countries, the spectacle of cockfighting draws whole families, and
in some countries, cockfighting is as popular as baseball and football are in
the United States. Among the competitors who raise fighting cocks, there is
great pride in the prowess of their birds and in winning a championship. Cockfighting
was so popular at one time that in 1974 director Monte Hellman made a movie
called Cockfighter based on the novel of the same name by Charles
Willeford.
Legal
issues
Cockfight
in Otavalo, Ecuador
In many places, cockfights
and other animal fights have been outlawed based on opposition to gambling or
animal cruelty. It may also be illegal to possess, raise, train, advertise, or
trade cocks or accouterments that could be used for cockfighting. Also,
participating in a cockfight in any manner may be illegal: advertising,
transporting participants or spectators, placing wagers, hosting an event, etc.
It is common for law enforcement to impound property associated with any
cockfighting activity [1]. Despite the bans, cockfights
are long standing traditions which are a part of many nation's cultures across
the globe and, thus, cockfighting continues to be legal in some areas.
France
Holding cockfights is a
crime in France, but there is an exemption for cockfights and bullfights in
locales where an uninterrupted tradition exists for them. On Réunion Island
there are 5 officially authorized gallodromes (i.e. cockfighting
arenas).
Philippines
Cockfighting is the
national sport of the Philippines.[2] It is called "sabong" in their
language and is usually held during Sundays and holidays especially in the
provinces.
United
States
In the United States
cockfighting is illegal in Washington, D.C. and all states but New Mexico and Louisiana.
It is legal in the U.S. Insular areas of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.
Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have made cockfighting a felony
however, in most places, it is legal to possess roosters. It is illegal in 40
states and D.C. to be a spectator at cockfights. Animal welfare activists continue
to lobby for a ban on the sport.
Spurs taped
and tied onto cocks
Newport, Tennessee arrests
On June 11, 2005 a number
of law enforcement agents raided a cockfight in Newport, Tennessee [3]. Authorities
claim this was one of the largest cockfights in the United States. The agents
arrested 144 people, destroyed over 300 roosters, and confiscated $40,000 in
cash. One owner stated he lost 20 chickens valued at $150 each during the raid.
The 144 people arrested were booked on charges of being spectators at a
cockfight, a misdemeanor. In Tennessee, defendants found guilty of those
charges face up to eleven months and twenty-nine days in jail, plus fines up to
$2,500 [4].
South
East Asia
Cockfighting is legal in
Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.[5]
Cock
fight in India
Cock fight ( Kori katta in Tulu
) is favourite sport of people living in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts
of India.Here leg of cocks are tied with a sharp knife ( Bal in Tulu ) of three
or four inches in length. Then are allowed to fight till winner is decided or
any one of the cock is killed. People watch with intense interest surrounding
the cocks.This sometimes leads to fatal death of spectator, when cocks fly and
sharp knives kills the spectator. The sport has gradually become gambling
,where bets are laid on cocks.
Cockfighting
in Popular Culture
- The 1965 film The Cincinnati Kid
features a cockfighting scene.
- Seinfeld episode no. 145 The Little Jerry
revolves around a cockfight, with "Little Jerry" referring to a
rooster named after Jerry Seinfeld.
- The Alex Haley novel Roots: The Saga of
an American Family and the miniseries based on it feature cockfighting
and the character Chicken George.
- The 1980 film, Heaven's Gate,
starring Kris Kristofferson and Christopher Walken, features a full-length
scene of cockfighting.
- The 2006 videogame Scarface: The World is
Yours features cockfights the player can bet on.
The House episode Humpty
Dumpty (episode 25, third of season 2) features a cockfighting scene.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cockfight&action=history
The Cock
Fight by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1847)
Training
for a cockfight in Hell-Bourg on Réunion Island
A cockfight is a blood
sport between two specially trained roosters held in a ring called a cockpit.
The combatants, known as gamecocks
or cocks, are not typical farm roosters. The cocks are specially bred
and conditioned for increased stamina and strength. The comb and wattle are
removed from a young gamecock because, if left intact, the tissue might
encounter health issues, such as frostbite or parasites. Cocks possess inherent
aggression toward all males of the same species; thus, cocks do not require
fight training. Often wagers are made on the outcome of the match, and the
winner is determined by various rules: not all fights are to the death. Cockfighting
can be considered a traditional sporting event or an example of animal cruelty.
In some regional
variations, the birds are equipped with either gaffs or knives tied to the leg
in the area where the bird's natural spur has been partially removed. A cockspur
is a bracelet (often made of leather) with a curved, sharp spike which is
attached to the leg of the bird. The spikes typically range in length from
"short spurs" of just over an inch to "long spurs" almost
two and a half inches long. In the highest levels of seventeenth century
English cockfighting, the spikes were made of silver. In the "naked
heel" variation, the bird's natural spurs are left intact and sharpened:
fighting is done without gaffs or taping. [1]
Nicaragua, Belgium, Colombia,
France, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Italy, Philippines, Peru, Puerto Rico, Canary
Islands and Guam have well-established arenas with seats or bleachers for
spectators surrounding the ring, similar to a wrestling or boxing arena. Fights
may be held all throughout the day, with people betting on which birds will
win. In many countries, the spectacle of cockfighting draws whole families, and
in some countries, cockfighting is as popular as baseball and football are in
the United States. Among the competitors who raise fighting cocks, there is
great pride in the prowess of their birds and in winning a championship. Cockfighting
was so popular at one time that in 1974 director Monte Hellman made a movie
called Cockfighter based on the novel of the same name by Charles
Willeford.
Legal
issues
Cockfight
in Otavalo, Ecuador
In many places, cockfights
and other animal fights have been outlawed based on opposition to gambling or
animal cruelty. It may also be illegal to possess, raise, train, advertise, or
trade cocks or accouterments that could be used for cockfighting. Also,
participating in a cockfight in any manner may be illegal: advertising,
transporting participants or spectators, placing wagers, hosting an event, etc.
It is common for law enforcement to impound property associated with any
cockfighting activity [1]. Despite the bans, cockfights
are long standing traditions which are a part of many nation's cultures across
the globe and, thus, cockfighting continues to be legal in some areas.
France
Holding cockfights is a
crime in France, but there is an exemption for cockfights and bullfights in
locales where an uninterrupted tradition exists for them. On Réunion Island
there are 5 officially authorized gallodromes (i.e. cockfighting
arenas).
Philippines
Cockfighting is the
national sport of the Philippines.[2] It is called "sabong" in their
language and is usually held during Sundays and holidays especially in the
provinces.
United
States
In the United States
cockfighting is illegal in Washington, D.C. and all states but New Mexico and Louisiana.
It is legal in the U.S. Insular areas of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.
Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have made cockfighting a felony
however, in most places, it is legal to possess roosters. It is illegal in 40
states and D.C. to be a spectator at cockfights. Animal welfare activists continue
to lobby for a ban on the sport.
Spurs taped
and tied onto cocks
Newport, Tennessee arrests
On June 11, 2005 a number
of law enforcement agents raided a cockfight in Newport, Tennessee [3]. Authorities
claim this was one of the largest cockfights in the United States. The agents
arrested 144 people, destroyed over 300 roosters, and confiscated $40,000 in
cash. One owner stated he lost 20 chickens valued at $150 each during the raid.
The 144 people arrested were booked on charges of being spectators at a
cockfight, a misdemeanor. In Tennessee, defendants found guilty of those
charges face up to eleven months and twenty-nine days in jail, plus fines up to
$2,500 [4].
South
East Asia
Cockfighting is legal in
Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.[5]
Cock
fight in India
Cock fight ( Kori katta in Tulu
) is favourite sport of people living in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts
of India.Here leg of cocks are tied with a sharp knife ( Bal in Tulu ) of three
or four inches in length. Then are allowed to fight till winner is decided or
any one of the cock is killed. People watch with intense interest surrounding
the cocks.This sometimes leads to fatal death of spectator, when cocks fly and
sharp knives kills the spectator. The sport has gradually become gambling
,where bets are laid on cocks.
Cockfighting
in Popular Culture
- The 1965 film The Cincinnati Kid
features a cockfighting scene.
- Seinfeld episode no. 145 The Little Jerry
revolves around a cockfight, with "Little Jerry" referring to a
rooster named after Jerry Seinfeld.
- The Alex Haley novel Roots: The Saga of
an American Family and the miniseries based on it feature cockfighting
and the character Chicken George.
- The 1980 film, Heaven's Gate,
starring Kris Kristofferson and Christopher Walken, features a full-length
scene of cockfighting.
- The 2006 videogame Scarface: The World is
Yours features cockfights the player can bet on.
The House episode Humpty
Dumpty (episode 25, third of season 2) features a cockfighting scene.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cockfight&action=history