GFN will be publishing some real 'eye opener' newsletters in the very near future, as in one right after another. In this issue of GFN we had one point to make, read on...

Activists arm for battle with cockers.

By Luke Turf Article Published Sep 14, 2006

Cockfighting seminar

It's not the size of the cock in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the cock.

And it's not the strength of the cockfighting laws on the books. It's whether or not they're enforced.

So says Ron Simons, executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Alliance, who was at the Englewood office of the American Humane Association on September 8 to teach an animal-fighting seminar to about a dozen animal-control officers from around the state.

"Sometimes people come to these type of classes and want to know everything there is to know and be an A-number-one investigator. But I hope you see that you have a lot of work to do," Simons told his audience toward the end of a long day of animal-fighting PowerPoint presentations.

The discussion had focused primarily on dog fighting, but the last round centered on cockfighting.

By Sue Beaulieu, Staff Writer for GFN

Contributing Editor, On Wings -- March 1999

Before you dismiss this article, based on any pre-conceived opinions or ideas you may already have about this subject, please take the time to learn a little about the history of this sport and the passion of those who participate in it. The only thing most of us know about cockfighting is what the mainstream press has reported. Sad to say, all too often their data merely reflects the distorted views shared by the animal rights fanatics.

Cockfighting may very well have been the world's oldest spectator sport, dating back to Asia over 6,000 years ago. From there, it spread through India and into Europe. Ancient history books reveal that Alexander the Great would stage cock fights the night before a battle, to impress upon his soldiers the meaning of courage and valor. Cockfighting existed in Palestine long before St. Peter's time. It was prominent in Asia Minor during the times of Themistocles (528-462 BCE) The cockfight was a popular symbol in the early church, representing the eternal battle between good and evil.

In ancient times, winged gladiators fought in arenas, often to the death. Wagers were made on the combatants and honor was lost and won. The arenas where the matches took place were considered sacred ground. Through cockfighting, men participate in a ritual which links them to their mythic and heroic past. No longer able to engage in blood sport themselves, cockfighting has become their surrogate release in a stressful and chaotic world which tends to denigrate and psychologically castrate vigorous men.

Cockfighting was the national sport in England until 1850, when it was outlawed. The Old English Game rooster is probably the first breed of game fowl developed in Britain. Now the breed is maintained by fanciers. A few varieties of this one breed are the Black Breasted Red, Spangled, Black, Dun Breasted, Blue Dun and Brassy Back. The males are normally "single-combed," meaning that their comb and wattles are removed. Removing the comb and wattles makes the rooster less vulnerable to damage and also gives them a more fearsome look.

After English colonists introduced cockfighting to the New World, it traveled some more and eventually took root in Hispanic culture. Cockfighting legend holds that President Abraham Lincoln earned the nickname "Honest Abe" from his reputation as a fair and impartial judge of cockfights. George Washington and Andrew Jackson were also very active cockfighters. Both would routinely add their own chickens to the competition or referee the matches, also called derbies.

The Delaware Blue Hen Chicken, just one game fowl breed, was made famous by its fighting cocks. It seems that during the Revolutionary War, South Carolina soldiers nicknamed their comrades from Delaware "Blue Hen's Chickens" as a joke. However, after the Delawarean troops proved their bravery on the battlefield, it became a compliment. Later, Delaware's most influential newspaper was founded in the 1840's and proudly took the name, The Blue Hen's Chicken. In fact, the Blue Hen Chicken became a popular symbol in numerous political campaigns and publications in that part of the country. Rhode Island followed Delaware's example by immortalizing their own favorite fighting rooster, the Rhode Island Red.

Game cocks have come to symbolize bravery and resistance in the face of insurmountable odds -- traits that are often devalued in our oh so politically correct world. However, in the sport of cockfighting, these traits are respected and emulated. Pitted against an adversary in the arena, one cannot run away from opposition. Here, one must stand one's ground. A cock who "chickens out" is referred to as a "dunghill" rooster -- a common low-bred bird only good for the dinner table.

A great deal of time and care is given to raising a fighting cock. The bond between man and bird is strong. The lines become blurred between them as the man projects his male psyche onto the rooster, while simultaneously identifying with the primal nature of his winged fighter. The rooster's potential in the ring represents the qualities of the man who raised him. But do you think these macho men look upon their losing birds with disgust and anger? No. Often they leave the pit misty-eyed, cradling their limp, vanquished warriors.

This does not mean that cockfighters consider the birds friends or companions. The beautiful roosters embody the timeless concept that survival depends upon sacrifice. As such, the proud cock represents every man, whether spectator, breeder or trainer. Man and bird are both witness to and part of the eternal battle between life and death.

(However, there are exceptions. One avid cockfighter writes, "I had one cock that wasn't worth a doodley damn in the pit, but he was just so likable I kept him around for nine years until he just fell off the roost and died from old age.")

Cockfighting is a hobby which men can participate in outside of their day-to-day work. The real challenge is in breeding and obtaining birds of good blood lines. These game cocks are bred for optimum size, speed, power, disposition and intelligence. Fighting cocks are descendants of the red jungle fowl that are native to tropical Asia. As a testimony to the dedication and work of countless breeders, Clarets, Blues, Mugs, Roundheads, White Hackles, Butchers, Greys, Payton Democrats, Green Leg Republicans, Sid Taylors, Kelsos and Cuban Head Hunters and are just a few of the breeds offered for sale.

The roosters are beautifully marked and colored, often with iridescent feathers throughout their plumage. The magnificent tail feathers shimmer with blues, blacks, purples and greens. The neck and shoulders are often a vibrant coppery red or sunshine gold. Prices run the gamut from under $100 on up. A first-class, top of the bloodline fighting cock can cost thousands of dollars.

Mature game cocks must be isolated from each other or they will fight, often to the death. Fanciers must "tie the birds out." A ring is placed around the rooster's leg and a short leash is attached. If these birds are given the chance to fight with their natural spurs, they can leave their opponent bloody and torn to ribbons. To prevent serious injuries when they are not at derbies, breeders cut off the spurs. "Gloves" cover the clipped off spurs during training sessions. At the derby fights, cockfighters attach needle sharp gaffs or razor sharp knives to the birds' legs. By doing this, the fights are more humane because the inflictions are clean, quick and less bloody.

The cockfighting supply business is nationwide and offers all large variety of products for sale. There are cockfighters who have been a part of this avian-related culture since boyhood. Many times the tradition has been passed down from father to son for many generations. Those new to the sport are advised to give it up if financial gain is their only motivation.

Experienced breeders are interested only in the very best breeding stock and lineage. They do not rely on magic potions and drugs to boost their cocks' performance in the pit. In fact, they discourage these practices. Cockfighters are in tune to their roosters' natural cycles and know when it is a peak time for a fight. Natural food, the best nutritional supplements and regular health maintenance and vet checks are vital to a good "keep." As in all avicultural pursuits, the unethical, fly-by-nighters are soon ostracized and outcast.

Cockfighters are enraged by the activities of PeTA and other such animal rights groups, whom they view as kooks. Opposition comes from city folk and people who have never been exposed to cockfighting in any way except for what the animal rights groups have told them about it. A rooster that is raised to fight lives a longer and happier existence than does a chicken which is raised for slaughter. Gamecocks receive excellent care and are provided with fresh air, sunshine, water and food. A broiler chicken only lives for 42 days, is force fed and lives its short life in a building with little, if any, natural light. Prized birds are protected from neighbors' dogs, hungry owls, marauding hawks and other predatory varmints. Many game cocks live to 9 years of age or longer. The successful fighters are retired and they earn the privilege of fathering future bloodlines.

HSUS (Humane Society of the US) claims that gambling is the driving force behind cockfighting. In reality, gambling plays a very minor part in the drama that is cockfighting. At a typical derby, each participant enters up to six birds and pays an entry fee that will be divided among the winners. Casual betting often takes place among the spectators at pit side. At one time, cockfights were as common as Sunday picnics in the more rural parts of the southeastern United States. Although a few of the larger tournaments pay out as much as $20,000 in prize money, most cockfighters do not achieve financial profit for their hobby and sport. As mentioned earlier, the real competition is to breed birds of higher quality than other breeders.

Contrary to stereotypes, spectators are from every strata of society and every state in the union. Often they travel long distances to enter their fighters or just to watch the derbies. In the 1940's and 1950's, men only wore suits to chicken derbies. Now they wear the same things you see them in anywhere else. Jeans, khakis, baseball caps, sports jackets, Nikes and trendy sunglasses are seen just as much as cowboy hats or boots. Farmers and businessmen, doctors and politicians, cab drivers and bricklayers -- they all come to participate. Contrary to what you may think, it is not a poor man's sport made up of backwood hicks. What is the equalizing factor at the cockfights which brings men from such diverse social classes together? Is it some deep, primal force found in a man's spirit that responds to the drama of the challenge, the competition, the fight to the finish?

In recent years, women have become more active participants in this sport. Wives, mothers, sisters, daughters and girlfriends can also be seen in the audiences along with their children. There are lady cockfighters, too, and the men don't seem to mind at all. The competition takes on new undercurrents as the war between the sexes is fought out in the arena between the feathered ones.

After months or years of raising the best roosters possible, the handlers are ready for the pre-fight "keep." Time and dedication have been invested as well as money. Great care has been taken in order to raise champion fighters. Soon, these war birds will be matched against birds of similar stature and weight. They will be challenged to utilize their maximum potential. Will their brave, aggressive rooster pass the ultimate test and win the honor?

The cocks are often cradled in specially made cardboard valises and weighed, one by one. Each is matched with an opponent of comparable weight. Handlers stoically await their turn in the ring. They calm their high-strung fighters in preparation for the upcoming battles. Velvet-lined jewel boxes contain precision stainless steel knives. The handlers study them carefully and measure them with calipers before choosing a weapon. They enter the sacred arena and gird the gaff to the cock's own blunted spur. They must bind it in the perfect position for optimum effect, being careful not to slice themselves in the process.

The crowd is quiet and still as the fight begins. Both handlers step into the ring. The referee tells them to "bill up," whereby they stand shoulder to shoulder, as the roosters that are cradled in their arms, rub beaks. The hackle feathers on the cocks' necks begin to rise and the birds begin to reach and peck at each other. Sometimes in their excitement they peck and bite the handler instead. Then the referee yells "Pit!" and both men back up, releasing their roosters. The cocks leap at each other in a blur of flying feathers and flapping wings.

The roosters hit hard, break to the lights and slash away. The mid-air duels are exhilarating to watch. The gamey birds circle each other, sizing one another up. One attacks; one side steps. They face one another, heads bob, they flap and meet each other mid-air again, kicking for all they are worth . Sometimes the fights end quickly; sometimes they last longer. The handlers hover close by and watch their roosters closely. They may take 20 second timeouts to clean spurs or soothe their birds.

The roosters act on instinct as they dance around the ring like boxers. A fight may take several timed innings. The birds are separated, repositioned, resuscitated and encouraged to begin a new round. These gamey roosters are not stupid. Sometimes, one bird may surrender. Another time, maybe neither bird makes a move, as they stare at each other in silent impasse.

Not all fights end in death. The battle can continue until one bird is no longer "game," meaning it no longer attempts to fight. Then the referee must end the match. Contrary to belief, there is little blood and gore. Many times, the handlers are more likely to suffer slashes.

Yet the misconceptions and pre-conceived biases continue and are fueled by animal rights rhetoric. Cockfighting is about mankind's participation in something that happens between two roosters interacting in the way they would in nature. Both animals are willing participants. To demonstrate this point, why do we consider falconry the sport of kings and "noble" men? After all, the predatory falcon kills and devours unsuspecting birds. Yet, both types of aviculturists often devote lifetimes learning about their sport and how to provide optimum care for their birds. It is no secret that cockfighters have been stigmatized. They are branded as cruel, ignorant rednecks and have become a prime target of animal rights campaigns that want to ban and outlaw their sport.

Do you think animal rights fanatics worry about the fact that authorities euthanize birds which are seized in raids on cockfighting tournaments? Do you think they are concerned about what will happen to all the game cocks if their campaign to stamp out this sport is successful? No. Every breed of gamecock can all go extinct for all they care. By now, we should be aware that their "mission" is not really about protecting rights of animals, but rather about taking away the rights of humans.

The AR movement is based on faulty logic to say the least. First they say we are no different from other animals and have no divine or elevated nature that makes us distinct. Then they say that we are ethically bound not to use animals for our own selfish purposes. Do animals have ethics? No. Neither would we if we did not have a nature which was separate and distinct from all other life forms on earth.

What other life form on earth possesses self-consciousness? What other one can produce technology, communicate from one generation to the next via recorded language, create art for its own sake or base actions on abstract reasoning? We do possess a different nature than the other animals and because we do, other animals must not be granted an equal stature that nature has not given them.

Many followers of the "movement" think that humankind is no more divine than any other inanimate object. The trouble is that in order for them to raise up nature, they must lower humankind. Do they object when a volcano spews lava and burns trees? Or when a tornado wreaks deadly havoc? Or when people and crops are destroyed due to the devastation of floods? No. What they object to are human actions.

Yet, they think nothing of spiking trees, ruining fur coats, equating poultry farms with Auschwitz, telling us how we may use our private property, telling us we may not fight chickens or telling us that birds should not be kept in captivity. They hate humankind (especially people other than themselves.) Because they deny their superiority and the very potential of their own natures, they shrink from challenges which would require them to be creative or think for themselves.

This is why they promote government control over human life and seek to destroy our rights to private property. Could their idea of Utopia really be a mindless collectivism made up of drones like themselves? And if so, who would be their ruler? Remember, these are the subtle, but powerful forces which drive public policy, which control class room teaching and which fuel a media indoctrination program that bombards us daily. We are all victims, but as human beings, we have free will and choices. Does this sound a little radical? Then read on.

In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down an anti-cockfighting statute. In many areas of the nation, "Chick-PAC's" exist which are pro-cockfighting political committees. One speaker addressed a meeting of well-heeled cockers in a mid-western state in the early 1980's. He warned them that the threat of animal rights advocacy groups would be the death of cockfighting. They branded him as an alarmist.

However, his statement has proven prophetic. Only three states remain where cockfighting is legal: Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma. It was voted out in Missouri and Arizona last year. The sport has been driven underground and good citizens are discriminated against and outcast if they openly express their love for this sport. Most states have raised the penalties for involvement in cockfighting activities from a misdemeanor to a felony. A felony, mind you. Now there is legislation before the U.S. Congress which would make cockfighting a federal crime.

Currently, Oklahoma cockfighters are the target of a petition drive, spearheaded by CHIC, Citizens Halting Inhumane Cockfighting. Made up of volunteers, they will attempt to organize and obtain signatures for a November 2000 ballot initiative. The fight is on. Animal rights fanatics v. the cockfighters. Like the allegorical battles of antiquity, this will be fight to the finish.

As Brett Johnson, a former New Mexico state legislator told the press, "Tightening laws won't end the tradition. It is not going to stop. All it's going to do is make a bunch of law abiding citizens criminals." Unfortunately, he is right. Who among us will be next?

Editors note; Remember this was written in 1999. See how far the ARA's/ART's have come since then? You people need to get your 'poop in a group' or lose your rights as free people.

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