Fighting Cocks At Sosua Beach

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Among the multitude at Sosua Beach today were 2 fighting cocks. You can tell that both of these proud, handsome birds have fought at least once by the cropped natural spur. The spur is cropped before a fight to make a Fighting Cock At Sosua Beach.jpgPortrait Of A Fighting Cock.jpg base for the steel or resin spur that is attached to the legs of the cocks. Also, one has had his comb trimmed.
 

Givadogahome

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Sep 27, 2011
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Cock fighting, Dog fighting, massively common here, more so than anywhere else I've travelled to. I can handle a cock fight but I still get sickened when I see them setting dogs to fight.
 

malko

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Jan 12, 2013
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Every village has its gallero. Every sunday they open for fights and betting. Been once to check it out, not my cup of tea.
 

pauleast

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Jan 29, 2012
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In Santiago its a great place to make business and politico connections. I think more so than a baseball game.
 

drescape24

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Nov 2, 2011
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Cock fighting, dog fighting, Siamese fighting fish, is horrible and isn't going away anytime soon. This is the things I dislike the most about the d.r. I would rather see two men battle it out than forse animals to do the deed. Hell that's how we can turn Puarta Plata economy around; build a coliseum and let the games begin!
 

NY2DR

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Nov 21, 2009
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I've gone to two cock fights one was in Charamicos, the first one was in Gasper Hernandez. But what was more interesting than the cock fight in Gasper Hernandez was they actually had a set up in the back for some of the chicken that lost or died-where a kid would hang it by it's feet, cut its throat & bleed it out then dip it in a hot water bucket & strip the feathers then sent it to the next guy. By the time he was done (which seemed like 10 seconds) it looked like it could be sold in Playero. I guess I went to a special cock fight that day because they were giving out trophies for most earned & best chicken ect. They had so many speeches & applauds that I thought I was at the Dominican Grammys *joke* It was kinda brutal but definitely something I wanted to experience from the culture
 

Ken

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Every village has its gallero. Every sunday they open for fights and betting. Been once to check it out, not my cup of tea.

It is "gallera". Sunday is not universal. In the Sosua area, Cangrejo is Sunday but Charamicos is Friday or Saturday.
 

Ken

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I'm working on a collection of cockfight photos. I'll post a link when it is ready.Rather Flee Than Fight.jpg
 
May 29, 2006
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One of my friends has been studying the history of the domestication of chickens. If the breed is raised for meat, it descended originally for cock fighting. Egg laying chickens came from bamboo forests, where egg laying in large amounts is part of the ecology.

And yes, it's cruel and wrong and blah blah blah, but ever see how chickens are raised for food nowadays? These guys are treated like princes while they grow up and when they go into the ring, and then in theory, they have an equal chance of winning with a chance of going on to being a breeding chicken. If given a choice of being a game cock or a production line chicken, it's a no-brainer. Less than a dollar is spent on bringing a meat chicken to production weight in the US. A game cock is a serious investment and is often raised by professional trainers on a special diet.

Condemn all you want if you are a vegan, but if you eat production chicken or eggs, have a nice steaming cup of STFU and a side of chicken nuggets.
 

bermyboy

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Dec 13, 2007
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Have to agree with Peter chickens are of more value in this country than dogs !! My neighbour and my wifes brother are into cock fighting and they treat their fighting cocks like kings they make money off them and make money of the babies from the cocks that win and have lots of fights.Here is the thing if they die you can eat the at least the chicken had a better life than the chicken where your chicken breasts come from. Big business here I think my neighbour told me Frank Reyes paid something like 65 thousand US for a champion fighting cock.
 
May 29, 2006
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I've been to the cock fights once, which was enough. Quite an industry going on. You've got some kid with the hot glue attaching the plastic spurs on, the weighing station, a physical, and a lot of haggling about payouts to the chicken owners, then there's a bar and prob hookers out back somewhere. 400 guys watching and making bets, a cute girl selling raffle tickets, a security guard, a ring announcer, and a line of moto concho drivers taking people back and forth to the site. Who knows how much a typical operation makes in a day and generates in secondary businesses. Saw a couple times on TV and then it's surprisingly boring. It's the shouting and the musty smell of adrenaline that makes it really exciting.

My favorite part of the fight was when they were introducing and showing off the cocks right before the fight and spitting on them to get them mad. I'd say 80% of the fights were won by pecking on the back of the other's neck. The spurs were used more for defense. I could never tell one chicken from another unless they were different breeds.
 

Givadogahome

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Sep 27, 2011
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I've gone to two cock fights one was in Charamicos, the first one was in Gasper Hernandez. But what was more interesting than the cock fight in Gasper Hernandez was they actually had a set up in the back for some of the chicken that lost or died-where a kid would hang it by it's feet, cut its throat & bleed it out then dip it in a hot water bucket & strip the feathers then sent it to the next guy. By the time he was done (which seemed like 10 seconds) it looked like it could be sold in Playero. I guess I went to a special cock fight that day because they were giving out trophies for most earned & best chicken ect. They had so many speeches & applauds that I thought I was at the Dominican Grammys *joke* It was kinda brutal but definitely something I wanted to experience from the culture

It is unusual to send a defeated cock to the table (unless it is some DR cultural thing), especially if the competition is held in a professional environment. Most that make it to the big stage are fed a diet that toughens up the muscle (making the meat very very dry) and many are fed a cocktail of drugs to enhance performance, which I wouldn't like to eat myself, I'd hate to wake up one morning with feathers sprouting out my arse. Most cock fighting here is held either just at random in the street or in someone's yard, or even house, as are the dog fights.
i agree these people who tell all there is not much pain involved for a beast fighting to the death are a little stupid, if it has nerve endings then there is pain involved. No excuse as far a dog fighting goes, it is just awful. But cock fighting gives many a better quality of life, the one in ten million lucky one can briefly (even though briefly can be many times longer than the average lifespan of his cousins) live like a king, and probably wouldn't have it any other way given the option.

People who slam cock fighting and then sit down to a Sunday roast (unless eating only free range or wild) need to stop what they are doing, sit down alone and have a quiet word with themselves.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Cock fighting, dog fighting, Siamese fighting fish, is horrible and isn't going away anytime soon. This is the things I dislike the most about the d.r. I would rather see two men battle it out than forse animals to do the deed. Hell that's how we can turn Puarta Plata economy around; build a coliseum and let the games begin!


the only thing that can turn the POP economy around is a robust injection of foreign exchange, and people like Americans are not going to be attending cockfights in droves. that is a society that loves its animals, and treats them well. you do time for mistreating animals in the USA. just ask Michael Vick. in the DR, kids throw rocks at dogs, and consider it fun. not so in North America.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I asked somebody at the cockfights whether a bird that lies down and waits out the 1 minute until the fight is stopped will ever fight again. He said the owner shoots him full of antibiotics and when he is recovered from his wounds put him with some hens. After a couple of weeks with the hens, he will be ready to fight again.
 
Dec 26, 2011
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No excuse as far a dog fighting goes, it is just awful. But cock fighting gives many a better quality of life

I respectfully submit that your relationship with dogs has skewed your logic on this, giva. One's as bad as the other. As far as the hypocrisy you point out in the case of those that criticize such sports while taking nourishment from meat, it is a point worthy of consideration. I see the distinction between slaughtering animals for food and watching them destroy one another for our entertainment as an important one, but your point has some validity.
 

Givadogahome

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Sep 27, 2011
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I respect your misjudgment of my comments on animal blood sports, you have it wrong.
It is not my judgment that fighting cocks have a much better lifestyle than their less talented cousins, it is a fact. No where in my post did I mention the moral aspect of it, which we all know it the real issue.
Gladiators could be slaves and live in hovel, but occasionally a talented one would be given a more decent life in exchange for his talents, eventually being retired to a life on bonking beautiful woman, and sipping the best wine on his own farm. Same thing. But the flip side is they could meet a pretty nasty end, but the gamble is worth it for most.
Jees, never seen Russel Crowe in action? Great documentary:ninja:
 
May 29, 2006
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I asked somebody at the cockfights whether a bird that lies down and waits out the 1 minute until the fight is stopped will ever fight again. He said the owner shoots him full of antibiotics and when he is recovered from his wounds put him with some hens. After a couple of weeks with the hens, he will be ready to fight again.

I knew a cock-fighter and he said he takes them outside and stomps on their necks..