It's too because the last remaining cockfight teacher in the U.S. is closing his school. Personally, I was surprised that there even was a cockfighting school. But, alas, I found out too late. 82-year-old cockfighting master Mike Ratliff is retiring. But, he claims that while the school may be going away, the sport is alive and well - despite laws against it in 47 states and complaints from the ASPCA.
"The whole world likes it. All of the South Pacific likes it. It's been a sport since the beginning of time. The Humane Society has pretty much knocked it in the head in the United States but they can't stop it in Mexico, Central America, the South Pacific and Hawaii. It's the national sport in those countries. You aren't going to get rid of it in the United States as long as you have Mexicans and other Latin Americans. They love it.And, yes, he does mean competitive. A good cockfighter (the trainer, not the bird) can earn $10-20,000 in a single night. But, damn, who'll teach me how now?
"The whole world wants me to teach them. I've had the pleasure of teaching every nationality in the world. I'm the only man in the history of competitive cockfighting who's ever taught a class. For 40 years I tried to find someone else to teach classes. It's so competitive that nobody else will share their secrets."
(NOTE - Before you leave nasty comments, I'm kidding about wanting to be a cockfighter. It's cruel and disgusting. I just found the story interesting.)
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i cant believe you would call the sport of kings disgusting.some refer to it in this manor because they are ignorant when it comes to gamefowl.a chicken in the supermarket couldnt have ever competed.a fighting cock is just the way god made them.they do what they were made by the creater to do.if you cross the gamest rooster in the world to a regular bird they will never be game.the ones that fight are of pure blood.gaffs and knives are used to be more humane with natural spurs alot of the time the winner losses his eye or both and usually dies anyways.roosters arent trained to fight they are bred that way.saying they cant fight is like saying you cant live.your parents bred for you to live what is the difference.The secret the good cockers have is they breed the best to the best and start off with the best they can get.they better their lines by breeding winning roosters to a hen that is the direct sister to a good winner.also they use linebreeding techniques.it takes a strong minded intelligent person to survive in the sport.it not the knowledge you can learn in school. the sure fire breeding method is trial and error.every fight isnt bet on either alot of cockers test their fowl in pits prior to the main derbys.These fowl wont quit fighting nor will the cocker's(people who fight roosters)that definitions is for the weak minded.
ReplyDeleteI dont know if you are a believer in god or not but,If you are I know you wouldnt condemn anything God created.He made no mistakes.Anyone who doesnt beleive does not have their head in the right place anyways.
I know the true reason you denounce cockfighting, Ken. You're chicken.
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