Cockfighting
in the Philippines was quite plain or simple during old times. Others believed
that the Spaniard brought it here in our country. But that was not true because
cockfighting was already a favorite past time of forefathers before they came.
What they had to do, they supported it and not condemned. Spaniard was already
familiar with this sport. I read that in other countries, even church was
sponsoring cockfighting to collect funds for charity. There’s a possibility
that the Malaysian were brought cockfighting in the Philippines.
According
to the stories of some veteran cockers and breeders, during their times they
were no hybrid chickens. They only were buying native chickens in the market
where it was put in a small bag. They don’t have any knowledge about chicken
bloodlines. They fed their chickens with corn, grain, rice, etc. There were no
feed companies during that time. The death mortality upon chickens was very
high because drugs for chickens were not already developed. So, the breeder has
a little knowledge of terms of medication.
But
when Filipino cockers began to buy imported chickens that was the time they
improved their breeding. There were also some American breeders who joined in a
cockfight and after that they gave their chickens to their Filipino friends. I
heard also that there were foreign breeders taught them how to breed chickens.
Then, they applied what they had learned and made some adjustment to be suited to our style and to the weather condition. Filipino breeders became familiar
with different bloodlines from the likes of Sweater, Kelso, hatch, etc. From
there up to now, there are many American breeders became a household name (dead
or alive) like Foster Kelso, Billy Rubbles, Johnnie Jumper, Mel Sims, Carol
NeSmith, etc. Why not? They named their chickens based on their names. What
Filipino breeders did, they made their own bloodline using imported chickens
then they claimed that they were the creator of that bloodline. Well, there’s
nothing wrong about that. But as a breeder you need to become famous first
before it will be accepted in the gamefowl industry.
During the last decades, only few names was outshines in the world of cockfighting. Only
those breeders who had an access to imported chickens. Many people don’t have knowledge
about breeding, conditioning, pointing, etc. because the source of information
was very limited. DVD’s, magazines, internet and television shows were not
already available during that time. Cockpits were not as much what you see
today where every municipality and far flung area has their own cockpit. But
the good thing during those early years, they could conduct cockfighting within
the vicinity of their farm; provided, they had a permit if they don’t want to
get raid by authorities.
Cockfighting
is very different nowadays. We knew that it has evolved and getting better and
better as the day goes by. Thanks for those people whose continuing supports our
beloved sport. Without them, maybe gamefowl industry is not like as what we have
today. Of course, you and I have also a contribution to this sport.
