Bacolod
is very popular; not only because of their colorful festival and delicious
foods and sweet delicacies. The province is also known because this is the home
of some expert breeders and one of them is Lance Dela Torre of Red Foot Game Farm. He is very famous with his Boston Roundhead. Many cockers and
breeders considered him as their idol. He didn’t win in any prestigious derby,
but a lot of people are winning through his bloodline.
If you
think that Lance was already an expert breeder from the beginning; you’re
probably wrong. At first, he didn't know how to breed chicken. But since he was
a child, he was already exposed in cockfighting. He was influenced by his
grandfather who was a cocker. He only began joining in cockfights when he
finished high school. He bought a cock from his neighbor in a very affordable
price. Then, he competed in a cockpit, but during that time he doesn't had any
idea about chicken breeding.
Before
he becomes a breeder, he was working as a gaffer and he was very expert on it. He
firmly believed that the gaff has a great factor for a chicken to win in a
cockfight although bloodlines are also very important. For this is the weapon
of a chicken. In just one hit, you’re chicken could be win. Many people admired
because of his talent. He was hired by big time cockers like Felix Trebol,
Mayor Nonoy Jalandoni, etc. He also worked as a gaffer for Nene Abello for more than
5 years. Aside from this, he also worked with D.O. Plaza. He considered D.O. as
his mentor; he earned a lot of things to this prominent breeder. He was taught
by his mentor how to breed chicken.
Then, he discovered that he has also talent in breeding.
Despite
of the popularity of Lance in breeding, he didn’t forget his first job. If there’s a chance, he
is teaching a gaffing lesson in a seminar. Before he became a full time breeder,
he served as a police for nine years. In a personal note, Lance has three
children, two boys and one girl and they are taking courses Law and Medicine.
No one of them is following the footsteps of their dad. But it doesn't bother
him; the most important is he is giving a good life for his family because of
cockfighting. He is considering this as a pure business, no gambling involved.
Lance
doesn't know how when he would resign from breeding. As long as his body has
energy, he will still continue what he is doing. But even if he retires, he has
already left a mark in Philippine cockfighting history. He has nothing to prove
anymore, he will always be remembered as an expert breeder who sold a lot of
chickens. His Boston Roundhead has already a household name for many breeders;
not only in the Philippines, but also in the other part of the world.
