Investigating Animal Cruelty 51 strict training schedule and is fed special foods and vitamins designed to achieve optimal physical condition and enhanced fighting ability. Gamecocks are trained and conditioned for fighting through such activities as running, flirting, flying, leg pulls and sparring. • Running involves a trainer placing the rooster on a level surface such as a padded bench. The trainer pushes the rooster from behind with one hand, forcing him to run about the distance of his arm span. The purpose of this exercise is to build endurance. • In flirting, the bird is held with one hand under the breast and is tossed approximately two feet into the air over a bench. He is caught with the other hand and tossed back and forth between both hands in a rhythm that keeps the bird continuously flapping his wings. Forward flirts are accomplished by holding the bird with both hands and tossing him in the air with a forward flipping motion. When cocks are released in a fight, they will charge each other and frequently meet in mid-air. This exercise strengthens the wings for the downward motion and is believed to create a sense of controlled balance in the gamecock. • To fly a cock is to hold one bird approximately five feet off the ground facing away from another cock held on the ground. The bird on the ground is then released to fly toward the bird held in the air. Just as the birds are about to come into contact, the first bird is raised higher so that the flying bird misses. The process is repeated several times. • A leg pull is another term for resistance pulling. The rooster is held by the tail feathers and belly and moved within reach of a padded counter-type surface. The rooster reaches to grab the counter while the trainer holds onto the tail feathers to create resistance. The purpose of this exercise is to build endurance in the leg muscles. • Sparring matches are conducted to determine a gamecock’s fighting style and to indicate how a rooster is progressing in his training. To prevent serious injury, sparring muffs (like miniature boxing gloves) are placed over the rooster’s natural spurs. Sparring matches are considered an essential part of a complete training program for the fighting cock. Hand sparring is a variation in how fighting cocks are sparred and can involve the trainer holding a cull cock or an effigy as a moving target. Vitamins, drugs and veterinary supplies used in cockfighting In addition to regimens that build up a bird’s strength and endurance, cockers employ other measures to give their birds a winning edge. Many cockers give their roosters injections of digitalis (heart stimulant), vitamin K (to increase blood clotting), the male hormone testosterone or their own mixture, often called a secret formula, as part of their keep. While the exact program and duration of individual keeps varies, virtually all keeps call for sparring matches at prescribed intervals. This list shows commonly used items but is in no way complete. Specialized cases The results of each cockfight during a derby are often recorded on a scoreboard
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