_________________________________________________

COCKFIGHTS

A Cockfight in Lucknow, 1784-1786, by Johann Zoffany

A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters (cocks), held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories.

The combatants, referred to as gamecocks, are specially bred birds, conditioned for increased stamina and strength.

Cockfighting is considered a blood sport by animal welfare and animal rights activists and others, due in some part to the physical trauma the cocks inflict on each other. Advocates often list cultural and religious relevance as reasons for perpetuation of cockfighting as a sport.

A Cockfight

Two owners place their gamecock in the cockpit. The cocks fight until ultimately one of them dies or is critically injured.

Historically, this was in a cockpit, a term which was also used in the 16th century to mean a place of entertainment or frenzied activity. William Shakespeare used the term in Henry V to specifically mean the area around the stage of a theater. In Tudor times, the Palace of Westminster had a permanent cockpit, called the Cockpit-in-Court.

The sport was popular in ancient times in India, China,Persia, and other Eastern countries and was introduced into Greece in the time of Themistocles (c. 524–460 BC). For a long time the Romans despised this “Greek diversion,” but they ended up adopting it so enthusiastically that the agricultural writer Columella (1st century AD) complained that its devotees often spent their whole patrimony in betting at the side of the pit.

—

www.colonialzone-dr.com/pastimes-cock_fighting.html – Cached

Photo pf a cock with a cockspur

——————————————————————-

Bird kills man at cockfight | World news | The Guardian

• Associated Press
• guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 8 February 2011 08.55 GMT

————————————————————