Page 58 - Cockfighting: an Introduction

ISSUE : Issue 55

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/8/1

roosters. He took one look at it: "Oh yeah," he said. He's my doctor, anjrway. "Fighting roosters. What are you doing with fighting roosters?" He sure knows a lot about it. About 3 years, 4 years ago, and a bunch of us--I took 3 or 4 young fellows from here with me. We had my old green wagon. I had 4 roosters, going over to a fight. Sunday night. And didn't the damn Mounties stop us on the (highway). So, there's two Moun? ties. So there's one guy, you know, he said, "What have you got in those boxes there?" "Oh," I said, "that's roosters." "Where you going with the roosters?" I said, "I'm selling them." I opened a crate and he looked at them, yeah, saw them. And they started to walk away. And I guess he got tell? ing the other fel? low. The other fel? low stopped and he came right back Tour the world of fine cuisine at George's • Intimate licensed dining room • Home cooked Greek, Italian, Canadian, and Mexican food • Delivery 4 pm • Mon.-Sat. 11 am Sun. 4 pm • Major credit cards 536 George St., Sydney, (across from Centre 200) Take-out & delivery call 539-8066 PEMBROKE CONSTRUCTION LIMITED GENERAL CONTRACTING Serving Cape Breton's Commercial & Industrial Needs For Over '0 Years Registered Member of NEW HOME WARRANTYS • New Construction • Renovations • Additions • Roofing • Residential • Design & Build Commercially Free Estimates ~ Do It No'w! 849-5587 • 539-2530 again. "Mind if I have a look at them?" So I opened one up. He reached in the box and he picked this one out. You know, good, safe, all ready to fight, all primed up. "Yeah," he said, "boys having a little fight tonight, are they?" I said, "What are you talking about?" He said, "I can see by the look of your birds. Those are nice-looking birds you got there. Don't need to fool me," he said. "I know all about those fellows." He said, "You wouldn't have the spurs on you, by any chance?" I said, "No, no." "Well, that's all right," he said. But see, that's what's illegal. They can come up here. I can pull two roosters out of the pen and drop them, and defy them to stop me. Let them fight. And defy the Moun? tie to stop them. They're my birds, they're my property. You can't stop them from fighting on my property. What's illegal is putting a spur on them. Because they fight with steel spurs. And that's what's ille? gal: putting the steel spur on them. (I see. And did they put them on the roosters?) Oh, yeah. You cut his natural spurs with about half an inch long. And these steel spurs, they fit right over. You just put tape on till it fits tight. Then tape it all, and wrap it, and tie it. And they have the steel spur instead of the natural spur. (And how long is the steel spur?) They run from--well, it de? pends on where you're fighting. In Cali? fornia they fight what they call nickle gaffs--they're 3/4-of-an-inch to an inch. Most of the spurs in Cape Breton, they run from an inch-and-3/4 to 3 inches. I always use two-and-a-half. (Two-and-a-half inch. Do you sharpen them?) Oh yeah, every now and again, you polish them. But they're highly-polished steel; they're very, very sharp. But the fellow I bought them off of-- that's what he told me. Fellow in Missou? ri. You know, I told him, "I could breed these birds for 10 years, and not know which gaff they fight best with." He said, "Yeah, I know that. You put a 2 1/2-inch gaff on them," he said. And he was right. Because, the first one I ever lost, I used another fellow's gaff--2-inch gaff--I fig? ured the bird was light. I lost him. If I'd have had his 2 1/2 inches on, I'd have won. Now the guy in California, his birds fought better with a 2-inch gaff. And he was right, too. ' Oceon 'ntalsUd. Contractors Equipment Compressors Welders Drills, Saws Call: Lawn & Garden Equipment Tillers Sod Cutters Air Eators GLACE BAY General Engine Hoists Jacks Tow Bars 849-1616 South (Campbells Comer) - P. O. Box 265 & Much More...

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