BASIC STAG CONDITIONING

Animal Scene (November 2008)
KARAMBOLA by Rolando S. Luzong

Basic Stag Conditioning

We are currently in the thick of the 2008 stag season and this year’s P20M Bakbakan 10-Stag National Derby rages on with the championship set at the end of this month.

Cockfighters readily admit that it’s more challenging to condition stags (young roosters) for battle than the matured ones, because stags are generally unpredictable.

We have solicited the help of one of the country’s most celebrated gamefowl breeders and probably the most phenomenal stag fighter ever Sonny Lagon, who generously shared his stag conditioning secret.

Conditioning Guide and Basic Tips During Training
by Sonny Lagon (Blue Blade Farm)


1. Scratching

There are different materials used as scratch for light and heavy work outs. Banana leaves can be used for light scratching and corn husks for heavy scratching. Make sure that your fighting stags are hungry during scratching at the scratch box so you will get better results.

2. Light and Sound (Noise )

Make the fighting stags familiar with the lights by doing walking routine around the spar pit (rueda) and playing loud sounds on the radio to make them familiar with the noise during fight day or derby day.

3. Tailing ( kahig) and Breaking ( Salida)

Warm up your fighting stags by tailing (kahig) and walking, so that they will develop natural strength and improve their stamina by breaking ( salida). Hold tail of fighting stags and make them fly and hit each other by breaking on the air and down the ground. This helps develop their reflexes and good fighting skills.

4. Sparring (salpok)

Spar the fighting stags to roosters with different fighting styles and different colors like white , grey, black etc. in order for the fighting stag to be familiar with different color of feathers and for them to adopt versatile fighting styles. Sparring will help them learn and develop various fighting techniques and make them clever fighters.

5. Catch Cock

Using our own made catch cock ( made with jute sack, foam and used clothes ), we practice the stags to strike on air and on the ground before feeding in the morning and in the afternoon. By doing this, it will help your fighting stags develop endurance and stamina and they will learn to strike with their legs frontally, sideways and back as well as cutting across etc.

6. Rotation ( Tee-Pee , Flying Pen and Grass Pen)

Make your conditioning as natural as possible .

SCHEDULE :

6 : 00 a.m. :

- all fighting stags are on their respective tee-pees. we do the “catch cock” training at the tee-pee by using our self-made catch cock material (you may used asil rooster as alternative catch cock because they can withstand the pain despite repetitive hits.)


7: 00 a.m. :

We feed fighting stag using a balance diet of 50% conditioning pellets (Thunderbird Platinum) and 50% grains with some additional vitamins and iron.

10:00 a.m. :

We transfer the fighting stags in flying pens. This will help them build strength and power in their wings.

2:00 p.m. :

From flying pens, we transfer them again to grass pens. We seldom put pellets along with them inside the grass pens to make them more mature , grass pen will make them relax.

4:00 p.m. :

From grass pens we put them back to tee-pees and resume catch-cock routine.

5:00 p.m. :

Feeding time

9:00 p.m. :

We bring them one by one to the spar pit (rueda) for light & sound familiarization. By using a teaser rooster, we train them to be alert all the time. After a light workout by walking around the pit, do a “ kahig “ or do a “ salida “ and allow them two buckles while holding on to their tails. After this, wash their feet and faces and place them again at their teepees for them to have enough rest and be ready for the next morning work-out again.



Important Reminders :

• Make sure to deworm again your fighting stags (12) twelve days before the fight.
• Delouse at least (4) four days before the fight.
• Stop all vitamins (5) five days before the fight.