SPEEDY GATIA - THE WORLD'S MOST PASSIONATE COCKFIGHTER

THUNDERBIRD FLIES TO MACAU

UNAHCOooohhh...fight fight...fight fight fight : Thunderbird, Sarimanok, Pigrolac and Univet warriors reaping the 'fruits of their labor' during a well deserved incentive holiday to Hong Kong and Macau.

“Bugbugan sa Del Monte” Derby Set on March 5

“Bugbugan sa Del Monte” Derby Set on March 5

Joey Sy and Allan Vicencio teams up on March 5 for one of the biggest and most prestigious cocking events ever to be staged at the Del Monte Cockpit in Malabon City.

Dubbed as the “Bugbugan sa Del Monte” 5-Cock Derby, the one-day spectacle is exclusively sponsored by Thunderbird Ganador Max – for maximum fighting ability.

A cash prize of P500,000 is up for grabs with the entry fee and minimum both pegged at P11,000.

With several of the who’s who in Philippine cockfighting already confirming their participation, great match-ups are expected that can truly make the event live up to its title “bugbugan”.

Some of the awaited face-offs are those of Engr. Sonny Lagon vs. Jun Topacio; Osang dela Cruz vs. Benjie Lim; American Norman Rockwell vs. RJ Mea; James Campbell & Noel Jarin vs. Bobby Del Rosario of Mangzee Farm; Boy Gamilla vs. RGBA Breeder of the Year Pros Antonio; Tony Mabasa of Aklan vs. Bong Gazmen of Bicol.

Proceeds of this derby will go to the construction of three classrooms in Bgy. Cabugao, Bato, Catanduanes – a project of the Rotary Club of Metro Valenzuela.

Those interested to join, especially Rotraian cockers may call Joey Sy at 0917-3271584

Palenque : Mexican Cockfight

Peoples Tonight c/o Ed Andaya
CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Palenque : Mexican Cockfight

This article was sent to me by my American friend Russel Snow who did an extended research on the history of cockfighting for a book that he published in 2003.

Cockfighting in Mexico has a history as old as the country itself. From the time of the conquistadors until the present, the sport of raising and fighting cocks has always been a popular diversion with much of the populace.

Gamefowl were brought to Mexico by the Spanish who colonized the country. The first official record of cockfighting in Mexico occurred on February 11, 1713 and comes from a friar by the name of Jose Gil Rodriguez.

It seems that the governor of New Spain (Mexico) received a letter from the King of Spain, ordering himto hold a fiesta to celebrate the birth of the new
prince, Felipe Pedro Gabriel.

Friar Rodriguez writes, that on the second day of the fiesta, in addition to bullfights, “fights between ‘birds of the sun’ [gamecocks] were also enjoyed”.

From that time on cockfighting has been an integral part of the
Mexican fiesta.

The word palenque (pronounced pal-eng-kay) is an Indian word taken from the ruins of an ancient Mayan city and ball court, found in the jungles of Chiapas, in southern Mexico.

The word has since been adapted to refer to anywhere cockfights take place, be it an indoor cockpit or outdoors in an open area. Palenques vary from small derbies held on ranches and in courtyards to elaborate outdoor arenas featuring Mariachi bands and singers performing in between fights. Some of the most famous singers in Mexico regularly play at palenques.

Regardless of size, almost all palenques take place during a feria or fair. In Mexico, every city, town and village holds an annual fair.

These fairs are held to celebrate Patron Saints, to commemorate an important harvest such as mangos or coffee or simply as a yearly tradition. At all of these occasions, in addition to abundant food, music,
dancing and rides, there are invariably cockfights.
This, by the way, is only time cockfighting is legal in Mexico: during a feria. If roosters are fought at other times and the law finds out, you can be jailed and have your birds confiscated.

This does not happen very often, however. Throughout the year, there are ferias in almost every part of the country, drawing gallant galleros eager to compete against one another with their beloved fighting roosters.

The term gallero (pronounced guy-yeah-rro) is the Spanish word for gamecocker. In Mexico, and indeed in almost all Spanish-speaking countries,
when you call yourself as a gallero, everyone knows exactly what you are referring to. It is a term that is equal to caballero (horseman, gentleman) or torero (bullfighter).

In this country if you say mention are a gamecocker, most people would have no idea what you are talking about. To elaborate and say you raise and fight gamefowl, chances are you would encounter ridicule or possibly
even open hostility. It is quite different south of the border.

Cockfighting is considered a well-respected sport throughout most of Latin-America, and to be associated with it is considered honorable.

I have made many friends and acquaintances both in Mexico,Puerto Rico, and other Hispanic countries, because of my interest in roosters. I have traveled to places most Americans never get to see, simply following the
crow of the gamecock.

The way a palenque is conducted is indicative of the leisurely way Mexicans tend to enjoy their pastimes in general. For the Mexican people,
the entire ritual of the palenque, much as it is in a bullfight, is as important as the battles themselves.

The ritual begins even before the derby begins. Fashionably late at most times, Mexican cockers will wait until the last possible minute before arriving at
the palenque.

Weighing-in involves an intricate parlay at the scales and often lasts longer than the fight. Cockers will argue over a bird’s weight as if they were haggling for fruit in the local marketplace. After the weigh-in, comes the task of tying on the weapon, most often the 1” knife. After which the proud soltedor (handler) parades the bird around the ring in his arms or on a short tie cord, excepting bets, greeting friends, and showing the crowd his contender.

MAGTIBAY JOINS THUNDERBIRD

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (February 13, 2010)

BGT CUP “ALL ABOUT CONDITIONG”

Seminars in Leyte & Samar

All cockers and breeders of Leyte and Samar, especially those who have not tried derby fighting yet, will get the chance to learn everything about conditioning of a fightingcock when three consecutive seminars are held in m key cities of the two provinces this month.

Said series of seminars will be held on a) February 20 – 8am to 12noon - Hotel Don Felife, Inaki A. Larrazabal Blvd., Ormoc City; b) February 21 8am – 12noon at the Ritz Tower de Leyte, Real St. Tacloban, Leyte; and on February 23 8am-12noon at the Socio Cultural Center, Northwest Samar State University (NWSSU) Calbayog City.

All who are interested to join are advised to text their name, address and preferred of seminar to Rey Bimbao at 0928-5500951. To enter the seminar, a participant must submit three (3) empty blister packs of Vetracin Gold Caps.

Thunderbird endorser Bernie Tacoy will lecture on all aspects of conditioning including harvesting of stags, cording and stag fighting.

Valuable prizes including Ormoc Gold gamefowls will be raffled to the participants.

MAGTIBAY JOINS

THUNDERBIRD WINNING TEAM

Reigning Bakbakan 10-Stag National Derby champion and newly-crowned 2010 World Slasher Cup solo champion Engr. Sonnie Magtibay recently made official his entry as one of the Thunderbird Winning Team stalwarts after a contract signing in his conditioning farm in San Pablo City witnessed by his wife and farm manager Precy (a professor at Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong), Thunderbird Product Manager Francis Martinez; Thunderbird Technical Department Manager Dr. Elcid Paraso; Thunderbird Consultant Rolando Luzong the RM Red Cobra Game Farm personnel.

Magtibay stated that it was an honor for him to be lined up with such cocking greats as Engr. Sonny Lagon, Dicky Lim, Boy Marzo, Jesry Palmares, Otec Geroso and the other members of the Thunderbird Winning Team. He added that it was not hard for him to make the decision to jump on board considering that he has been using Thunderbird products since he started into cockfighting, particularly Thunderbird Bexan XP.

ANGEL LANSANG’S WISDOM

A lot of cockers are unaware of these, so, may I give way to my idol, the late Angel Lansang who in the 60s came out with the book Cockfighting in the
Philippines. Here is one chapter of the book that is as timely now as when it was first written;

“ A cock’s code of conduct”

Cock’s are well-disciplined lot, observing good and right conduct in the following manner :

1.Barring accidents, they do not peck at each other’s eyes even if they keep on fighting the whole day. This is sportsmanship on the part of the cocks. What
about men?

2. A cock will never hit while the opponent is in the process of moving his bowels. Try to verify this fact

3. A cock will not relieve itself while being held in hand but the moment he is set down the ground he will do so at once. Good etiquette. After one or two hours
of traveling, put him down in the ground and in a minute he will move his bowels and flap his wings for the needed relief and rest.

4. At the sight of the morsel of food or any kind of insect, he will call for the opposite sex to share it with her. Noble breed and gallantry. Men do this, too.

5. Birds communicate to each other any impending trouble and danger by a loud cackle and this signal is relayed to all of their kind in far surrounding places, in a natural spirit of mutual cooperation.

6. All birds sleep early at sundown but get easily awaken by the slightest noise, movement or sight. They comply to a strict discipline; so don’t disturb your ace fighter at night when preparing for an important fight.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY AND HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR EVERYONE…beware of explosions and eruptions, both loud and inaudible that will be happening today.

“ALL ABOUT CONDITIONING"

BGT CUP

“ALL ABOUT CONDITIONING"

SEMINARS

LEYTE & SAMAR

• February 20 – 8am to 12 - Hotel Don Felife, Inaki A. Larrazabal Blvd., Ormoc City
• February 21 8am – 12 noon sa Ritz Tower de Leyte, Real St. Tacloban, Leyte
  

• February 23 8am-12 noon sa Socio Cultural Center, Northwest Samar State University (NWSSU) Calbayog City.

All who are interested to join are advised to text their name, address and preferred of seminar to Rey Bimbao at 0928-5500951.

To enter the seminar , a participant must submit three (3) empty blister packs of Vetracin Gold Caps.

Thunderbird endorser Bernie Tacoy will lecture on all aspects of conditioning including harvesting of stags, cording and stag fighting.

***Valuable prizes including Ormoc Gold gamefowls will be raffled to the participants.

THUNDERBIRD GROUP OFF TO HONG KONG & MACAU

BIG BROD PIG : Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company (UNAHCO), a young and dynamic team led by Mr. Ricardo C. Alba, President & COO, displayed the team's dominance in the industry, with Pigrolac's Brod Pig - the biggest pig in the world. Team UNAHCO, with the Thunderbird group, leaves for Hong Kong and Macau tomorrow for their hard-earned incentive trip.

STAPLER MATCHING GETS JOB DONE IN SAMAR

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (February 7, 2010)

STAPLER MATCHING GETS JOB DONE IN SAMAR

The style may be confusing to me who has seen it for the first time, but the derby matching process practiced in Samar, particularly at the Paranas Cockpit by matchmakers Ocar Garcia and Benie Alegro, is enough to get the job done.

The idea is, like in a 3-cock derby such as the one I witnessed hosted by Bernie Tacoy last Saturday - January 30, to list in cards the weights submitted by the participants. One card for each weight that should also bear the entry number ; entry name; entry owner; no-fight requests; amount of bets; fight schedule preference etc.

The matching board Oca, Benjie and Bernie

After all the entries have registered and all the roosters’ weights are entered, a wide pad of acetate, like the material used in construction plans, equally divided into rectangles with bold prints of particular weight brackets like 2010; 1980; 2400; 2500 etc. which is actually weight in kilos.

Each and every weight card is placed on their proper weight rectangles on the acetate. Then, the grouped weight cards are retrieved set by set and are spread out on the table. Each card will then be found his match from among the rest of the cards.

When two weight cards are found to be the best match, the two weight cards are then stapled together. The process goes on until all the weight cards are matched.

Matched and stapled

This will be followed by the sequencing process, wherein they will go through the all the matched-weight cards and one by one assigned a fight number to it.

The birds were matched, the fights were scheduled and the derby was staged.

However, the glitz I mentioned before the matching even began happened. There was a moment when there were only two weight cards for one of the entries, so a card was missing. They had to count and look and go through each card again.

There was a moment during sequencing that the number of fights were one less that they should be.

There was also an incident when one of the participants, upon reaching the pit and weighing his birds in the official scale, found out that his personal scale is 15 grams over than the official scale, so he requested that the weights he submitted should be changed to 15 grams lower. It had to be done, so the cards had to be shuffled and reshuffled again.

According to Botoy (llamador) he brought in the system from Bicol when he attended a derby at Legazpi, Albay once.

I personally would like to than the cockers of Samar for the very warm welcome and accommodation. Mabuhay po kayo.

Candelaria Derby Champion

Guimaras Breeder Wins 2010

Candelaria Derby, Solo

Famous for its internationally-craved mangoes, Guimaras Island is set to be known for another thing – fine fightingcocks, brought about by the solo conquest of the entry Bests of Jaguar of the 2010 Annual Candelaria 7-Cock International Derby held from January 28 to February 2 at the Iloilo Coliseum in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Bests of Jaguar ( a name given by the financer Laña Brothers) drew his first fight against F. Ramirez & Al Buyco’s Pete Baclig Tribute, then went on to win the next six matches for a total unmatched score of 6.5 points to outclass 164 other entries.

Coming in with 3.5 points in the finals, the champion entry disposed of LDS Sambag (Ronald Gallenero & M. Aguisanda); Ragamak (Noel Hingpit & Capt. Espinosa) and AMY Red Baron of Freddie Yulo.

The birds are owned and bred by the Dela Peña brothers (Freddie, Donald, Jun and Zeus who just passed the Nursing Board Exam), although Jun was quick to say that it’s actually Donald who is the breeder.

A trusting user of Thunderbird Platinum and Thunderbird Bexan XP over the past ten years, the Dela Peña Brothers are known for their regular entry name ALGUIM which is short for Bgy. Alagisoc, Guimaras where they were born and raised.

The champion’s handler is the brother’s cousin Agustin Flores, while their gaffer is Jerson Laña.

Best of Jaguar fielded 4 white-legged fighters which are three-way crosses composed of Kelso, Sweater & Roundhead; 2 Blue-Faced McLean Hatches and a old-feathered rooster which they call Golden Bird.

The Dela Peña’s have been breeding gamebirds for 25 years and as far as ten years ago have planned out their conquest of the Candelaria for which they succeeded on their first try.

BOY MARZO IS SAN JUAN INTERNATIONAL DERBY CHAMPION

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (February 3, 2010)

HEP HEP HURRAY FOR BOY MARZO

Thunderbird is on a roll…after the solo conquest of Thunderbird Bexan XP die-hard Engr. Sonny Magtibay of the 2010 World Slasher Cup 8-Cock International Derby, it was Thunderbird’s top endorser Boy Marzo’s turn to take the limelight by scoring 8 wins out of 8 matches to win the solo victory of the 2010 San Juan Coliseum 8-Cock International Derby last Monday evening.

I interviewed Boy over the phone and he told me that his son-in-law Ricki Reyes should receive part of the credits because before the championship they sat down to map out their plan. Accordin to Boy, he had 4 Sweater-Gilmore aces lined up for the finals, but he was not happy with the two of tem because their grades were just 9.5 and not 10 points as Marzo would prefer. Ricki, for his part, has 6 aces that all have grades of 10 points, so he offered wto of his fighters to his biyenan. They were a multi-winner Grey of an anknown line and a Double-Right broodcock from Bruce Barnett. Those two birds were Marzo’s last two birds in the finals and both won in spectacular manner.

The win gives BM Blulalayaw its second internation derby title, the first of which was a World Slasher Cup victory in 2005.

Two other entries settled for runner-up honors with 7.5 points.

REPORTS FROM CANDELARIA

I am writing this column on Tuesday, February 2, in an internet shop at Molo, Iloilo City, as the finals of the 165-entry 2010 Annual Candelaria 7-Cock International Derby is going on with only 4 entries undefeated with 4 points apiece.

Another Thunderbird Winning Team member Jesry Palmares of Passi City with a 3-1 win-loss record is fighting for a possible grand slam for Thunderbird.

Candelaria has really gained momentum since it was made an international derby about six years ago. There were a lot of foreign participants and guests and the crowd is obviously bigger than in the World Slasher.

I also would like to mention the consistency of the Antique breeder like Fornier, Encarnacion and Salazar who have practically dominated Panay Island in 2009.

VERY UN-FILIPINO

I had the chance to have lunch with two American cocker-breeders who joined the Slasher and were guests at the Candelaria and I can not believe what they told me about a Filipino who invited them to have breakfast at a hotel. The Filipino left first and when the Americans stood up and was preparing to leave, the waitress gave them the bill. They told the waitress that they were just invited and their host will take care of the chit, however they were told that the Filipino gave instructions that he will not pay for the American’s food and that they should pay for their food.

Said cocker ho invited them is a not-so-liked person who throws his weight around like he’s the king of the world.

He is know to be a very shrewd derby promoter who fixes the matching to benefit himself.

Yes, he is a Filipino, but maybe a Filipino pig, a shame to the Filipino race and our culture of hospitability. Go back to your sty and eat your hogfood.

WARAY-WARAY

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (January 30, 2010)

WARAY-WARAY

I am writing this article in an internet shop somewhere in Ormoc City and I am currently wrestling with sleepiness so I can finish this article and be able to email it to my editor just before we hit the road again for a 4-hour trip to Catbalogan, Samar where another derby is set today, January 30, hosted by my good friend Bernie Tacoy (www.ormocgold.com) – breeder of the Ormoc Gold and one of Thunderbird’s latest addition to its fleet of endorsers who are respected cockfighters in their own rights.

Who won’t get sleepy like me after having treated myself to a bowl of PACDOL – the local bulalo and a plate of BALBACUA – an asado-like dish that is perked up with sweat-inducing siling labuyo. Doro’s Carenderia, where I ate also serves PINAWIKAN & PACLAY, which are, like PACDOL & BALBACUA are diifferent ways of cooking carabao (kabaw) meat. Also avalivale is CALDERITAS which is goat meat cooked in sauce and also the SINAJE which is pork intestine made brown and crispy.

It’s probably my seventh-time to set foot in Ormoc and it is slowly becoming a second home for me.

Last Wednesday, Bernie hosted a 3-cock derby in Buraen Amusement Center in the Buraen, Leyte – which is apparently the biggest producer of copra in the whole province and in the middle of my conversation with the good vice mayor, I have suggested a Burauen Copra Festival just like the Lansones Festival in Camiguin. In Buraen is where I saw the biggest number of parked motorcycles in my whole life. There’s thousand of them, all owned by the derby fans.

The January 27^th Buraen fight was a day to cherished. We were already at the pit and enjoying the fights when some of the foreign participants to the just-concluded 2010 World Slasher Cup arrived and the first one to notice me who immediately gave me a big hug was Mexican-American Speedy Gonzales - a six-footer former athlete who acquired the name Speedy because he was a fast runner and football player years ago. With him were Brad Padgeth of Oregon, Bob Ray from Vallejo, California, Clive Amos from England and Australian Glenn Nonnemacher. Despite coming from different countries they are bounded by their deep love and passion for sabong.

I had them acknowledged and introduced to the crowd by the Pit Manager, after which, Speedy gave a response on behalf of his colleagues. He said, in broken English and Tagalog “Maraming salamat pow. You must know how lucky you are, because you can sabong anytime and anywhere without fear of being arrested by the police. I would like to let you know that we are now treated like criminals in our country because we allowed the animal rights activist like the PETA to sow intrigue and misinformation about sabong. Do not allow that to happen in the Pilipinas, fight them. Also, see to it that you elect people who are sabungeros or is a supporter of sabong. Also, teach your children about sabong. Give the young boys roosters so that they will know how to take care of them and so that they will not believe the bad things that the animal rights activists are saying about sabong.” This was greeted with a thunderous applause by the crowd.

A Project for the Backyard Breeder in Waray Country

My main reason for coming to Wary country was to implement a project that I and Bernie have of for the backyard-breeders of Waray land. The said project is called BGT Cup (Backyard-Breeders Gamefowl Testing – Competitiveness Upgrade Program) and is aimed to provie comprehensive training and a springboard competition for backyard breeders of the provinces of Samar & Leyte, in preparation to competing in the big leagues such as Bakbakan, Heritage Cup or Rambulan.

The program is for backyard gamefowl breeders of Leyte & Samar, particularly new breeders who have not tried competing in a derby. They should not be a member of any association affiliated with the National Federation of Gamefowl Breeders or the United Gamecock Breeders Association.. Thru seminars, flyers or DVD, backyard breeders will be educated and trained in the basics of stag derby fighting which will include stag selection, preconditioning, conditioning, pointing and the process by which a stag derby is done (submission, matching, sequencing etc).

A wingbanding of cockerels in Leyte & Samar will be implemented on the month of March. To qualify for wingbanding, a backyard breeder should have attended a Derby Orientation & Opposition Readiness Seminar (DOORS)

The two (2) BGT-CUP derbies will be: a) a 3-Stag Derby on the 3^rd week of August and a 4-Stag Derby on the 4^th week of August.

The 3-Stag Derby will require an entry fee of P2,200 plus empty packs of Thunderbird Power Feeds & Thunderbird Power Vet. All participants will receive free gift packs from Thunderbird. Winners can win as much as P100,000 cash prize plus trophy and jacket for the champion. Minimum bet P2,200.

All participants who will compete in both events will automatically receive a free quality young brood pullet from BGT Game Farm.

All who will participate in both events will be qualified for the BGT-CUP Breeder of the Year in their locality (Ex. – BGT-CUP Leyte-Samar Breeder of the Year) based on the total points scored in the two derbies. The local Breeder of the Year will receive a special trophy and a BGT CUP Breeder of the Year jacket and P30,000-worth of Thunderbird Power Feeds & Thunderbird Power Vet products plus a young quality Ormoc Gold trio (1 broodcock & 2 broodhens) from Bernie G. Tacoy of BGT Game Farm.

After the derby tomorrow, I’ll be flying to Iloilo for the Candelaria where my good friend Yuac Estrella is fighting.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my god friend and adopted brother Sonny Lagon on his 40^th birthday (he stopped counting at 40) on February 2. Mabuhay ka Pareng Sonny.