A national passion the cockfight moves crowds in this Caribbean country.

The Dominican Republic is a country where soccer is not given importance. I lived for several years in the eastern half of the island of Hi

The breeders take their roosters to fight in these cockpits where large amounts of money are wagered verbally, without any tickets. In some fights the roosters are equipped with artificial plastic, fish bone or steel spurs that allow the birds to hurt their opponent more easily than with their natural spurs, it is a certain category, that is, both roosters must fight equally. of conditions. Until 1996, spurs made with hawksbill shells were used, but they were prohibited to protect a species of sea turtle that, like all of them, is in danger of extinction.

Those who are dedicated to the issue of caring for roosters or training them are called traberos and lock the place where they train. They dedicate. I lived for several years in the eastern half of the island of Hi

The other great passion that this Caribbean town has is the cockfight, which takes place in special clubs known as Galleras. A legal entertainment, which is regulated by each municipality. Although from time to time hundreds of abnormal concessions are granted throughout the country that generate disorder and arouse complaints from the Dominican Association of Gallic Clubs, because many times they lead to bankruptcy entrepreneurs dedicated to the pastime of pick and spurs. An unusual reality for cultures that do not share this custom, but being Latin American we can understand that some municipalities take the power to grant permits to accommodate political or other commitments.

The breeders take their roosters to fight in these cockpits where large amounts of money are wagered verbally, without any tickets. In some fights the roosters are equipped with artificial plastic, fish bone or steel spurs that allow the birds to hurt their opponent more easily than with their natural spurs, it is a certain category, that is, both roosters must fight equally. of conditions. Until 1996, spurs made with hawksbill shells were used, but they were prohibited to protect a species of sea turtle that, like all of them, is in danger of extinction.

Those who are dedicated to the issue of caring for roosters or training them are called traberos and lock the place where they train. They pay a lot of attention to them and invest a lot of money in the health of each rooster. In my neighborhood, in the port of Samaná, there were several breeders who cared for these birds better than their children, even the children also took responsibility and pride in the family investment. The Riñas are organized for Sunday afternoons although there are also schedules during the week. The roosters are scored in strict order of arrival at the club, weighed and matched, the owner and color are recorded. Some of the rules of the tens that the statute has establish that the fights are arranged in the following order: with equal weight, with a difference of one ounce (approx. 30 g), with a difference of two ounces.

In the case of one-eyed roosters, they look for a partner among themselves, if not possible, they match with roosters with two eyes, but two ounces of difference in favor, without preference in the order of agreement, nor preference in the turn of the fight that lasts 20 minutes . The rooster that does not fight for a minute will lose the fight. Here I leave you a site with the official regulations of several countries.

Needless to say, it is a man's thing, women do not participate in a place like this, fired by blood and dazzled by the shine of spurs. Also like fine roosters, the Dominicans in these situations, strut and show their lineage and more if they are with a little extra glass. So much so that my story in this picturesque and folk tale, where I captured these images, came to an end when one of the gamblers took out a knife to make himself understand with another character that he was playing the cock, I felt it was time to go out, the thing got hairy.