COCK FIGHT SHAMBLES

Evening Star, Issue 20019, 9 November 1928, Page 3

COCK FIGHT SHAMBLES

STEEL-SPURRED “SPORT”

EYE-WITNESS LIFTS THE VEIL

Recently, messages- from Christchurch stated - that - cock T fighting was commonly followed -in that city, professional men ; being, among the patrons. Here, .from the ‘Sunday Chronicle ’ (London)..is, a plain, unvarnished tale of a “ cocking main ” imYorkshiro. i

The site of - the -main (writes the eyewitness) "a ■ grass-covered- bridge spanning a tiny stream in a pleasant glade, commanded- a, view of the countryside for. a quarter of a, mile round. The promoters and spectators were a, curiously aborted crowd—rscveral publicans. of'.tho old .school, , two; or three moneyed .Bradford wool, merchants—we were not; far Trom 'that bank manager, a journalist, and' a few others.. . FEATHERS CLIPPED. The ground wua.'clbafed'of‘the first of autumn’s leaves and'then camo the preparation of the combatants,; “ Old Ned ” ’and- “ Toni o’ Dick's'” handled the- birds..- ' ' ■' "•; •:A rare- character, old Med. He delves into bis’ bag and brings info the light of day a fine gamecock. He clips the neck', wing, and;tail; feathers to make -his bird fighting fit, and shakes'his head on noting that no blood appears at the tips of : the shorn quills. Bloodless quills mean that ,tlie moulting season is fobbing "the, birds of, vitality. On each; leg he ties with waveband a formidable steel spur, about an inch -id a-half long, and mounted on a leather pad. " ",

Tho handlers now take tho green, and the birds, held firmly, are faced with each other. At once there' is murder in, their, cold, grey eyes. CLASH OF STEEL SPURS.

. Down go tho birds, and instantly they are, across the green and at each other, rising some six inches in tho air to clash.

' There'is a .scuffle. The action, is too quick to follow, but in an instant- Ned’s bird is ' down—with a steel spur through its neck and protruding from tho other side. The pair are separated. 1 Ned massages his bird "with practised hands, and, opening’ its' beak, blows down its throat to help its wind. ON SAGGING LEGS.

They face each other again. Tom’s charge runs to- the fray, but the wounded bird approaches slowly on sagging legs and goes down oh,its side when’the clash comes. He gasps for breath, and his beak’ is red-rimmed. Tho novice feels that, all is over, but the old hands ridicule- the suggestion. He prises open the bird’s beak, sucks hard at it, and spite out the blood he has drawn .'into his mouth

Ned’s charge'cannot' advance into the centre of the green.' Tom, according to rule, counts forty,slowly. Still the wounded bird is unable to walk. Again, accdrding to rule, Ned sets him down in the centre, where he just manages toktand.' 1 ■ But-he is"game ; and full of. fight. There are vicious ’pecks ending in a 'scuffle on the’grourid. The combatants are- separated, and it, is' now' found that. Tom’s bird is wounded as well, in some vital place. : ; 'And .so.it goes on, Ned’s .bird does hot, find "his legs su-it'was', hoped that he would - ffo, apd each round ’ sees him fighting more slowly and feebly.: ; The-sounder bird, is not in -much better- casej ’ for he,- also has been stabbed;through>the; ; neck'during a desperate’ rally made,by ■•his opponent.

And now it-is over,’ for there has come a round wh,en. ..the . heart of Ned’s- bird is beaten’ by'its! body. It , tries convulsively ,to return peck for’ peck, ’but tlie effort,is too much, and, its head sinks to the ground.

The 'conqueror has not. the’strength to crow, and is picked up; Both birds are immediately killed.