What Is Sabong? (Sabong Arena)
Genre
Online Sabong
Keywords
Sabong
Article ID
00000647
Sabong is a Philippine word that refers to cockfighting. The sport involves pitting two cocks against each other in a bid to see which one is superior. The sport is always bloody, and sometimes individuals wrap weapons on the cocks’ legs to make it exciting. Some people refer to it as a fight to the finish since the match only stops when a cock dies. People gather in arenas to spectate and cheer on as the cocks tear each other apart. In the Philippines, sabong is the best pastime sport and the only activity enjoyed by the rich and the poor.
A Brief History - The Philippines
The history of cockfighting in the Philippines has been ongoing long before they gained their independence in 1898. The activity proceeded from generation to generation. Its ancient beginnings saw people start betting during cockfighting events long before Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the region. Some people even speculate that the sport has been around for thousands of years now.
Being a tradition, the Filipino government has never thought of illegalizing the sport. Instead, it collects revenue from cockfighting events, and betting then uses it for community outreach. So far, there are thousands of cockfighting arenas spanning all across the Philippines. The only challenge the government is facing is the cropping up of illegal cockfighting events. With that said, the sport continues to grow significantly, with its market size increasing every day.
Key Individuals
Just like any other sport, Sabong has officials who control the game in the arena. There is the sentensyador or koyme who often acts as the referee. His or her task is to make sure the game proceeds as expected. Before the cocks start fighting, he is the one who is going to pit them against each other. He decides when the match begins and when it ends. He also declares the winner of the match after the vanquishing of the opponent. There is also the kristo who is the person that takes the bets.
These kristos are experts in the game with expertise on how to take bets. They mostly use sign language to communicate with each other about the bets. Each finger sign means a certain amount of pesos. There are also the owners of the cocks and fans who play a crucial role in making the sport entertaining. The task of all the key figures in the game is to make sure the match proceeds remarkably smoothly.
Best Breeds for Fighting
It is important to note that not every rooster can manage a fight. The action requires a strong chicken with a killing instinct. That is why Filipinos use unique roosters, which can easily take on the competitor. For instance, the best breed for fighting includes the American game, the old English game, Gai Noi, and Shamo chickens. These breeds are famous for their strength, speed, and fighting abilities. They are also hard to defeat, and that makes them special. Since every owner is going to get the best breed, the only way to survive the breed is through training.
Fight Day Superstitions
Cock owners are always keen to make sure they adhere to certain rules during the fight day. That is because of the many superstitions that float around. For instance, when driving the rooster to the match, the cock owner should not back the vehicle. Instead, he or she should only move forward. Backing up often means the rooster is going to lose the match.
Other fighters believe that dropping the knife while tying it on the cock often results in a loss. To block it, the individual has to drop the knife and pick it up again. Other people tend to leave the rest stall open when heading to a fight so that their roosters can come back home unscratched. Among the famous superstitions is to avoid fighting a rooster if there is a problem at home. That is because the rooster is going to transfer the bad vibe to the arena and lose.
Differences between Sabong and Tupada or Tigbakay
There is a clear distinction between Sabong and Tupada. Sabong is the legal cockfighting event that takes place in legal arenas. Before the fight, the hosting parties have to obtain the cockfighting license. Tubada or Tigbakay, on the other hand, is an illegal cockfighting event. It usually takes place in rural areas where there are plenty of unlawful arenas. These events never pay fighting taxes nor do they have a permit from the local authorities. People who organize the matches only take their chances by hoping that officers don’t show up.
Source: bestonlinecasino.com.ph
