Although cock fighting is outlawed in most countries, it goes on legally in the Philippines, and underground in others. The favoured cock is allotted the Meron corner while the other cock is given the Wala corner. The cocks are brought together in the center of the ring where they are allowed to infuriate each other. The noise starts to rise then as the betting gets underway with people placing their bets with the bookies. The noise crescendos until the fight starts with both cocks left facing each other behind their line at the center of the ring. The long, sharp blade attached to the left leg of the rooster is the weapon with which the rooster will defeat their adversary. A cock must also bite its opponent at least twice in order to win. When at least one rooster cannot or will not stand on its own, the referee picks up both cocks; and sets them in front of each other until it is determined that one cannot attack the other. The winner takes possession of his adversary's rooster and a share of the betting. The referee is rewarded with rolled up bills and coins thrown into the ring after the fight. The owners of the cocks spend a lot of time grooming and training their fighting stock. The roosters are fed vitamins and pills of unknown ingredients to bring them to fighting strength. A breeder will have a large yard filled with shelters made of two pieces of plywood in the shape of a teepee with a rooster staked to each shelter.
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