The losing gamecock lies defeated and bloody Spectators casually
mill around the sandy arena as the combatants are weighed and
armed. Bets are placed, and the chances of the individual
fighters are discussed and analyzed. The audience is mostly
male, but women and children can also be seen here and there,
eating and chatting as preparations for the contest continue.
Once the battle begins, all eyes will be on the two fighters and
their brutally ferocious battle, which will likely end in a
bloody death for the loser, and sometimes even for the victor as
well. Sharpened spurs attached to the rooster's legs can be two
inches in length Yet, this is no illicit back-alley betting
ring; cockfighting is a popular sport in Peru, and unlike in
many other countries, it is entirely legal. The bouts are held
in permanent arenas called “coliseo” and are well-attended by
people from all levels of society, who come to enjoy the
spectacle of gamecocks (as fighting birds are known) tearing
each other apart – while hopefully ma