LA GALLERA  :  LAS CIENEGAS, SANTIAGO                                                             NOVEMBER 2008 
(THE COCK PIT)                                                                                               

The monthly cockfights held at the Gallera Julio are an integral part of Las Cienegas sporting calendar, a rural community on the outskirts of Santiago.  In the Dominican Republic breeders pride themselves on their ability to produce contest-ready game, fed with specially prepared meals and vitamins and groomed in preparation for what could be very lucrative fights. 

As bookies gather in the last betting slips, the stalls surrounding the cock pit of Gallera Julio erupt with the start of each contest.  Each fight can last up to 15 minutes but often ends sooner with the death of the weaker bird. Short pauses between fights allow the bookies to square up and the breeders to prepare their birds for the next heavily anticipated match.

To outsiders the popularity of cockfighting can seem barbaric and cruel but those on the inside accentuate the theatre and beauty that accompanies the lucrative blood sport. Regardless of your viewpoint the popularity of cock fighting within some strata of Dominican society is undisputable.