Jay
01-26-2005, 05:44 PM
Gamecock boxing plan proposed
By John Greiner
The Oklahoman
Dueling roosters donning gloves and electronic sensors would box without bloodshed under a Henryetta senator's plan to save Oklahoma's gamefowl industry and bring more dollars to the state.
"Who's going to object to chickens fighting like humans do? Everybody wins," said Sen. Frank Shurden, a longtime defender of gamefowl breeders' right to have cockfighting.
The Henryetta Democrat introduced Senate Bill 776 for consideration this session. The measure highlights his latest plan to help the gamefowl industry, which he says is a $100 million industry that is being destroyed by a cockfighting ban approved by Oklahomans in 2002.
He called gamefowl breeders and asked whether they would accept a proposal to take the "blood" out of cockfighting.
They agreed, Shurden said.
Removing the blood from the sport takes away the main argument animal rights groups have against cockfighting, Shurden said.
"Let the roosters do what they love to do without getting injured," Shurden said.
In his search for a new way to let gamecocks fight, Shurden learned about a California man who is an attorney for Gamecock Boxing Inc., which was formed to promote a nonlethal form of cockfighting.
"The company has a patent now pending on this game and the equipment designed to score the 'hits' of these sparring live gamefowl," Californian John R. Cogorno wrote in a letter to Shurden.
Shurden said electronic sensors can record the number of hits by each gamefowl to determine which rooster won the boxing match.
Gamecocks would wear sparring muffs, which are padded gloves placed over their natural spurs.
"To me it answers everything. It saves the industry, takes blood sport out and generates revenue for Oklahoma," Shurden said.
Janet Halliburton, an attorney who led the initiative petition drive to ban cockfighting, said, "What this is going to do is make a platform for him to continually try to amend the existing ban. They don't want electronic cockfighting any more than anybody else does, or they'd be doing it."
Shurden said he's not trying to amend the existing cockfighting ban, something he tried the past few years without success.
Shurden's legislation would create the Oklahoma Pari-mutuel Gamecock Boxing Act.
The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, which has jurisdiction over pari-mutuel horse racing, would have jurisdiction over this gamecock boxing.
Shurden believes it could be incorporated into horse racing, providing the boxing between horse races.
Some of the money earned from wagers on gamecock boxing matches would go to the state.
"I guarantee it would work," Shurden said of the nonlethal fighting of roosters.
Halliburton said she doesn't believe he can legally make this part of pari-mutuel horse racing.
James Tally, president of the Oklahoma Gamefowl Breeders Association that fought the cockfighting ban, said Shurden's proposal is a boxing type deal, a nonblood sport situation.
"I figure if people are allowed to do it, I think chickens are allowed to. It's a way for the state to be able to make money in that direction."
Debbie Schauf, executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, said she hadn't formed an opinion on whether gamefowl boxing should be allowed at horse racetracks.
She does have sympathy for gamefowl breeders, though.
"If they can figure out a humane way to practice their sport, that's what this world is made of ... people who think outside the box," Schauf said.
Joe Lucas, president of the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma, said he doesn't know what to think about the Shurden proposal.
Although a defender of the right of Oklahomans to have cockfighting, Shurden never went to a cockfight.
"I'd probably go visit one of these if it became law," he said of his proposed bloodless gamefowl boxing matches.
By John Greiner
The Oklahoman
Dueling roosters donning gloves and electronic sensors would box without bloodshed under a Henryetta senator's plan to save Oklahoma's gamefowl industry and bring more dollars to the state.
"Who's going to object to chickens fighting like humans do? Everybody wins," said Sen. Frank Shurden, a longtime defender of gamefowl breeders' right to have cockfighting.
The Henryetta Democrat introduced Senate Bill 776 for consideration this session. The measure highlights his latest plan to help the gamefowl industry, which he says is a $100 million industry that is being destroyed by a cockfighting ban approved by Oklahomans in 2002.
He called gamefowl breeders and asked whether they would accept a proposal to take the "blood" out of cockfighting.
They agreed, Shurden said.
Removing the blood from the sport takes away the main argument animal rights groups have against cockfighting, Shurden said.
"Let the roosters do what they love to do without getting injured," Shurden said.
In his search for a new way to let gamecocks fight, Shurden learned about a California man who is an attorney for Gamecock Boxing Inc., which was formed to promote a nonlethal form of cockfighting.
"The company has a patent now pending on this game and the equipment designed to score the 'hits' of these sparring live gamefowl," Californian John R. Cogorno wrote in a letter to Shurden.
Shurden said electronic sensors can record the number of hits by each gamefowl to determine which rooster won the boxing match.
Gamecocks would wear sparring muffs, which are padded gloves placed over their natural spurs.
"To me it answers everything. It saves the industry, takes blood sport out and generates revenue for Oklahoma," Shurden said.
Janet Halliburton, an attorney who led the initiative petition drive to ban cockfighting, said, "What this is going to do is make a platform for him to continually try to amend the existing ban. They don't want electronic cockfighting any more than anybody else does, or they'd be doing it."
Shurden said he's not trying to amend the existing cockfighting ban, something he tried the past few years without success.
Shurden's legislation would create the Oklahoma Pari-mutuel Gamecock Boxing Act.
The Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, which has jurisdiction over pari-mutuel horse racing, would have jurisdiction over this gamecock boxing.
Shurden believes it could be incorporated into horse racing, providing the boxing between horse races.
Some of the money earned from wagers on gamecock boxing matches would go to the state.
"I guarantee it would work," Shurden said of the nonlethal fighting of roosters.
Halliburton said she doesn't believe he can legally make this part of pari-mutuel horse racing.
James Tally, president of the Oklahoma Gamefowl Breeders Association that fought the cockfighting ban, said Shurden's proposal is a boxing type deal, a nonblood sport situation.
"I figure if people are allowed to do it, I think chickens are allowed to. It's a way for the state to be able to make money in that direction."
Debbie Schauf, executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, said she hadn't formed an opinion on whether gamefowl boxing should be allowed at horse racetracks.
She does have sympathy for gamefowl breeders, though.
"If they can figure out a humane way to practice their sport, that's what this world is made of ... people who think outside the box," Schauf said.
Joe Lucas, president of the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma, said he doesn't know what to think about the Shurden proposal.
Although a defender of the right of Oklahomans to have cockfighting, Shurden never went to a cockfight.
"I'd probably go visit one of these if it became law," he said of his proposed bloodless gamefowl boxing matches.