The Kelso gamefowl fighting rooster is one of the most popular and common rooster breeds used in the sport of cockfighting. They are a bird species that is highly effective in swooping down from above and swooping down from below to attack their prey.
This type of rooster is known for its superior intelligence and fierceness in battle.
When it comes to looks alone, they are massive and breathtaking. Due to its impressive track record, the Kelso gamefowl breed of fighting roosters is highly sought after by cockfighting enthusiasts.
Like Sweater, Lemon, Hatch, and Roundhead, Kelso would be a top name in cockfighting if there were such a thing as a leading brand.
Despite the fact that other cockfighting avian breeders have independently developed their own unique bloodlines, all of them share the exceptional characteristics that made Kelso a legendary fighting cock variety, to begin with.
In this article, we’ll examine the Kelso gamefowl’s origins, its development and evolution into the modern day, its distinctive features, and most notably, its combative methodology.
The Kelso gamefowl was produced by Oleander Gamefarm owner and American breeder Walter A. Kelso. Kelso became a household name in cockfighting thanks to his successful line of gamecocks.
Walter Kelso and the Kelso gamefowl.
Walter Kelso operated a game farm in Galveston, Texas called Oleander Farm long before his Kelso gamefowl became popular. When breeder John Madigin passed away in 1942, Walter and fellow breeder Bill Japhet acquired his whole herd.
The Claret, Madigin Gray, and Texas Ranger were all signature breeds for Madigin.
Walter Kelso, having inherited the purebred materials from Madigin, quickly began crossing them with roosters he purchased from other breeders and injecting them with new blood into the Madigin hens.
Not long after purchasing the purebred materials from Madigin, Walter Kelso began crossing Madigin hens with roosters he had bought from other breeders. He attempted and failed often until he finally achieved the desired effect with the crosses.
It didn’t take long for him to attain the result he wanted, despite several setbacks caused by earlier crosses yielding inferior progeny.
Kelso’s years of breeding paid off in 1951 when his Oleandar team won the derby at Hot Springs, Arkansas, with a record of 10-2. In the deciding bout, one of the Out-and-Out roosters won a brief struggle and then went on to win again.
During his second triumph, the cock broke the tip of one of his wings. The progeny of this rooster proved to be a brood cock, winning the Oaklawn Derby by a margin of ten to two.
Oleander Gamefarm’s longest winning run thus far is four games, which they accomplished in 1955, 1956, and 1957 before losing four in a row. Subsequently, Kelso sold all of his game birds but the one with the broken wing.
There were tales that a famous cocker paid $500, a substantial amount at the time, to get this particular bird.
The Journey of the Kelso Gamefowl Breed to the Philippines
Since Walter Kelso stopped competing in cockfights in the late 1950s, it’s clear that he wasn’t the one who brought the gamefowl to the Philippines.
American gamefowl exporters at the period included men like Bobby Joe Manziel Sr. and Johnnie Jumper, as well as Filipinos who had visited the United States and brought Kelso fighting cocks back with them to the Philippines.
Attributes of the Kelso Way of Fighting
When it comes to intelligent battlecocks, Kelso ranks first. Kelso is known as ground pugilists due to their refusal to jump and face opponents in the air, where they have little advantage.
They’re the only roosters in the world who sidestep before attacking, and it’s a signature technique for the Kelso gamefowls.
Kelso tops the list of the most intelligent fighting roosters. Because of their strength on the ground, Kelso grapplers seldom take the fight to their opponents in the air.
When attacking, a Kelso will always take an evasive stride to the side before launching into the attack.
The Johnnie Jumper and Out & out Kelsos are two more famous breeds for their ability to use a variety of underhanded ground strategies.
It has been said that purebred Kelso gamefowls can’t keep up with the speed and agility required to compete in modern games, but as Kelso breeders work to incorporate new bloodlines into the breed, the resulting hybrids are becoming more dangerous while still retaining the distinctive appearance and aggressive demeanor of the purebred variety.
The Kelso Gamefowl Bloodline in the Philippines
Most reviewers and experts agree that Biboy Enriquez’s Firebird Gamefarm produces the highest quality Kelso gamefowl offspring in the Philippines.
According to one source, Enriquez is known as “The Kelso Man of the Philippines.” Some Kelso breeders keep working to improve the breed by crossing Kelso with other varieties including the Hatch, Sweater, Roundhead, and Lemon.
White Kelso gamefowl is currently very fashionable, therefore many breeders are trying their hands at creating it.
Single unbanded Kelso gamefowls may be purchased for P7,000, while a breeding triple can set you back up to P55,000. The Firebird price list is available on the company’s Facebook page.
While you can find cheaper options from different breeders, you should always conduct your research to ensure the quality of the Kelso gamefowl you’re getting.