The Ilonggo Cockfighting Arena Grandmaster

The Ilonggo Cockfighting Arena Grandmaster

(By DinggolAranetaDivinagracia–IlonggoNationMovement)

Prologue: “Kudos to my amigo Chito Tinsay, dubbed by many cockfighting aficionados as the Gentleman and the Grandmaster in the Jaro Cockpit arena and the living legend of “high-stake” Cockfight Derbies that proudly placed the City of Iloilo in the Philippines into the world Cockfighting limelight. Padayon ang sultada basta ara si Chito Tinsay, roared the crowd!” –dinggol.d~~~

Luis “Chito” Montinola Tinsay who belong to the landed gentry is the son of spouses Jose Tad-y Tinsay and Imelda Montinola-Tinsay, both of the old Iloilo rich families. His father Jose Tinsay is honored as the first Filipino Pilot to fly the commercial airplane; while his mother Imelda belong to the illustrious Ledesma and Montinola family that own vast landholdings and substantial prime real estate properties in the downtown area of Iloilo City.

Even during his younger days, Chito enjoyed watching and was already fascinated by two roosters fighting each other that he eventually became an early avid cockfighting aficionado himself. And the big boss at that!

Every February 2nd, the Jaro district fiesta in Iloilo City is celebrated since way back when --in homage to La Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles) – Patroness of Western Visayas Region 6 in the Philippines.

Aside from the religious and the spiritual aspects, and the social and cultural activities; the most sought-after week-long “Big-time” event is the spectacular Cockfight Derbies at the Iloilo Sportsmen Club Arena (Iloilo Coliseum) in Jaro, participated by the entries of the “Who is Who” in the local, the national, and even in the international Cockfighting industry.

Sometime in the past

Sportsmanship, a friendly sport competition by two (2) Cockpit jungles in the district of Jaro in Iloilo City, and that one of them unintentionally started a new marketing strategy that would become a new trend in derby promotions, an innovation in the Cockfighting world. The public introduction and a brief backgrounder of the invited V.I.P. and guests present and a short history of their prized high-breed entries. This would later be adopted by promoters of the current World Slasher Derby during international competitions.

Two memorable cockfight Derbies, then considered as the biggest convergence of “Pintakasi” aficionados and derby enthusiasts in cockfighting history in the country were both held in Jaro, Iloilo City at the same time. The old traditional Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Jaro Fiesta) International Derby held at the old Iloilo Cockpit (Iloilo Coliseum). And the World Slasher Cup Derby held at the newly built “Jaro Square Garden” along Jalandoni Street also in Jaro, Iloilo City.

(Photo of the young Amado “Amading” Araneta.)

The Jaro Square Garden built sometime in the early 1950s with air-conditioned private rooms for high end profile “Sabongeros” and their guests, was only about two (2) kilometers from Jaro Plaza where the action is during the Jaro Fiestas. It was owned and operated by Don J. Amado “Amading” Araneta and his son George “Nene” Araneta, who produced a new high-breed fighting cock and named it the “Araneta Thunderbirds”.

With two prestigious cockfight derby as venues to attend to, the promoter’s rivalry had made Candelaria hack fights even more interesting to local patrons, as well as famed Sportsmen from Luzon, Negros, and other Visayan Cities and provinces, and also from Mindanao as it resulted in more entries and many more spectators; yes! providential, indeed!

Later, however, the Araneta father and son tandem began to concentrate more on the operation of their new business venture, their family owned Araneta Coliseum and the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. Thus, the venue of the big-time cockfighting derbies that they promoted were all transferred from Jaro Square Garden in Iloilo City to the brand new world’s biggest dome coliseum, the Araneta Coliseum located at the district of Cubao, Quezon City in Metro Manila.

Epilogue: "Meanwhile, my amigo Chito Tinsay remained in Iloilo City as the old reliable Cocker, the Gentleman, and the Grandmaster of the Jaro Cockpit arena, and still continue creating his own legacy as the greatest Ilonggo cockfighting aficionado of them all! --DinggolSDname~~~

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The United Negros Cockers Association (UNCA) posing for posterity at the Don Carlos J.A. Montilla Memorial Stadium in Bacolod City, Negros Occ. -- (Circa 1970s) Photo (L-R) Front row: German Lacson, Alfredo Fred “Pidong” Montilla, Emmanuel ”Mamie”Lacson, Luis ”Chito” Montinola Tinsay, Lito Lacson, and Raffy Prieto. Back: Monet Belleza, Nene Abello, Susing Gonzaga, George Weller, Ted Driskell, George Zubiri, Hector Montilla Lacson, Noni M. Lovina, and Manolo M. Lovina.

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