The Sport of Bull Fighting   Story : Wiwat Pandawutiyanon Research : Akom Detthongkhom Photo : Chaichana Jaruwannakorn     Early in the morning, the bull is taken out for a brisk 10 - 15 kilometer walk along the dirt roads, followed by a good shower and scrub. Nearing an event, a thorough massage additionally helps to loosen the bull's muscles. The bull is fed only freshly cut grass while left out to sunbathe - this is to build the bull's endurance as well as to melt away excess fat. The training day ends in the evening with another brisk walk.     Two weeks before a fighting pair is determined, the bull is repeatedly left outside to sunbathe for the entire day, its diet strictly controlled, to give the bull a smaller, less-intimidating appearance. This is done so as to make it easier to find it a fighting partner.     One month before an actual scheduled fighting event, the bulls are taken to the training camp at the sporting field, where they become familiar with their surroundings - the air, the field, the grass - and are more likely to fight to the best of their ability, as if on their own turf.     While at camp, the bulls are meticulously looked after. Besides having their excrements picked up after them, there is always at least one young attendant who sleeps with the bull at night, to make sure no harm comes to the bull. "The bulls have to get their daily exercise, complete nutrition, and scrubbings..."     To say that the bulls are being exploited and taken advantage of is inappropriate, of these games. The bulls do not fight to severely injure each other, much less to the death. The truth of the matter is, fighting bulls are given the opportunity to live out their lives, fighting until they are 12 - 15 years old; ordinary bulls are taken to the slaughterhouse at age 3 or 4...