Australian Pit Game

A distinct Australian gamefowl breed, lighter and more athletic than the Australian Game, developed specifically for the cockpit in the 19th and early 20th centuries. While the Australian Game was bred for size and power, the Australian Pit Game was selected for speed, stamina, and fighting intelligence — the two breeds represent different philosophies of gamefowl breeding. The Australian Pit Game has a pea comb, hard feathering, and a lean, whipcord-tough build. Its plumage follows standard gamefowl colour patterns, and its temperament is characteristically fierce with other roosters. After cockfighting was banned across all Australian states (fully by the 1990s), the breed was preserved by a small network of Australian fanciers and has also been recognised by the PCGB under Hard Feather classification. It remains rare outside Australia and is not yet recognised by the EE Europastandard.