Bull wrestling, cow fighting or bull fighting is a non-lethal human-facilitated bloodsport between bulls or cows found in some parts of the world.
The Luhya community in Kenya practices a bull-on-bull sport. Savika is a bull-wrestling sport practiced in Madagascar's central highlands.
Korida, from corrida, or borbe bikova ("fights of bulls") is a traditional national sport of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the fights are most popular in Bosanska Krajina, where the famous Corrida of GrmeÃÂ (GrmeÃÂka korida) is held. GrmeÃÂ, a mountain in the extreme west of Bosnia, is the best-known site of Korida of GrmeÃÂ bullfights in the Balkans. These are fights between bulls themselves and there is no death of a bull. The fight is won when the losing bull turns his back and flee from the fight. Fights happen in an empty field, and have been organised on every first Sunday in August for over 200 years, attracting thousands of visitors. The fights were brought about to Western Balkans, mostly Bosnia and bordering Dalmatian Hinterland in Croatia, by the Ottomans from Turkey, where they are popular for hundreds of years.
The korida of GrmeÃÂ was depicted by the sculptor Slobodan PejiÃÂ. The sculpture of two bulls in a fight, made in bronze in 2004, has been compared to a confrontation of the oppressor and the oppressed or of the Bosnian people and the Austrian Emperor.
Similar fights are organized in several places around Bosnia and Herzegovina, such Sanski Most, Cazin, Velika Kladuà ¡a, all in Bosanska Krajina, but also in central and eastern parts of the country, such as Vitez and Olovo's nearby villages ÃÂevljanoviÃÂi and BoganoviÃÂi.
In Croatia, koridas are traditionally organized in Dalmatian Hinterland region.
Dhiri or Dhirio (Konkani: à ¤§à ¤¿à ¤°à ¥Â,à ¤§à ¤¿à ¤°à ¤¯à ¥Â) is a popular form of traditional bull wrestling in the state of Goa, Coastal South West India. It was the weekend entertainment staple for most villages. Many families lived off the earnings made on appearance money and bets alone. The Panaji Bench of the high Court vide order dated 20.12.96 directed the State Government to take immediate steps to ban all types of animal fights including Dhiri organised in the State of Goa, which was finally banned in 1997. Dhiri bullfights are still very popular in Goa despite the ban. There have been demands for legalizing Dhiri.
Every year on the day of Maghe Sankranti in different districts of Nepal bull wrestling is organized. The most oldest and popular bull wrestling of Nepal is of Taruka, Nuwakot, away from Kathmandu. It is believed to have started in the early years of the 18th century as source of entertainment for nobles while visiting the village. Many people from around the country visit Taruka to witness this event. Other than Nuwakot bull wrestling is also organized in Dhading and Rasuwa.
or GÃÂv-bÃÂzi (bull-play) is a bloodsport organized between bulls in the north of Iran. This wrestling is organized only in Gilan and Mazandaran provinces. Varzajang takes place mainly in Mazandaran in Amol, Noor, Chamestan and Nowshahr and in Gilan in Rudsar, Lahijan, Chaboksar, Rasht and Khomam.
Some researchers, such as Abazar Gholami, Seyed Hashem Mousavi Dizkohi, and Mohammad Jamali, have supported its cultural aspects in their works. However, researcher Hossein Solati has provided a comprehensive phenomenological analysis of this tradition while strongly opposing the euphemistic term "play" (bÃÂzi), arguing it should rightly be called a "war" (jang) due to its inherent violence and animal welfare concerns.
Historically, this practice was common in various parts of Iran such as Shiraz, Isfahan, Kashan, and Tabriz, considered a royal entertainment. Over time, its geographical range has largely narrowed to the rice fields of northern Iran (Gilan province). The northern towns of Khomam, Sangar, and Kuchesfahan are active hubs where locals refer to it as a "game". Notably, Sangar is a village near Rasht historically recognized as one of the core localities for holding Varzajang ceremonies. The French anthropologist Christian Bromberger, who witnessed Varzajang in Gilan, has written about it and expressed a desire for its legalization in Iran. Solati, in his work on bioethics, has criticized Bromberger's simplistic view which overlooks animal rights.
In Oman and the United Arab Emirates two Brahman bulls are presented to each other and allowed to lock horns and fight, while their handlers hold ropes to separate them if necessary. The origins of bullfighting in Oman are unknown, though locals believe it was brought here by the Moors who had conquered Spain. Its existence in Oman and the UAE is also attributed to Portugal, which colonized the Omani coastline for nearly two centuries, and also introduced bullfighting to Omani Zanzibar.
Bull wrestling in Turkey is known as ' (literally "bull wrestling"). Each year in the third week of June, the Kafkasör (Caucasus) festival takes place in the city of Artvin. At the beginning of the festival, certain rules are applied in order to save the bulls from injury. For example, if a bull retreats from the fight, it means defeat, etc.
On 17 October 1987, the Muslim World League issued a fatwa declaring bullfighting and animal pits to be forbidden under Islamic law.