Forums > General > General Forum

Miguelito

Feb 14, 2004, 5:16 PM

Post #1 of 7 (577 views)

Shortcut

First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

It wasn't that much of a fight it seems to me. This was in San Miguel de Allende this afternoon at a fiesta to raise money for renovating La Parroquia. There were a couple of guys in capes but not in the usual costume who would once in a great while advance into the arena, do a couple of twirls and then leave. But, the guy that did all the work and who eventually killed the bull was the fellow in horseback (picador?) who kept planting various sizes of spears in the old guy's back. I thought the torrero was supposed to kill him with a sword, no?

Los que cantan oran dos veces! (Those who sing pray twice!)

Carol Schmidt

Feb 14, 2004, 11:18 PM

Post #2 of 7 (546 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mikelangford] First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

I only went to one bullfight in my life and that was in Portugal, where I heard in advance that the bull would not be killed. Actually, it is killed afterward and the meat sent to orphanages and such so that people don't feel badly about the killing, and since I do eat beef I cannot complain too much. Hypocrites like me like our beef slaughter done in private.

Every area has its own style of bullfighting, I understand. In Portugal, the first round with the bull involves 8-10 local young men in tight tan pants, frilly shirts and tight gold-embroidered vests with red cumberbands, and the guy who gets to jump on the bull's horns has a thickly padded cumberband.

The kids get in a line and charge at the bull and the first one jumps on the horns while the others all try to get a hold of the bull's tail, and they hold on as the bull races all over the ring trying to throw the kid from its head and get rid of the load of kids hanging on to its tail. When they've all had enough the young men jump off and run for the gates.

The second stage, not so much fun, involves brightly costumed guys on foot with capes who stick the tassled darts into the bull's back and neck till it is covered with blood. The metallic smell drifts into the stands in the hot sun.

The third stage is the guy on the horse, he and horse in gorgeous costume, and he and the horse get the bull to charge and dance around until the bull is exhausted. The crowd gets to vote on whether the bullfighter did a good job of posturing and charging, and then they applaud or boo the bull as well. The guys from stage two hang around the gates and can distract the bull with their capes if somehow the bullfighter gets thrown or otherwise is in danger.

The event is a highly scripted social event with women of various ages throwing flowers into the ring as the man on horseback makes the rounds of the bullring and lots of flirting and drinking goes on in the stands. Alcohol and sweat soon overpower the smell of blood.

I'd be interested in hearing more about Mexican bullfights. Ole Ole restaurant on Loreto in San Miguel is owned by bullfight afficianados and it is full of signed posters of the best bullfighters in Mexico and other souvenirs of bullfighting. That's the closest I've gotten to a Mexican bullfight.

Carol Schmidt

PeggyS

Feb 15, 2004, 1:04 AM

Post #3 of 7 (545 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Carol Schmidt] First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yeah, Carol, my first and only bullfight was in Portugal too. I only went because they kept assuring me that the bull is not killed and it's a great spectacle.

So I went, and lasted through the second stage. When the guys on the horses came out and started sticking spears or whatever into the poor old animal's back, and the blood started to flow, and the animal srceamed in agony, I couldn't stand it, and ran downstairs and threw up. I should have stayed in the stands and thrown up on the spectators who were cheering. I can't understand anyone who could watch the torture of any animal.

Thank God this primitive behavior is being phased out. (And as an aside, it's spelled "cummerbund")

tony

Feb 15, 2004, 8:46 AM

Post #4 of 7 (521 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mikelangford] First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hello Mike,
I once saw a bullfight that was all done on horseback. I believe it is called a rejoneo. It is different from the "tradition" ones we are familiar with. It shows the awesome horsemenship of the riders. All stages of the fight, even the killing is done on horseback. Is it possible this is what you saw? Tony

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."

Miguelito

Feb 15, 2004, 12:21 PM

Post #5 of 7 (493 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tony] First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

It must have been. Being a small arena and a "minor" event, there was only one principal on horseback and he planted all the sticky things. I didn't see the moment of the kill being too busy taking pictures of something else but there was no matador on foot.

Los que cantan oran dos veces! (Those who sing pray twice!)

raferguson

Feb 16, 2004, 10:50 AM

Post #6 of 7 (430 views)

Shortcut

Re: [mikelangford] First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

I did see a bullfight in San Miguel a couple of years ago, and it seemed much more traditional than the one you saw. There was a matador on foot, who eventually killed the bull with a sword. There was a guy on horseback, with the horse having protective padding. There were about 6 bulls, I left before the last one. Some of the fights looked good, with a clean kill, so interesting to watch. One or two of the fights went poorly, so I felt bad about the bull. Even in San Miguel, it seemed a bit of a spectacle.

Obviously going to a bullfight at the big arena in Mexico City would be different, more elegant, and a higher level of skill from the matadors.

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

Adrian

Feb 17, 2004, 6:25 AM

Post #7 of 7 (389 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] First bullfight, Aye Caramba!

Can't Post | Private Reply

In Reply To

Obviously going to a bullfight at the big arena in Mexico City would be different, more elegant, and a higher level of skill from the matadors.

Saturday afternoons, midday to 3.00PM on Unicable (probably even Univision itself), there are bullfights from the Plaza del Toro in D.F. Always thrilling to watch, especially if you are from a liberal Euro-state like me.

Adrian