An image to remember that perfectly summarizes what the whole celebration gave of itself. This was the death of Dolores Aguirre’s sixth bull. After lying down in the sand, with a deadly thrust in the very hole of the needles, the horned man rose in a demonstration of power and bravery. And so, completely wounded, he remained for a few more minutes, clinging to life.
The audience stood up and applauded such an emotional and solemn scene. Caste, that miracle of nature, in all its splendor.
That last one, however, was not brave; On the contrary, he sang the chicken on the horse and tamed at different moments of the fight. A behavior that was not exclusive to that specimen; like the power he exhibited throughout the bullfight. Despite receiving a whopping 23 punches, some of them infamous and bloodthirsty, only the fifth ever lost his hands. The rest, undaunted by such punishment, never grieved.
A running of the bulls with an impeccable presentation, who came quickly to the horse, fought unevenly under the breastplate and exuded nobility and mobility on the muleta. It wasn’t outstanding, no, but it was very interesting.
The animals fought in first and second place stood out. Precisely, those that were most used in rods. Both nobles – not fools – charged with determination and greed until the end. Without giving anything away, as it should be.
Damián Castaño, who had received the second with great confidence with his cape, then took advantage of the notable right piton of Dolores’s bull in an uneven and passionate task in which at times he fought fainting and at other times longer and deeper. In some round and natural shots, from the front and carrying the luck, or in the chest passes to the opposing shoulder pad, that perfect symbiosis arose between a well-positioned bull and a brave and dedicated bullfighter.
A prize task that, once again, was not signed with the sword. To the astonishment of everyone, the man from Salamanca threw down his crutch and launched himself at his opponent, sword raised. He punctured and got caught, of course. A beating that, apparently, ended at that.
As if that were not enough, and visibly weakened, he went to the pigsty door to receive the fifth. He was caught again and, this time, he could not leave the infirmary.
Sergio Serrano finally had to deal with and stab that bull, as none of his three opponents took the step that the occasion required. A round linked to the natural, to the thread of the python, in front of the first, and another, this time in the round, of estimable temperance, to that fifth, was the most positive of his artistic balance. Faced with the imposing fourth -what a sight!-, who confidently arrived at the final third after being massacred on rods, he had no choice.
Nor was Francisco Montero up to par with his lot, as willful, fast-paced and vulgar. Between shoes, voices and blankets, two bulls left him that deserved much more.
Dolores Aguirre: the vindication of trapío, caste and emotion.
Dolores Aguirre / Serrano, Castaño, Montero
Bulls of Dolores Aguirre, well presented, in general, compliant in rods (brave 1st and 2nd; meek the 6th), fit, powerful and noble. The very complete 2nd, with a large right piton, was turned around the ring.
Sergio Serrano: puncture _notice_, two punctures and short thrust (palms); short perpendicular and transverse lunge (silence); detached lunge (greetings).
Damián Castaño: puncture going in to kill without a crutch, two crazy things _warning_ and four more crazy things (return). Injured in the second, he was taken to the hospital for radiological study.
Francisco Montero: _notice_ three punctures _second warning_ and short, fallen and perpendicular thrust (silence); lunge (turn protested after a slight request).
San Agustín de Guadalix bullring. Fan fair organized by the Peña Tres Puyazos. About two-thirds of the way in.