Until yesterday, Thursday, 18 celebrations have been held at this 2024 San Isidro fair: 14 bullfights, a bullfighting show and the 3 bullfights announced in the Madrid cycle. The “no tickets” sign has been hung 9 afternoons, 11 ears have been cut off and the Puerta Grande has been opened twice.
There will be time to analyze in more depth what happened, good and bad, in this long fair, but for the moment, a few light details are worth it, some very serious and others with a pinch of ironic humor, which have been repeated during the past days .
Bailiffs
You go to the square with all the enthusiasm, the bugles and kettledrums sound, the bailiffs come out and your heart falls to your feet. There are not two nags with less martiality and grace in the entire Spanish equine herd than those who ride the sheriff and the sheriff of Las Ventas. And the same could be said of the Amazon and the knight. Fortunately, they do not have to clear the arena, the reason for their existence, because it would be a true spectacle due to the innate sadness of the animals and the embarrassment of the uniformed men. In total, ten precious minutes are lost that could very well be saved. Since they have nothing to clear, at least they don’t depress us. A little more joy, please…!
Public
Nine afternoons of ‘no tickets’ and three more full ones means many thousands of spectators. It is true, and it is not new, that there is an abundance of triumphalist and ear-loving audiences, but that is, today, the most solid foundation of modern bullfighting.
Radicals
There are some aficionados convinced, according to their behavior, that they are purer the more they flaunt their radicalism. They whistle, they clap their hands in tango and shout advice at the wrong time and for no reason. They divert attention from what is happening in the ring, disrespect the bullfighter and ruin the job. These radicals have nothing to do with the demanding and wise fans who are present when the occasion truly requires it. There are other touts who drink excessively and in their delirium shout cheers to Spain as if it needed the support of alcohol.
The bullfighter Jarocho has so far been the only bullfighter on foot who has opened the Puerta Grande
bullfighters
After the good taste that Diego Urdiales left in his mouth on the first day, Román was able to go out through the Puerta Grande on the next day against two bulls from Fuente Ymbro. Perera, without cutting trophies, has shown that he is in an excellent moment of professional maturity. The madness robbed Emilio de Justo of a great victory. Ginés Marín, without luck, has shone at a good level, as has the Colombian Juan de Castilla with Miura’s run, and Jorge Martínez the afternoon of his confirmation. David Galván from Cádiz pleasantly surprised on May 22 with a bullfight of artistic depth before the fine bulls of El Torero and yesterday endorsed his good image. Juan Ortega carried out an exquisite work for an invalid who was protested, and Talavante left quality details, excessively rewarded with a first ear, and another that he walked this past Wednesday. Among the bullfighters, the great winner has been Jarocho (back in the ring and two ears) against demanding steers from Fuente Ymbro; Alejandro Peñaranda and Ismael Martín rode a trophy the same afternoon, and Samuel Navalón took one lap of the ring on May 14 and another Alejandro Chicharro on Tuesday the 28th. On horseback, the young Guillermo Hermoso from Mendoza stood out as he left through the Puerta Grande.
Toros
Only three bulls have been returned to the pens: on May 21, one from Fuente Ymbro; On the 26th, one from Montalvo, and yesterday, another from El Cortijillo; and two bulls from Guadaira, on the 28th.
The bullfights of Fuente Ymbro, La Quinta, El Torero, Conde de Mayalde, and two bulls have stood out above the others: Orgulloso, from Fuente Ymbro, whose ear was cut off by Román, and Bastonito, from Baltasar Ibán, fought by Francisco of Manuel.
Trophies
Eleven ears (Román, Tomás Rufo, Guillermo Hermoso (2), the bullfighters Alejandro Peñaranda, Ismael Martín and Jarocho (2), David Galván and Alejandro Talavante (2 in two runs) and eight laps of the ring (Diego Urdiales, Román, the bullfighters Samuel Navalón, Jarocho and Alejandro Chicharro, Tomás Rufo, Miguel Ángel Perera and Emilio de Justo) is a meager balance for the bulls of good grade that have been fought and the generous court that has populated the stands. Some bullfighters have been able to do so. responsibility, and others have failed in supreme luck.
Notices
Sixty-two warnings – a record – have been heard so far in the fair, an unequivocal sign that the vast majority of bullfighters, if not all, lack the sense of time measurement and abuse, and in what way , of the patience of the spectators. The award for the heaviest was awarded to himself by Roca Rey the afternoon he received three messages on a bull.
The feat of the fair was carried out by Juan de Castilla on the 19th when he faced two tough bullfights: in the morning, in France, and in the afternoon, the miuras in Madrid
Mistakes
For some time now there has been talk of the necessary reform of the regulations to accelerate the death of the bull and prevent the agony of the animal. This fair has repeatedly shown that this is a pressing need. Many bullfighters prefer not to use nonsense and expose the audience to a regrettable and avoidable spectacle that should be penalized.
The gestation
The feat of what is going on at the fair has been carried out by Juan de Castilla. On Sunday, May 19, in the morning he fought a bullfight in the French town of Vic Fezensac, and in the afternoon, the Miura in Madrid. In both he showed that he is a bullfighter who asks for passage. And he was the icing on the cake: that same night he got up again at three-thirty in the morning in Guadalajara to start his work day at five at a parcel delivery company in Coslada.
and the sandboxes.
A curious and surprising case happens in this square with the sandpits. When bulls, horses or halters leave their excrement in the ring or a pool of blood forms after the execution of the thrust, these employees come solicitously with their rakes and hoes and make a small pile with the waste. If these are close to the third stripes, they move them with their rakes, but if the remains are in the middle, they collect them in small baskets. Where do they take them? It would seem logical that they would move them to some garbage containers outside the arena, but no. They push the waste with rakes or transfer it in baskets to the barrier boards, and there, under the abutment, they deposit it. It will be a custom, strange without a doubt, that is neither logical nor aesthetic nor hygienic.