Last Tuesday, the 8th October, died Cobradiezmos on the ‘Las Tiesas de Santamaría’ farm, in the province of Cáceres, where Victorino Martín’s livestock grazes.
Cobradiezmos You don’t need last names. It is the history of bullfighting, and any fan knows him as if he had been in La Maestranza in Seville that April 13, 2016, when he was pardoned after exceptional behavior as a brave bull.
“He was found dead this morning,” the rancher commented to the Mundotoro portal. “We had him very protected with an adult bull, which Cobradiezmos He had already hit a long time ago, and with steers. We think the adult bull has killed him. “They are country things.” Victorino Martín adds that they have not yet decided where the bull will rest forever, although they will dissect it, as they already did with Velador, the bull pardoned in the Plaza de Las Ventas on July 19, 1982.
Cobradiezmos has been one of the bravest, fittest, noble, complete and rounded bulls that has ever come out in La Maestranza.
The chronicles of the pardon said that Cobradiezmoswith purple hair, number 37, weighing 562 kilos and beautifully made, born in 2011 – he would have turned 13 years old in December – has been “one of the bravest, fittest, noble, complete and round bulls that has ever come out in The Maestranza. One of the bulls that, perhaps, only come out once in a lifetime. Spectacular and dazzling from the moment he attacked the cape of his fighter, who was waiting for him on his knees in the middle, until he proudly followed the halters on the way to the corrals. An animal, an emblem of bravery and nobility, that intoxicated with happiness those few fans who were in the stands, in need of some miracle that would make them renew their faith in bullfighting. AND Cobradiezmos He gave them joy forever. More than one will rightly say that he can now die peacefully.”
“The bull met Manuel Escribano, his bullfighter, who waited for him on his knees with a long exchange, and continued with some passionate verónicas in which the animal charged with fierceness and greed. He went with alacrity and drive in both entries to the horse, where he put up a good fight; tempered and at a gallop he obeyed in banderillas, and reached the final third greedy, well-adjusted, loaded with impetus and nobility, tireless, overflowing with qualities. He went quickly to the meeting, pursued the deception, fixed his gaze, long the route, and repeated the bullfighter’s orders over and over again.
“Manuel Escribano won the lottery and knew how to rise to the challenge of difficult circumstances. He drew, perhaps, the task of his life, very calm and long with both hands, enjoying himself, with elegance and head so as not to break the spell created in the square. The task was long because the president, with good judgment, reflected calmly, and, while the animal continued and continued charging, the orange scarf appeared, the flag of glory for the bullfighting festival.
“When Cobradiezmos “He accompanied the halters on the way to the corrals, proud and happy, amidst the thunderous applause of the spectators, the bullfight could have ended.”
The bull made the trip back to the farm where he was born, ‘Las Tiesas de Santamaría’, and there he has been a stud until the day he died.
On April 23, 2019, this newspaper visited Cobradiezmos in the company of the rancher and recounted the encounter with the animal like this:
“The delegation arrives at the grounds of Cobradiezmos, the sun-king of livestock, the bull pardoned in the Maestranza of Seville on April 13, 2016. There he grazes with about 30 cows and some calves, his children, with a few days of life. The rancher warns. Cobradiezmos He is elusive, he is bothered by visitors, and he does not hesitate to attack visitors. He is tired, and rightly so, of being the focus of the cameras and the siege of curious tourists who do not let him live. It is not easy for him to pose for photos and, given the proximity of the vehicle, he digs in the dirt and announces that he is willing to defend his privacy. Withdrawal is imposed.”
During his eight years as a stud he has been the father of many litters that guarantee that Cobradiezmos will continue to live for a long time in the livestock farm.
Without a doubt, this bull has given prestige to Victorino Martín’s livestock, has created fans and has raised the fighting bull and bullfighting to glory. A bull that has left an indelible mark in the history of bullfighting. During his eight years as a stud he has sired many litters, and his owner has said that he has breeding granddaughters, and sons and grandsons approved as breeding dogs. That is to say, Cobradiezmos He will continue to live for many years in livestock farming.
Also, of course, in the memory of the fans and the Plaza de la Real Maestranza in Seville. Thus, on April 19, 2017, a tile was unveiled on one of the walls of the so-called ‘manifest corral’, where the bulls presented by the ranchers are recognized, which captures the feat of Cobradiezmos and add the names of the people who in some way participated in that memorable afternoon.
The text that appears in the mosaic dedicated to the pardoned bull says the following:
“At the Governing Board of the Royal Maestranza de Caballería of Seville held on January 30, 2017, it was agreed to dedicate this tile to the bull Cobradiezmoslight blue, with a live weight of 562 kilos, from the livestock of Don Victorino Martín, who was fought in this square on April 13, 2016, and who for his extraordinary qualities and bravery during his fight, and at the request of the public, the president of the bullfight, Don José Luque Teruel, was spared, advised by Don Francisco Herrera and Don Luis Arenas. Mother’s name: ‘Cobradiezmas‘. Father’s name: ‘Jacqueton‘, both from Don Victorino Martín’s livestock. Raised on the farm ‘Las Tiesas de Santamaría’, in the municipality of Portezuelo (Cáceres). Fighting masterfully by the matador Manuel Escribano, his crew being composed of José Manuel Ruiz ‘Chicharito’, picador on duty, José Manuel Quinta, Juan Sierra, Antonio Manuel Punta and Jaime Padilla.”
Honor and glory to the brave bull, Cobradiezmos and so many others who have maintained and maintain bullfighting with their strength, fierceness, bravery, caste, greed, promptness, fixity, aggressiveness and class. Few animals are fortunate enough to be part of the collective memory.