The case of Borja Jiménez (Espartinas, Seville, 33 years old) is extraordinary in the world of bullfighting. Since his resounding triumph on October 8, 2023 in Las Ventas against Victorino Martín’s bulls, later endorsed by a successful campaign in 2024, he has traveled more kilometers to collect prizes than to dress in lights. This is recognized by the bullfighter himself, who assures that this winter he does not stop traveling, that he goes to three or four tentaderos every week and still has time to add recognition and dedicate a few hours to bullfighting. “My parents are crazy,” he adds, “they no longer know where to put so many trophies.” To those from last winter, which were numerous, he has added about 25 that already appear on the family shelf, and he still has almost a dozen left that he will collect when he returns from his American campaign.
Ask. It is not very normal to receive so many tributes.
Answer. It is not very common, it is true; That is why I am very grateful to all the clubs, because it is what I have sought all my life: to be at fairs, to fight and to be recognized in this way. The funny thing is that they also give me prizes in places where I haven’t bullfighted, which is very nice.
P. You know that praise is debilitating.
R. It depends on your attitude. If you believe them, you are lost; You start to slack off and think that so much intensity is not necessary because they tell you that you are very good. That is the downfall in any profession, and even more so in that of a bullfighter. Praise should serve as motivation and recognition that you are doing well, and nothing more.
P. But someone will put his feet on the ground…
R. I don’t need it, honestly. I belong to a family that has educated me very well and has taught me values that are fundamental in life. I am aware that this is a very difficult profession, and that you can lose everything if you are distracted for a single moment. I am very clear that I must continue to sacrifice to achieve my goals.
It is not usual to receive so many tributes; The curious thing is that they give me prizes in places where I have not fought.”
P. Would you choose a special award among all those received?
R. The RNE Golden Ear is a very significant award because it encompasses the entire season, in competition with the top bullfighting figures. Being recognized as the winner of the year is crucial for my career and makes me feel very proud of myself because I have achieved everything based on many hours of work.
P. From what you say, you have been happy dressed as a bullfighter.
R. In many moments I have been very happy, yes. Bullfighting is hard, but there have been bulls that I have enjoyed. Certainly, this is the way of life I like; My greatest happiness is bullfighting, and if a bull allows you to reach a point of ecstasy, and I have achieved this several times this season, that is the greatest satisfaction.
P. You will then be able to choose one of the special moments.
R. Among several I would choose the Puerta Grande in Madrid on June 7, with the Victoriano del Río bullfight. Two days before I was not well with Victorino Martín’s bulls, and I received criticism that affected me a lot. I was forced to change my mindset; Maybe that’s why, when I killed the first bull, tears came to my eyes, because I had been able to turn the situation around. And I remember another emotional moment: the morning of my first bullfight at the Salamanca fair. I woke up and cried inconsolably. I remembered my arrival in that city, two and a half years before, not knowing if I could fight a single bullfight. At that time I was working, and I left everything to give my life to bullfighting and start over. I cried with emotion, which is one of the most beautiful things that exist.
P. It is logical to think that Victorino’s bullfight in Madrid has not been forgotten.
R. No. I had triumphed the previous year with this run and the idea was floating in the air that it was my obligation to repeat the feat. And it was not possible. I received a reality check about the difficulty of succeeding in Madrid and doing it with those bulls. That afternoon made me reflect, and I think that from then on I began to grow as a bullfighter.
P. Have you felt that companies also give you the consideration that fans recognize you as a figure?
R. On some occasions, yes, but it is not easy at all. I don’t like to complain, and I didn’t do it, even when I wasn’t bullfighting. I think everything has its moment. If they don’t want to now, the time will come when they will.
P. But are there many companies that ‘don’t want to’?
R. Well, that’s what usually happens in negotiations at some fairs. Some companies offer you the place you have earned in the arena, and others take more work. But I am convinced that my path is correct, and, sooner or later, I will have my reward.
P. By the way, has so much effort been financially compensated for you?
R. It must be taken into account that I had earned a salary between 1,200 and 1,400 euros per month. Yes, I have noticed the difference, but money, and I say this honestly, is not my priority.
My approach for 2025 is to continue training many hours and have a place in strong posters”
P. At least, he will be recognized as a better bullfighter than in 2023.
R. I think so. I have acquired more skill, I have noticed an evolution and more regularity to express my bullfighting in front of a greater number of bulls.
P. You continue with Julián Guerra, your attorney.
R. Yes, we know each other very well and the trust is mutual. Julián tells me about the negotiations at this or that fair and asks me for my opinion, and I always answer the same thing: agree to what you consider appropriate. My responsibility is in the ring, and yours in the offices.
P. And they will have already designed the scheme for next season.
R. My approach is to train many hours and have a place in the strong posters at the fairs.
P. Does ‘strong posters’ mean the comfort of the figures?
R. I do not forget that Victorino Martín’s cattle ranch is the one that recovered me from oblivion, and, obviously, I would like to deal with it in some places. It is important for fans that there is a variety of inserts.
P. By the way, what changes have occurred in the person of Borja Jiménez from his years of forced unemployment to today’s successful stage?
R. None. The way of life has changed, the trips, the training, the temptations… But I assure you that I am the same person.