Bulls in Las Ventas: Provision without prize for bullfighters | Culture

The poor condition of Antonio Palla’s bulls, which did not fall but lacked class except for the fourth, ruined the evident willingness to triumph of El Mella, Cid de María and Tomás Bastos, a shortlist made up of three capable bullfighters who gave each other three ovations with greetings, one for each ponytail. El Mella opened a spot in front of a steer based on age and a bull based on presence. Antonio Palla’s went here and there without being used on the breastplate or the fabrics; dotting and half height. He left himself more on the right while inertia pushed him, and El Mella was solvent and firm although without continuity in the isolated flashes he starred in. In the fourth he came out determined to win, starting on his knees both the reception of the cape – Veronica style – and the movement of the crutch, with a pass changed from behind and continuing with a linked series and with emotion for the right python still kneeling. However, the task deflated after the third round at the same time as the initial tight background of the harmonic utrero, with which El Mella had to attack with madness up to four times.

The second showed off his spirit in two joyful starts on the horse ridden by the applauded picador Javier Díaz. Afterwards, the bull, offensive and short of needles, wanted more than he could, attacking jumping and pointing the muleta handled with a seat by a Cid de María who persisted with determination although without possible brilliance.

The fifth went to the picador’s breastplate three times, although only after the third did the blood appear in his cheek. The slight punishment did not help Palla to be used in the final third, leaving Cid de María’s disposition far above the condition of his antagonist, whom he overwhelmed on the second attempt.

Tomás Bastos showed that he is in the epilogue of his stage as a bullfighter with picadors, a rank that is already short for him. His first appearance was in a fight by Chicuelinas in the second, and his task in the third, without being triumphant, had the merit of stealing deep passages through both pitons from a dull attack, which was now overflowing and flocking in search of the males of the Portuguese bullfighter. And all this, like the entire afternoon, with the wind making an annoying appearance. Furthermore, he signed off his serious performance with a forceful thrust on the first attempt, receiving a well-deserved ovation.

In the one that closed the square, when the lackluster steer named Aviador was being dragged, the receipt from the bullfighter and the commitment with which Bastos faced the fight against an opponent who left something for the right and caught flies for the left had faded in the memory. People already wanted to go home. And the celebration “only” lasted two hours and twenty minutes.