It’s not that tears ran down El Cid’s cheek, but he did look very upset when he saw that his second bull was being dragged by the mules and the president had not taken out her handkerchief to grant him the ear that part of the bullring had requested. When he took on the cape and cape to respond to the audience’s ovation, he shook his head, indicating that he did not accept the box’s decision. But his face changed when he noticed the affection of those standing – many of those who applauded him on his return had not taken out their handkerchief moments before – who said goodbye to him with real enthusiasm, knowing that this could be the last time that El Cid would do the parade in La Maestranza.
And the bullfighter smiled openly, he forgot his discomfort and understood, perhaps, that the affection of this plaza is above a trophy; especially, when it comes to thanking the efforts of a figure who has walked through the Puerta del Príncipe four times.
But, of course, El Cid’s displeasure had a more sentimental than bullfighting component; His work at a quarter of the afternoon, noble and refined, did not reach the desirable level to be awarded. The music sounded at the end of the second round with the right hand, woven with correct muletazos, but in which the class of the bull stood out more than his bullfighting; Then the animal collapsed, the work lost steam, and the final elegant swooning crutches did not lift anyone from their seats. Conclusion, that the request was not majority and the president was right not to show the white handkerchief. But it is understandable that, after the effort made, the bullfighter wanted to walk an ear, perhaps the last of his life, through the ring of this plaza that has been so important in his career.
The bull that opened the bullring was dull and cold, and El Cid’s maneuvering was as correct as it was inconsequential; The same thing happened to Fortes in the second of the afternoon, an animal that had not woken up from its nap and went out into the arena wanting not to have its rest spoiled.
But the fifth, yes; The fifth came out awake and ready to obey his matador, Fortes, who began the task with a muleta on his knees in the third, and went irregularly and intermittently with unequal bursts of bullfighting with little flavor. That is to say, it was not bad, but his work lacked drive and intensity, the same problem that El Cid had already expressed. The request was also in the minority and the man from Malaga settled for a return.
Neither El Cid nor Fortes lived up to the quality of their second bulls. Both of them needed to take one more step, the one that separates correction from emotion, from some well-crafted crutches to connection and depth.
A similar problem was evident by José Garrido, in low times, in need of a victory in an important arena, and perhaps that is why it was noticed that his desire ruled over his good bullfighting conception. Veronique performed with more vigor than temperance, and with the crutch in her hands she showed more superficiality than aroma.
His first offered him the possibility of a victory that did not come, and the sixth, the most complicated of the afternoon, abrupt and harsh, demanded that he take a chance and he did not; or couldn’t.
Smiles on both turns of the ring, but invisible, personal and sincere tears when you realize that victory has escaped on a momentous occasion.
La Quinta/El Cid, Fortes, Garrido
Bulls of The Fifthwell presented and beautiful workmanship. They were not stung; first and second, noble and dull; the rest, noble, with greed and chaste; rough and abrupt the sixth.
El Cid: thrust through and a jerk (claps); perpendicular lunge (request and return to the ring).
Fortes: lunge (ovation); half lying (back to the ring).
Jose Garrido: three punctures and almost whole (ovation); fallen lunge – warning – (silence).
La Maestranza Square. April 24. Fifteenth April Fair subscription celebration. Almost full. A minute of silence was held in memory of Alfonso Vázquez, mayor of Fuente Ymbro, and the rancher Santiago Barrero.