The scene that occurs at the end of the fifth bull perfectly summarizes the madness of these men dressed in gold and clothed in heroism. Juan de Castilla, a modest Colombian bullfighter, soaked and knee-deep in mud, said goodbye to the audience amidst a loving applause, and headed through the center of the ring, back to the van.
But don’t think that this young man was going home to rest and take a nice hot shower; de Castilla had to leave the Vic-Fezensac square hastily because the Miura bulls were waiting for him in Madrid. Yes, after participating in the morning contest of this bullfighting French town, another highly demanding commitment awaited him at the San Isidro Fair.
Taking into account that both things are separated by 700 kilometers, the question is inevitable: how to achieve such a feat? Well flying. Literally. Although not how I initially intended. Bad weather meant that she could not take the plane initially prepared, so she will have to travel on a commercial plane from Toulouse. Will she arrive on time for her appointment with the the wall? Nobody knows.
At least the effort was not in vain. De Castilla, who appeared in the Plaza de Vic, cut off the ear of the fifth, a very offensive horn from the French stud farm of Pages Mailhan that, in the end, was the winner of the contest. An animal that completed the task in three yards and then moved, without much class and with its face half-height, but with chaste and demand. Although there was more dedication than good bullfighting, after a thrust, the public wanted to reward the willful work.
There were also some rounds of commendable cleanliness in his attempt at third place, by Prieto de la Cal, who fell very short.
The one who did not leave empty-handed was Sánchez Vara, colorful in flags, always attentive to the fight, and with both skill and little adjustment, crutch in hand. He walked the ear of the fourth, a very serious specimen of Vega Teixeira, who was not fully visible on the horse, and who moved nobly in the last third. Likewise, he was not up to the level of the first humiliator, from Saltillo, who responded better when he was treated with temper.
Adrift, distrustful and without attitude, Octavio Chacón’s performance could not have been more unfortunate. It is true that he barely had the option to show off against the weak second, from Palha, but it is also true that he then let slip an interestingly meek cast from Conde de la Corte, who moved and transmitted beautifully.
Livestock competition / Sánchez Vara, Chacón, Castilla
Bulls of Saltillovery serious, almost cornipaso and well done, he complies (although he digs a lot) in three rods of little punishment, noble, fixed, with humiliation, although sometimes he comes out on top and defends himself; Strawvery serious, astino and open-faced, fights in three yards (in the last afternoon a lot), noble, but soft and broken in the muleta; Prieto de la Caloffensive and of good workmanship, it fulfills without further ado in three measures (the first, at the relaunch), hard, complicated, short and bland; Vega Teixeirastrong and very serious from the front, it delivers in four quick yards, noble, comes and goes with little transmission; Pages Public Figurevery serious, astifine and offensive, accomplished in three standards, well-positioned and mobile, although of little class and Court Countserious, but elusive, presses in the first three rods, but the hen crows in the fourth, meekly embedded.
Sanchez Vara: two punctures _warning_ and a fall lunge (return to the ring); prick and thrust _warning_ (ear).
Octavio Chacón: four punctures and a crash (silence); puncture, short thrust detached, lying and crossed _warning_ and five descabellos (whistles).
John of Castile: sheathed metisaca and forward lunge (claps and comes out to greet); lunge _notice_ (ear).
Vic-Fezensac bullring (France). may 19. 3rd of the Bull Fair. About two-thirds of the way in.