There were so many experiences in Mexico that I/we could never have had anywhere else, including watching this bullfight in the spring. Warning... it's rigged against the bull and it gets quite bloody.
It is true that the bull never has a chance, with a whole team helping to weaken the bull before the bullfighter even gets to show off. Given all the prep work, the bullfighters occasionally do get scraped up. This experience in Plaza de Toros that I saw with friends Tammi and Scott, involved:
torn pants, a bull that ran right over a horse, many clumsy final thrustings of the sword, and sheets of blood.
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| The first of many impressively expressive jutting jaws. |
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| I hadn't seen this kind of dance before. |
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Much posturing in great clothing.
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| The youngest matador. |
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After a slash by the bull's horns which exposed his right cheek,
this matador lost a shoe while jumping away from the bull. |
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| Once the shoe was lost, he stylishly kicked off the other one. |
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| Some of these bulls kept fighting and fighting. |
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| The bull never wins. |
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The 'trofeo' for this matador was one ear of the bull.
For better performances, matadors can be awarded 1 (or 2) ears
if enough of the audience waves 1 (or 2) white handkerchiefs.
They may also be gifted the tail if the judge determines them worthy.
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This bull pushed the horse over (how terrifying for a blindfolded horse) then ran right over it as the rider ran away.
Until padding was added (a recent addition to the "sport"), horses were often killed in the ring by the bulls
as the horsemen tried to weaken their spinal column by lance. |
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Several matadors underestimated the bulls when showing off like this,
and they would have to scramble rapidly to their feet. |
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| The cleanup executioner creeped me out- his funny little hat, the short knife..... |
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After fighting two bulls, the matadors' uniforms were always pretty bloody by the end.
Growing up on American TV, I couldn't help but wonder what enzymatic cleaner they used in the wash... |
Gruesome! But fascinating nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteMore photos than I'd seen before, but I'm not likely to become a fan. What an incredible range of experiences you've had.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, bullfighting was not a common tradition in Mexico, or at least not in the northern part. Mazatlan does have one small bullfighting arena, but it was more for the tourists looking for that "genuine Mexican experience," rather than for the locals. I do remember walking by the arena one night and hearing the errie shouts of "ole" and "bravo" echoing down the streets, and experiencing a shocking realization that some sort of ritualized animal slaughter was happening within, solely for entertainment.
ReplyDeleteA more popular event for locals was the rodeo. Along with the typical events like bull riding, calf roping, and bronco busting, they had one where they would use their horse to pin another animal against a padded section of the wall. I don't remember the name of it now. It was also a bit shocking to see a horse use its body to slam a calf into the fence with such force, causing a ringing, reverberating shock that ran down the metallic fencing.
Baseball. They also like baseball.
Beautiful if gory photos! The costumes are striking. I have a new understanding of the word 'bullish'. Poor bull.
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