Last Bastion? There’s Bullfighting in Portugal too (Spain was mentioned in the article), Mexico, Venezuela; Ecuador; Peru and Colombia.
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
You have been going to the wrong bullfights Mr Lewis-Stempel, you should have been heading for the ‘fiestas’ in Valencia.
Only a few years ago they were dominated by the magnificent 1,1000 lb beast charmingly named ‘Raton’ (mouse).Alternative descriptions included ‘el toro asesino’, (the killer bull), ‘el sangriento toro Raton’, (the bloody bull ‘Raton’) and el terrible Ratón (the terrible Mouse)
In a magnificent three year Blitzkrieg he killed three men and seriously gored at least thirty more! Appositely his first ‘kill’ was in Sagunto formerly the Roman city of Saguntum*. Those were the days!
* (Its siege in 219 BC/534 AUC, precipitated the Second Punic War.)
Last edited 1 year ago by CHARLES STANHOPE
Angelique Todesco
1 year ago
Brought up in Spain in the 70s and 80s, I was taken to my first bullfight at the age of 5/6 or thereabouts. I am proud to say I had a monumental meltdown and screamed blue murder at the participants telling them to “stop it, stop it”. Even writing this I can almost feel my total childish horror/panic at that experience. It is an abhorrent activity, I loved the costumes, the music, the pageantry, the horses and the bulls, but the torture and death are revolting and inhuman.
To stave off the horror of the experience, someone bought me Ferdinand the Bull, the Bull who sat and smelt the flowers and refused to fight so was released into a meadow to spend the rest of his years. I have loved that book ever since.
Marcia McGrail
1 year ago
Humans are ferociously addicted to killing – including other humans – just look at the latest murder figures; wars and violent conflicts around the world; the unborn and the different etc. Animals are an easy alternative and tend not to fight back. I applaud the ones that do.
ian young
1 year ago
As is the case with most anglo-saxons, there is here a confusion over the realities of the classical Spanish corrida. The use of the word “sport” is entirely out of place; the corrida is not, and never has been, a sport. The cruelty to animals argument is at best unfounded. A fighting bull exists only for the corrida. The breed has no other economic importance, and would quickly die out were the corrida to be banned. So to ‘save’ these creatures we should promote their fairly rapid extinction ? This to me seems absurd, especially if one adds that a toro bravo lives peacably in free range conditions until the age of four years, rather longer and in much better conditions than his bovine cousins raised for beef. The payment is about 15 minutes in the arena, uncomfortable perhaps, but at least doing what he was bred to do. Given the choice, I know which option I would choose.
That’s my point. You have put it eloquently. Milk cows have an even worst existence by the way.
Tim Diggle
1 year ago
I have been to a couple of bullfights in France, in Les Stes Maries de la Mer and Arles – both were Course Camarguaise, were hugely entertaining parts of vibrant festivals and definitely gave the bulls a huge advantage, especially the older specimens who seemed to have learnt ..! No bulls died but I suspect a couple of human competitors have come close.
I have also regularly enjoyed the Fete du Taureau held in St Jean de Luz every September. No bull is ever harmed as none is involved. 4 sturdy humans march around the town square carrying a whicker bulls head to which fireworks are attached. The locals, loaded with steak and copious amounts of red wine, light the fireworks as the head passes through the throng – how anyone or any property survives remains a mystery (the UK HSE would have a thrombie at the mere thought of such a festival!)
Fran Martinez
1 year ago
Spain? Latin America? I think the title is completely false.
Last Bastion? There’s Bullfighting in Portugal too (Spain was mentioned in the article), Mexico, Venezuela; Ecuador; Peru and Colombia.
You have been going to the wrong bullfights Mr Lewis-Stempel, you should have been heading for the ‘fiestas’ in Valencia.
Only a few years ago they were dominated by the magnificent 1,1000 lb beast charmingly named ‘Raton’ (mouse).Alternative descriptions included ‘el toro asesino’, (the killer bull), ‘el sangriento toro Raton’, (the bloody bull ‘Raton’) and el terrible Ratón (the terrible Mouse)
In a magnificent three year Blitzkrieg he killed three men and seriously gored at least thirty more! Appositely his first ‘kill’ was in Sagunto formerly the Roman city of Saguntum*. Those were the days!
* (Its siege in 219 BC/534 AUC, precipitated the Second Punic War.)
Brought up in Spain in the 70s and 80s, I was taken to my first bullfight at the age of 5/6 or thereabouts. I am proud to say I had a monumental meltdown and screamed blue murder at the participants telling them to “stop it, stop it”. Even writing this I can almost feel my total childish horror/panic at that experience. It is an abhorrent activity, I loved the costumes, the music, the pageantry, the horses and the bulls, but the torture and death are revolting and inhuman.
To stave off the horror of the experience, someone bought me Ferdinand the Bull, the Bull who sat and smelt the flowers and refused to fight so was released into a meadow to spend the rest of his years. I have loved that book ever since.
Humans are ferociously addicted to killing – including other humans – just look at the latest murder figures; wars and violent conflicts around the world; the unborn and the different etc. Animals are an easy alternative and tend not to fight back. I applaud the ones that do.
As is the case with most anglo-saxons, there is here a confusion over the realities of the classical Spanish corrida. The use of the word “sport” is entirely out of place; the corrida is not, and never has been, a sport. The cruelty to animals argument is at best unfounded. A fighting bull exists only for the corrida. The breed has no other economic importance, and would quickly die out were the corrida to be banned. So to ‘save’ these creatures we should promote their fairly rapid extinction ? This to me seems absurd, especially if one adds that a toro bravo lives peacably in free range conditions until the age of four years, rather longer and in much better conditions than his bovine cousins raised for beef. The payment is about 15 minutes in the arena, uncomfortable perhaps, but at least doing what he was bred to do. Given the choice, I know which option I would choose.
That’s my point. You have put it eloquently. Milk cows have an even worst existence by the way.
I have been to a couple of bullfights in France, in Les Stes Maries de la Mer and Arles – both were Course Camarguaise, were hugely entertaining parts of vibrant festivals and definitely gave the bulls a huge advantage, especially the older specimens who seemed to have learnt ..! No bulls died but I suspect a couple of human competitors have come close.
I have also regularly enjoyed the Fete du Taureau held in St Jean de Luz every September. No bull is ever harmed as none is involved. 4 sturdy humans march around the town square carrying a whicker bulls head to which fireworks are attached. The locals, loaded with steak and copious amounts of red wine, light the fireworks as the head passes through the throng – how anyone or any property survives remains a mystery (the UK HSE would have a thrombie at the mere thought of such a festival!)
Spain? Latin America? I think the title is completely false.