Monday, May 24, 2010

Corrida de la Plaza de Toros de Sevilla

Though bullfighting season begins on Easter Sunday, the height of the annual hype occurs during the week of Feria when bullfights (corridas) are held daily, always starting promptly at 6:30pm. Corridas typically involve three matadors facing six bulls; two bulls for each matador. Points are awarded on style and are given at the end of the fight in the form of one or two ears, plus the tail in rare circumstances. Before a matador goes head to head with a bull, the animal faces a picador, on horseback with a spear, and two or three bandilleros, on foot with smaller colored daggers. At the end the animal is drawn by horses to the butcher.

This was my third bullfight, and I can honestly say I'm beginning to note the differences in the crowd and quality of the matadors. Sadly, by all marks this was mediocre corrida. The band only gave music, a privilege for a matador performing well, once for a picador and then a secondtime for one of the matadors. In all fairness, it was a young bunch; one matador was only 20 years old!

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