San Fermin

This week is the feria de San Fermin, the feast for the patron saint of Pamplona. The news will be splashed with video of fools running with the bulls. And there will be the usual whimpering of the PETA bunch about the cruelty of the "sport" and the need to outlaw this inhumanity once and for all. That simply reflects typical American ignorance.

First, let's stipulate that bull-fighting isn't a sport. It is art. It is theater. It is life and death on a bold stage with both blood and beauty. It is not a sport.

The fighting bull is not Bossy from Uncle Bubba's south forty. He is a special product, destined expressly for the ring and bred to develop the strength, stamina, courage and agility to support the spectacle. By law a fighting bull for a Class A ring must be over four years old. Bulls that are older are generally more dangerous and not desired for the best venues. Small towns on low budgets might occasionally purchase five or even six year old bulls. Top matadors don't relish facing such bulls because they are risky and don't display well.

The corrida is a ritual, from the first note of the trumpet to the final triumphant circuit of the ring by the successful matador and his entourage. When the parade enters the ring, they are led by the aguaciles in black costume on horseback--the referees if you will and rule enforcers. Then the matadors, three usually, in a line based on their seniority, left to right. If a matador is carrying his hat, it is his first visit to this ring. They are followed by their supporting group, the quadrille: capers, banderilleros and finally picadors on horseback.

The junior matador will face the first bull. The toril gate is opened by an aguacile and the bull enters an empty ring. He should rush into the ring and directly into the center to take charge of his territory.

The quadrille will emerge with capes to move the bull and then the matador will come forth. He should perform several artistic capings, many of them distinct and with individual names like Veronica, Mariposa and Chicuelina. When he has demonstrated the bull's courage and soundness he will then maneuver the bull to face a picador.

The bull ring is marked with two concentric rings on the sand. There is a gap of about three meters between the rings. The picador positions outside the outer ring and the matador should maneuver the bull to face the picador no closer than the inner ring. The bull should charge the picador's horse.

The pic is a long lance with a pyramidal point. It has a cross-bar to prevent over-penetration and will bear a paper bound behind the crossbear which is a state license certifying the dimensions and that the pic has not been treated with any drugs or chemicals. The bull should thrust against the pain of the pic and the picador should resist, but not overtly punish or excessively weaken the bull.

The bull should face the pic at least twice, but a brave and courageous bull may be demonstrated by a skilled matador increasing the distance of the charge with careful caping and may extend to four or more pics.

The second tercio of three acts of the bullfight is the placing of the banderillas. These are barbed sticks roughly three feet long and decorated with brightly colored paper. The barbs are about an inch long. In Spain this is usually done by a member of the quadrille, but Mexican bull-fighters and some more dramatic Spanish matadors will place their own sticks. Properly done, the man will be extended well over the lowered head of the bull and will not circle off to the side. Occasionally the matador will break the sticks down to a six inch stub requiring a much closer reach to place them. I once saw Pacquirri place three sets of banderillas from a fixed position standing on a handkerchief in the ring and calling the bull to him rather than the typical running approach.

The final tercio or faena brings forth the muletta and sword. While the cape is large, yellow and magenta, the muletta is small, blood red and with a short stiffener stick embedded to grasp with one hand. Here is where the artistry is displayed. The control, the grace, the courage of man and bull are on display. The length depends upon the players and the crowd. It can be magnificent or pathetic. When great it will be memorable.



Finally, the moment of truth. The bull is placed, the matador positions in front at a distance of about ten feet and takes aim with the sword. The sword is steel with a triangular cross-section blade with a slight downward curve in the six inches by the point. It has a short hilt and a cork ball padded in flannel on the end to shield the hand slightly.

The kill may be made with the matador running to the bull and extending over the horns to place the sword at the top of the spine just at the shoulder where it can reach to penetrate the heart. If the bull shows courage, the kill may be poder-a-poder or force-to-force with bull charging to meet the man. The rarest kill is recibiendo or receiving the charge of the bull while immobile. The matador stands stationary and receives with the sword. I've only seen it once.

It is bloody. It is disappointing more often than not. But when you see a great performance and you know what you have seen, you will be hooked for life.