Bullfighting
A blog space for informed commentary on the corrida past and present
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Recent Posts
Arles’ 2024 Easter Feria
Valencia Valuations
Mr Consistent
La Magdalena 2024 (Part II): Una Plata Fuerte Un Poco Flojo
La Magdalena 2024 (Part I): An aperitivo of four mixed dishes
The most interesting cartel of this year’s Olivenza feria
Bullfights return to Lorca
Rutas del Toro
A restored Feria de San Isidro
Chapeau!
First you see it: now you don’t!
La Copa Chenel expands
The missing man
Return of the ‘tulios’
Colombian toreros deserving more opportunities
Battle lines drawn?
11 novilleros showing promise (2023 Season Review Pt4)
Setbacks (2023 Season Review Pt3)
Showing strongly (2023 Season Review Pt2)
The year’s top toreros (2023 Season Review Pt1)
JOSELITO, THE REAL DEAL
“The most important book published by a matador since the autobiography of the legendary Juan Belmonte… Joselito’s story has lost nothing in Brian Harding’s translation.”
Abandoned by his mother, and with a father in and out of prison, Joselito learns values through bullfighting that help him become a better person and save him from the Madrid underworld and the tragic fate of many of his childhood friends.
With a foreword by Tristan Wood.
Blog Archive
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October 2020
- Oct 26, 2020 “You should see him before he’s killed…”
- Oct 27, 2020 Antonio Ferrera’s Badajoz encerrona: Past - Present - Future?
- Oct 28, 2020 Looking Back: 4 Men, 1 Week, Madrid Autumn 2019
- Oct 29, 2020 France thinks ahead
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November 2020
- Nov 2, 2020 Las Ventas in limbo
- Nov 19, 2020 Málaga breaks the mould
- Nov 20, 2020 Lagartijo’s ‘modern faena’ of 1885
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December 2020
- Dec 21, 2020 A Temporada Like No Other (2020 Season Review - Pt1)
- Dec 21, 2020 Matador Winners and Losers (2020 Season Review Pt2)
- Dec 21, 2020 Novillero Winners and Losers (2020 Season Review Pt3)
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January 2021
- Jan 30, 2021 Not radical enough
- Jan 30, 2021 A New History of Bullfighting
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February 2021
- Feb 20, 2021 Afeitado
- Feb 21, 2021 Signs of life
- Feb 26, 2021 No, bullfighting is not art
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March 2021
- Mar 23, 2021 ‘Toros & Toreros’ Extra (1): Pedrito de Portugal
- Mar 23, 2021 ‘Toros & Toreros’ Extra (2): Curro Romero
- Mar 23, 2021 Change in the air in Sevilla?
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April 2021
- Apr 23, 2021 ‘Toros & Toreros’ Extra (3): Roberto Domínguez
- Apr 23, 2021 ‘Toros & Toreros’ Extra (4): Julio Aparicio Díaz
- Apr 23, 2021 Whither Novilladas?
- Apr 30, 2021 Escuelas taurinas
- Apr 30, 2021 On the crest of a wave
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May 2021
- May 12, 2021 Preview of a streamed San Isidro
- May 29, 2021 A breakthrough in putting on novilladas
- May 29, 2021 Reflections on Vistalegre’s San Isidro
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June 2021
- Jun 25, 2021 ‘Toros & Toreros’ Extra (5): Javier Conde
- Jun 25, 2021 Television and los toros
- Jun 25, 2021 Vive la France!
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July 2021
- Jul 1, 2021 Four faenas: one common factor
- Jul 1, 2021 Farewell, Enrique?
- Jul 22, 2021 Torista plazas to the fore
- Jul 22, 2021 What kills magazines
- Jul 22, 2021 Morante widens his scope
- Jul 28, 2021 Not missing (but still missing) Santander
- Jul 28, 2021 Casas retains Valencia at a high price
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August 2021
- Aug 10, 2021 The Casta Jijona, Vicente Martínez and the Quintas brothers
- Aug 10, 2021 El Puerto’s true triunfador
- Aug 24, 2021 ‘Toros & Toreros’ Extra (6): Manolo Martínez
- Aug 24, 2021 La Copa Chenel - a worthwhile initiative
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September 2021
- Sep 6, 2021 Conflict at Villaseca de la Sagra
- Sep 9, 2021 Albacete Sept.8: Nearly a vulgar Puerta Grande
- Sep 10, 2021 Albacete Sept.9: Destructive swordwork
- Sep 12, 2021 Albacete Sept.10: Disastrous bulls from Daniel Ruiz
- Sep 12, 2021 Valladolid Sept.11: An unforgettable afternoon
- Sep 13, 2021 Salamanca Sept.12: Morante entertains and Marcos triumphs with galaches
- Sep 15, 2021 Tordesillas Sept.13: Garcigrandes for modestos
- Sep 15, 2021 Albacete Sept.14: A brave and genuine mano a mano
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October 2021
- Oct 9, 2021 Las Ventas - cathedral or museum piece?
- Oct 9, 2021 Looking back on an historic Feria de San Miguel
- Oct 14, 2021 Madrid’s 2021 temporada
- Oct 25, 2021 The subsidy argument
- Oct 25, 2021 Forgotten matador wins la Copa Chenel
- November 2021
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December 2021
- Dec 2, 2021 Diving deep into afición
- Dec 2, 2021 Changes at the top (2021 Season Review Pt3)
- Dec 20, 2021 Bulls at El Batán
- Dec 20, 2021 Regular performers and disappointments (2021 Season Review Pt4)
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January 2022
- Jan 11, 2022 Difficult times - and worse to come?(2021 Season Review Pt5)
- Jan 11, 2022 Resurrection in Colombia
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February 2022
- Feb 3, 2022 Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
- Feb 3, 2022 How do they do it?
- Feb 23, 2022 At last - a tender that puts tauromaquia first
- Feb 23, 2022 10 questions for Sevilla’s Feria de Abril
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March 2022
- Mar 15, 2022 Unjustifiably marginalised - two approaches towards Madrid
- Mar 15, 2022 San Isidro: bullfighting’s showcase returns
- Mar 29, 2022 2022 Copa Chenel attracts controversy
- Mar 29, 2022 Early season pointers from the Comunidad Valenciana
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April 2022
- Apr 12, 2022 A triumph of the spectacle
- Apr 26, 2022 Disruption of Madrid’s temporada looks likely
- Apr 26, 2022 Modernising bullfighting’s implements
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May 2022
- May 11, 2022 Reflections on Sevilla
- May 16, 2022 San Isidro, May 15: A matter of timing
- May 17, 2022 San Isidro, May 16: If it’s excitement you’re after, Fonseca’s your man
- May 18, 2022 San Isidro, May 17: Not quite a funeral
- May 19, 2022 San Isidro, May 18: Misalignment
- May 20, 2022 San Isidro, May 19: Madrileños on their feet for Roca Rey
- May 21, 2022 San Isidro, May 20: A masterpiece by one, the Puerta Grande for another
- May 22, 2022 San Isidro, May 21: Not enough to continue as before
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June 2022
- Jun 16, 2022 ¡La Fiesta vive! San Isidro 2022
- Jun 16, 2022 Belmonte v. Joselito in the 21st century
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July 2022
- Jul 17, 2022 Bullfighting’s long, slow death
- Jul 17, 2022 100 years ago - corruption and poverty surrounding Manuel Granero’s death
- Jul 17, 2022 La Copa Chenel declares a winner and heads for the courts
- Jul 22, 2022 Mont de Marsan, July 21: Not everything is black or white
- Jul 23, 2022 Mont de Marsan, July 22: The cuadris meet expectations
- Jul 24, 2022 Mont de Marsan, July 23: Excellent Philippe Cuillé novillos and La Quinta toros
- Jul 26, 2022 Orthez & Mont de Marsan, July 24: Miuras are miuras - and Pedrazas de Yeltes are special too
- Jul 27, 2022 Santander, July 25: Morante and Urdiales delight in a corrida del arte
- Jul 27, 2022 Santander, July 26: A ‘toreo light’ encerrona
- Jul 29, 2022 Santander, July 27: All present
- Jul 29, 2022 Bilbao, July 28: Coached to success
- Jul 31, 2022 Santander, July 29: A great faena doesn’t necessarily mean a great bull
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August 2022
- Aug 1, 2022 Azpeitia, July 30: It all comes good in the end
- Aug 2, 2022 Azpeitia, July 31: Spectacle from Ferrera and plaudits for Galdós
- Aug 3, 2022 Azpeitia, August 1: The day Morante came to town
- Aug 31, 2022 Cuadrillas bear brunt of attempt to make novilladas financially viable
- Aug 31, 2022 An unsuccessful attempt to destroy Gallito’s legacy
- Aug 31, 2022 Juan Antonio Arévalo - a socialist contributor to La Fiesta
- Aug 31, 2022 Ten toreros having a good summer
- September 2022
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October 2022
- Oct 3, 2022 Analysis of “a faenón”
- Oct 12, 2022 Abellán in the dock
- Oct 12, 2022 A great taurine writer has left us
- Oct 31, 2022 Changes in future bullfight streaming?
- Oct 31, 2022 All too familiar
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November 2022
- Nov 25, 2022 ¡20 alternativas 20! (2022 Season Review Pt1)
- Nov 25, 2022 French lessons in protecting the corrida
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December 2022
- Dec 7, 2022 The year’s triunfadores (2022 Season Review Pt2)
- Dec 7, 2022 Distinguished performers & dis-appointments (2022 Season Review Pt3)
- Dec 16, 2022 On comebacks
- Dec 16, 2022 A fine crop of novilleros (2022 Season Review Pt4)
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January 2023
- Jan 6, 2023 Cali, Colombia and César Rincón
- Jan 19, 2023 El Cordobés’ career as seen from inside Spain
- Jan 19, 2023 Chances to see some of Mexico’s most talented matadors
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February 2023
- Feb 2, 2023 San Isidro 2023 - a disservice to tauromaquia
- Feb 2, 2023 La Copa Chenel spreads its wings
- Feb 22, 2023 Whatever happened to the atanasios?
- Feb 22, 2023 The empresas reorganise
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March 2023
- Mar 15, 2023 Afternoons with Thomas Dufau
- Mar 15, 2023 At the price of gold
- Mar 15, 2023 More challenges ahead!
- Mar 15, 2023 A name to look out for
- Mar 29, 2023 Early season pointers to the temporada
- Mar 29, 2023 Preventing corridas with shaved horns
- Mar 29, 2023 How do you become a figura?
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April 2023
- Apr 3, 2023 The good, the not so good and the reprehensible at La Magdalena
- Apr 4, 2023 Competition at Arenas de San Pedro
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May 2023
- May 2, 2023 Bullfighting’s new implements put to the test
- May 2, 2023 Three stupidities
- May 2, 2023 Sevilla’s 10 best faenas
- May 11, 2023 San Isidro, May 10: Remember Madrid?
- May 11, 2023 San Isidro, May 11: Memory and Recompense
- May 13, 2023 San Isidro, May 12: Missed Opportunities
- May 15, 2023 San Isidro, May 13: Ginés moves up a gear
- May 15, 2023 San Isidro, May 15 (matinal): Marco Pérez enraptures Las Ventas
- May 16, 2023 San Isidro, May 15 (tarde): Perera waves goodbye to a Madrid ear
- May 18, 2023 San Isidro, May 17: Another cold Monumental evening
- May 20, 2023 San Isidro, May 18: Moments of majesty, but no coronation
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June 2023
- Jun 1, 2023 Impressions from la trama final de San Isidro 2023 (Part I)
- Jun 5, 2023 Is El Batán fit for purpose?
- Jun 5, 2023 Impressions from la trama final de San Isidro 2023 (Part II)
- Jun 9, 2023 Impressions from la trama final de San Isidro 2023 (Part III)
- Jun 23, 2023 Toreo by the rulebook
- Jun 26, 2023 On recent controversies
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July 2023
- Jul 21, 2023 “A complete disaster”
- Jul 21, 2023 Pamplona’s ears
- Jul 21, 2023 Claims, hints and silence on wound treatment in France
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August 2023
- Aug 6, 2023 Worrying figures
- Aug 6, 2023 El Juli’s evolution
- Aug 6, 2023 Ceniciento’s August feria in danger
- Aug 26, 2023 “No thought for bullfighting’s future”
- Aug 26, 2023 Impressions of Bilbao’s Corridas Generales de Aste Nagusia 2023 (Part I)
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September 2023
- Sep 2, 2023 Impressions of Bilbao’s Corridas Generales de Aste Nagusia 2023 (Part II)
- Sep 2, 2023 The life and times of El Ruedo
- Sep 8, 2023 Valladolid, September 7: Getting from A to B
- Sep 9, 2023 Valladolid, September 8: An interesting and fond farewell
- Sep 10, 2023 Valladolid, September 9: Juan Ortega, triunfador
- Sep 11, 2023 Valladolid, September 10: Everyone out on shoulders
- Sep 23, 2023 Albacete, September 11: A similar result, but for different reasons
- Sep 23, 2023 Albacete, September 12: Differing ways to triumph
- Sep 23, 2023 Murcia, September 13: A post-feria fiesta
- Sep 23, 2023 Albacete, September 14: Over and unrewarded
- Sep 24, 2023 Albacete, September 15: The King is dead; long live the King?
- Sep 24, 2023 Albacete, September 16: ¡4 faenones 4!
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October 2023
- Oct 13, 2023 How many subalternos are needed for a corrida de toros?
- Oct 13, 2023 Zaragoza’s Feria del Pilar 2023 (Part I)
- Oct 18, 2023 Zaragoza’s Feria del Pilar 2023 (Part II)
- Oct 18, 2023 2024: Decision time for the empresas
- Oct 25, 2023 Problems in Madrid’s corrales
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November 2023
- Nov 7, 2023 Interviews with taurinos
- Nov 7, 2023 Changes the presidents would like to see
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December 2023
- Dec 12, 2023 The year’s top toreros (2023 Season Review Pt1)
- Dec 12, 2023 Showing strongly (2023 Season Review Pt2)
- Dec 12, 2023 Setbacks (2023 Season Review Pt3)
- Dec 23, 2023 11 novilleros showing promise (2023 Season Review Pt4)
- Dec 23, 2023 Battle lines drawn?
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January 2024
- Jan 13, 2024 Colombian toreros deserving more opportunities
- Jan 13, 2024 Return of the ‘tulios’
- Jan 22, 2024 The missing man
- Jan 31, 2024 La Copa Chenel expands
- Jan 31, 2024 First you see it: now you don’t!
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February 2024
- Feb 2, 2024 Chapeau!
- Feb 2, 2024 A restored Feria de San Isidro
- Feb 23, 2024 Rutas del Toro
- Feb 23, 2024 Bullfights return to Lorca
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March 2024
- Mar 10, 2024 The most interesting cartel of this year’s Olivenza feria
- Mar 10, 2024 La Magdalena 2024 (Part I): An aperitivo of four mixed dishes
- Mar 17, 2024 La Magdalena 2024 (Part II): Una Plata Fuerte Un Poco Flojo
- Mar 27, 2024 Mr Consistent
- Mar 27, 2024 Valencia Valuations
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April 2024
- Apr 4, 2024 Arles’ 2024 Easter Feria