Murcia, September 13: A post-feria fiesta
I left Albacete’s feria for a day in order to see Jorge Martínez’s debut as a matador de toros in his home town of Murcia, initially alongside Rafaelillo and Daniel Luque, although the latter - still not sufficiently recovered from the injuries he received at El Puerto de Santa María despite a reappearance in the Arles September feria - was replaced once more by Fernando Adrián. It turned out to be a good decision, as at Albacete the Núñez del Cuvillo and Luis Algarra bulls selected for Diego Urdiales, Manzanares and Alejandro Talavante were so poor nothing worthwhile was possible, while we had an entertaining evening in Murcia which included one important performance.
With Murcia’s feria officially over the day before with the completion of the Romería de la Fuensanta, the attendance at the corrida was poor, mainly comprising followers of the two local toreros on the bill. Rafaelillo got things off to a start by meeting his first impressive-looking bull from La Palmosilla a puerta gayola. Beside the boards, two largas cambiadas de rodillas followed before Rafa stood for verónicas. Come the faena, the bull proved tricky on its left horn and there were a couple of desarmes, an animated matador grinning at the crowd even when things went wrong! On the right hand, there were some fine single passes and one excellent linked tanda. Rafaelillo killed with two pinchazos and an estocada and was applauded for his efforts.
The next two bulls looked more like novillos after their predecessor’s appearance. Fernando Adrián’s bull hooked with its right horn, so he based most of his faena on the left, making the case once again for a regular feria spot. I thought a poor crosswise estocada and two descabellos had lost him the ear, but the president saw fit to give way to a minority petition. Jorge Martínez produced some nice opening capework and an exciting sequence of capotazos in a quite begun with tafalleras. The youngster went on to give a calm faena of fine series to a short-charging animal, killed with a pinchazo and estocada, and continued to have a serious look on his face as he took a vuelta with the bull’s ear in his hand, the crowd chanting “Torero!”
The same shouts were heard at the end of Rafaelillo’s subsequent faena, although the toreo was a sharp contrast. There were more largas cambiadas de rodillas before the verónicas; muletazos from on the knees at the start of the faena; and kneeling molinetes in its middle. This bull had looked good in the opening tercios and Rafa made the most of it, delighting his audience. Two attempts were needed with the estoque. I thought an ear was merited: the crowd demanded - and got - two.
Fernando Adrián had adjusted to the prevailing fiesta atmosphere by the time his second palmosilla entered the ring, meeting it on his knees before rising for verónicas. After his banderilleros, Marcos Prieto and Diego Valladar, won applause for their work, he dedicated to the public and got down on his knees once again, citing the bull to the centre of the ring, where he passed it with temple. Back on his feet, more good series followed, although the torero was twice almost caught on his opponent’s horns. He finished his performance with a pinchazo and estocada, all worth, I thought, a further ear: the madrileño got two.
The best was left to last, the 528-kilo ‘Papeloso’ entering the ring and being met with wonderful verónicas and a media from Jorge Martínez. It was clear this was a fine bull and, after a light pic, Jorge dedicated its faena to the ganadero. What followed was excellent - opening pases ayudados, then calm and templados series on either hand, with a kneeling desplante and manoletinas to finish. After a pinchazo and estocada, ‘Papeloso’ embarked upon a long death, an aviso sounding, but the president not letting this get in the way of a deserved award of two ears.
And so, for the third time in my last four days, all three toreros were carried out of the plaza on shoulders. Hopefully, we will see more of Jorge Martínez (this was only his second corrida) in 2024.