Although just 17 ears were cut in the 24 corridas de toros that comprised the bulk of this year’s Feria de San Isidro (12 less than when the feria was last held in 2019) and only two matadors were carried through the Puerta Grande, San Isidro 2022 was an enjoyable feria on several fronts - the large numbers of matadors who performed strongly, the novilleros who showed remarkable promise after two years of their having very few chances to perform, and the popularity of the spectacle, with 11 ‘no hay billetes’, an average attendance of 80% of the bullring’s capacity and a marked increase in the numbers of young spectators. It showed that, after two years of struggling through the pandemic and in the face of political opprobrium, the Fiesta in Madrid (and, indeed, in Spain) is still very much alive. Disappointments included the amount of poor swordwork and the few outstanding bulls, with just one animal - a novillo - in the month-long feria deemed worthy of a vuelta en arrastre, and then only by the president.

Great faenas

A feature of this year’s San Isidro was that most of the really great faenas went unrewarded, let down by defective use of the estoque. El Juli was the producer of two of these. The first came with his second La Quinta bull on May 11, after the madrileño had already won an ear with some fine toreo on his first animal. ‘Gañafote’ was a more demanding adversary, Julián having to stay close to the bull and keep the muleta in its face to secure series, but managing tandas of naturales and derechazos, the final very slow muletazos with the left hand bringing the crowd to its feet. Three attempts with the estoque followed by a descabello saw El Juli break down in tears in the callejón before taking a vuelta.

*El Juli curving the bull round him during his May 20 faenón*

As a result of this performance, Tendido 7’s attitude towards the torero - one that has been antagonistic over the years - changed, and it was this part of the ring that led the applause to bring Julián out to take saludos at the start of his following appearance on May 20. The plaza was treated to another great El Juli faena on his second garcigrande (see my San Isidro May 20 report) which again brought the crowd to its feet in delight and astonishment. This was a lengthy affair that grew better as it went on. Once again, however, Julián’s swordwork let him down, two avisos sounded, and it ended in his taking another vuelta of the ring.

*Andrés Roca Rey impressed in his May 19 corrida*

Another great faena of the feria occurred the previous day at the hands of Andrés Roca Rey (see my San Isidro May 19 report). This was the young Peruvian’s first of two San Isidro appearances, on this occasion facing Victoriano del Río bulls in the company of Manzanares and confirmante Fernando Adrián. In an afternoon of disappointing bulls, Andrés produced a faenón with the last manso and halting animal of the day, achieving superb series and an extensive sequence of arrimón - not the abusive type of single-pass arrimón one often sees, but the matador standing close and still producing tandas through creative combinations of muletazos. Three pinchazos meant it all ended with two avisos and simply a standing ovation.

*Morante de la Puebla (seen here at Albacete in 2009) gave his best-ever Madrid performance*

Plaza 1’s judging panel and la Unión de Abonados y Aficionados Taurinos de Madrid deemed the second faena of Morante de la Puebla in the June 1 Corrida de la Beneficencia to be the best of the feria. It was also said to be Morante’s best-ever Madrid faena. Certainly, it contained the element of surprise; the alcurrucén ‘Pelucón’ had shown no promise at all in the opening two tercios, but Morante began the faena with pases por alto and found the bull to be a willing accomplice after all. The sevillano went on to give classic series on either hand, showing his unique style and passing the bull closely and con temple. There was surprise at the end too when Morante chose to prolong things before the kill with some splendid muletazos con pies juntos. An honest entry with the sword resulted in a poorly-placed estoque, and more than one attempt with the descabello followed. The spectators still petitioned successfully for the award of an ear.

Puerta grandes achieved

Prior to the feria starting, few would have forecast that it would be two relatively new matadors who would be carried out of Las Ventas on shoulders. Tomás Rufo (adjudged feria triunfador by the Real Casino de Madrid and by el Círculo Taurino Amigos de la Dinastía Bienvenida) was perhaps less of a surprise given his string of successful performances since taking the alternativa last September, but the triumph of Ángel Téllez (who took the alternativa at Guadalajara in April 2019 and was proclaimed feria triunfador by Plaza 1’s judges and la Unión de Abonados y Aficionados Taurinos de Madrid) was a real bolt from the blue.

*Tomás Rufo on his way to the Puerta Grande on May 20*

Tomás Rufo came to Las Ventas to confirm his alternativa on May 20 just two and a half weeks after opening up la Maestranza’s Puerta del Príncipe on his Sevilla debut as a matador de toros. The toledano performed well with his first, unpredictable, garcigrande, although his second faena to an animal that was reluctant to come to the cloth, was patchier in quality. There was no doubting his ability to construct curving pases templados, however, nor his commitment with the sword, and a supportive crowd gave him an ear from each bull to provide him with his second consecutive exit through the Puerta Grande (his previous one as a novillero). He also cut an ear from a bull of El Puerto de San Lorenzo on his second feria appearance on June 3, many of the spectators petitioning for a second apendice, which would have meant another departure through the Puerta Grande.

Ángel Téllez’s May 27 Puerta Grande exit came about thanks to a strong performance from the youngster 10 days earlier that encouraged Plaza 1 to offer him this substitution for the injured Emilio de Justo. That first corrida (see my San Isidro May 17 report) had seen petitions arise at the end of each of his faenas, the strongest being for his work with his initial noble Arauz de Robles bull, protracted swordwork (and the president) denying him its ear. On May 27, the toledano was more assured, his toreo - like Rufo’s - rooted in producing pases templados, and more relaxed, enabling him to cope with more demanding animals. He won an ear off each of his bulls, one carrying the divisa of Victoriano del Río, the other the sister brand of Toros de Cortés, for a totally unexpected Puerta Grande that should serve him well for the rest of this season.

Puerta grandes denied

There were two actuaciones where only the president’s opinion denied matadors a Puerta Grande triumph.

Tomás Rufo’s second faena on June 3 has already been mentioned. Earlier, Román was unlucky not to win an ear off each of his Luis Algarra bulls in the so-called ‘Corrida de la Juventud’ on May 28. The valenciano brought off excellent series in a well-structured faena to his first hard-charger before killing well. His second animal was a ferocious beast, Román showing his bravery as he withstood its charges to manage passes of understandably variable quality. Then, whilst being passed on its left horn, the bull caught him, inflicting a cornada in his right leg. Román returned, producing further naturales before killing with a perpendicular estocada. The crowd wanted a further ear awarded before he left for the infirmary, but the president opted not to show a handerchief.

Puerta grandes lost

Curro Díaz very nearly cut two ears in his sole feria appearance (see my San Isidro May 15 report). Facing the two best bulls from El Parralejo, at the end of his first faena, he lost a possible ear with the sword, resulting in a minority petition. However, he did win an ear on his third bull of the afternoon, covering for an injured Ginés Marín, with some fine series and characteristic detalles.

*Joselito Adame post-cogida on his sole San Isidro afternoon*

Joselito Adame would have likely won an ear off each of his bulls on May 17 had it not been for his needing more than one attempt with the estoque to kill each animal. The Mexican also had the disadvantages of opening the day’s proceedings and having his first animal substituted. His initial faena was short but intense, while his second was overshadowed by a tremendous cogida at its start, Adame doing well to recover and produce excellent muletazos: after further disappointment with the sword, he took an emotional vuelta. The afternoon didn’t turn out to be the springboard to Spain’s summer ferias his entourage were hoping for, although he has since been announced as a participant in Pamplona’s Feria de San Fermín.

*Sergio Serrano with a victorino at Albacete, 2021*

In the final corrida of the feria, Sergio Serrano drew what the Plaza 1 panel considered to be the best bull of San Isidro, ‘Garañuelo’ of Victorino Martín, meeting it a portagayola and getting rolled in the process. Come the faena, the bull followed the cloth beautifully and Serrano was able to achieve several series of low passes, his naturales, together with a lovely closing tanda of half-kneeling muletazos, winning acclaim. Poor swordwork, however, cost him a possible two ears.

Single ear-winners

*Álvaro Lorenzo with an El Parralejo bull on May 15*

Álvaro Lorenzo won a second appearance in the feria having cut an ear from a Montalvo bull after a decent faena in the opening corrida of San Isidro on May 8. Along with that ear came a 15cm goring in his right leg, but the toledano nevertheless took up his second opportunity a week later, facing bulls of El Parralejo, and cut a further ear after short series, bernadinas and a strong estocada to his second animal of the afternoon. With an ear also cut in Sevilla’s Feria de Abril, 2022 has seen a strong start to his temporada.

*Javier Cortés on his second San Isidro afternoon*

Javier Cortés was another torero to benefit from a substitution thanks to a strong opening performance in the feria. On May 10, on his return to the ring where he almost lost an eye in 2019, he cut an ear from his opening El Pilar bull, constructing a fine faena and killing strongly. In his second corrida, facing pedrazas (see my San Isidro May 18 report), he very nearly won a second ear, but an overlong faena brought difficulties with the estoque.

Confirming his alternativa on May 22, Leo Valadez impressed with his attitude and toreo all afternoon and won an ear from the final Matilla bull of the day after producing some exquisite naturales, suffering a cogida and killing well. It remains to be seen whether this outcome will result in more contracts for the young Mexican in Europe or his homeland.

Gómez del Pilar was awarded an ear from his first José Escolar bull on May 31. This was probably the most difficult string of bulls in the feria (one group of young aficionados and also el Círculo Taurino Amigos de la Dinastía Bienvenida decided it was the best encierro of the feria!), and Noe did well to engage with that animal, putting himself at risk as he brought off short series with the muleta. A cogida during naturales and an estoconazo led to a merited oreja. Trying for the Puerta Grande by meeting his second bull a portagayola, Gómez del Pilar received a 20cm goring and could take no further part in the proceedings.

Juan Leal tried his hardest to win an exit through the Puerta Grande on June 2. The Frenchman has his own particular take on toreo, epitomised by faena starts on his knees, but he can torear, and this day he showed he can produce decent naturales as well as stand calmly close to the bull’s horns before taking the animal past him. An estoconazo downed his first fuenteymbro for an ear, and he coped well with his second, more complicated, bull, before killing with a half sword and two descabellos, taking saludos to an ovation. Thanks to the cornada inflicted on Rafael González on his alternativa, Leal still had one more bull to face. This was a difficult, hooking animal, mundotoro describing Leal’s faena as “puro valor… no apta para cardiacos”. It ended with an estocada tendida, two avisos and silence.

Veteran matador of toros duros, Rafaelillo won an ear in the June 4 corrida of bulls from Adolfo Martín. His first adolfo permitted toreo con temple and Rafaelillo made the most of what, for him, is a rare opportunity, and killed well to claim its ear. Another fine estocada followed with his second bull, an animal it was impossible to do well with in the faena.

Alejandro Talavante and Paco Ureña also cut single ears, but in different circumstances, which I’ll return to below.

Novilleros

*Álvaro Alarcón on his way to the Puerta Grande (photo from contrabarrera6.es)*

A welcome suprise of this year’s San Isidro was the number of novilleros who performed well after two years of near inactivity. Prior to May 23, no one would have thought that Álvaro Alarcón would cut three ears and leave through the Puerta Grande, but that is what the short, enthusiastic toledano (by coincidence, all three feria toreros a pie who left through the Puerta Grande this San Isidro come from Toledo Province) achieved. After some promising verónicas to his first animal, Alarcón dedicated to the public and, beginning with a cartucho de pescado in the centre of the arena, went straight to his left hand for series of naturales. Tandas of derechazos and an estocada caída followed, for an ear to be given. Then two ears were won off his second Fuente Ymbro bull in a faena that focused mainly on the right horn but included estatuarios and trincheras and was closed with a strong sword.

*Isaac Fonseca in a memorable, but trophy-less, performance*

Isaac Fonseca was the other novillero that, despite winning no apendices, had the madrileños talking for days after his feria appearance (see my San Isidro May 16 report). Prior to his second Conde de Mayalde novillo, the Mexican had only been able to show his talent with the capote, but with this animal he got down on his knees for some risky muletazos at the start of the faena before going on to produce stretched derechazos and naturales, curving the bull’s trajectory. After his three attempts with the estoque, a majority of the crowd still petitioned for an ear to be awarded, but the president understandably decided otherwise. Six days later, Fonseca cut two ears in Sevilla. His alternativa has been set for Dax in August.

In the feria’s opening novillada on May 9, the Mexican Arturo Gilio Jr. made a strong impression with the critics, who felt he was hard done by with minority petitions after meritorious faenas, the second of which ended in a nasty 25cm cornada just above the left ankle as he delivered the estocada.

A single ear was cut by Manuel Diosleguarde, whose alternativa has since been announced at Santander in July. The Salamancan showed his experience with one classy, and one professional, faena on the afternoon of Alarcón’s triumph. Jorge Martínez was also deserving of an ear after putting his life on the line and bringing off passes with the worst of the Fuente Ymbro novillos, but an insensitive president opted to ignore the majority petition.

Álvaro Burdiel also impressed. 23 years old, born in Sevilla but living at Pozuelo de Alarcón since he was a child, he is managed by Ortega Cano and proved a suitably sober contrast to the vibrant toreo of Isaac Fonseca on the Conde de Mayalde afternoon.

Other aspects

The other 37 toreros on foot taking part in the feria came away with very little to boast about. This includes Alejandro Talavante - even though he won an ear on his opening appearance - whom, you’ll recall, had the feria built around his four-afternoon Spanish comeback, proved largely insipid. It will be interesting to see how his temporada pans out given the non-event of his Madrid return. The encerrona of Paco Ureña was also disappointing, as many had feared beforehand, with just one ear cut off six bulls - an insufficient tally to lift the sidelined murciano’s season.

Notable strings of bulls came from Garcigrande and La Quinta plus the Conde de Mayalde and Fuente Ymbro novillos. Particularly noteworthy animals were La Quinta’s ‘Gañafote’, fought by El Juli on May 11; El Parralejo’s ‘Majadero’, killed by Curro Díaz on May 15; José Escolar’s ‘Vinatero’, faced by Gómez del Pilar on May 31; Alcurrucén’s ‘Pelucón’, from which Morante de la Puebla cut an ear on June 1; and Victorino Martín’s ‘Garañuelo’, drawn by Sergio Serrano on June 5. However, in general, the bulls were bland and descastados, frequently manso, and there were also occasional problems with their presentation.

Comments were made during and after the feria by some taurine critics about spectators’ readiness to see triumphs. It seems to me that, when discussing a spectacle regarded as the people’s fiesta, it’s a bit rich to then criticise the public’s enthusiasm in the bullring. Certainly, the two-year gap in holding the feria was a contributing factor. In addition, there was a noticeably younger element to the spectators, which I consider a good thing - it was particularly pleasing to see parents bringing young children on the days of cheaper novillada tickets. The Fiesta had returned to Madrid - and madrileños were making the most of it.

¡La Fiesta vive! San Isidro 2022

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