Corrida de Rejones

If you are upset about bullfighting, stop here. It seems impossible to tell about going to see the bulls and not end up in a confrontation with some people. In fact, this is how our evening began. Alex and I were rushing to catch the Metro to Las Ventas - Madrid's bullfighting arena. On the way, we ran into my Spanish teacher. After a quick conversation, I explained that we were pressed for time and had to run. “We’re going to Las Ventas!” Alex told her. She pushed me away and yelled, “I hate you people!” Wow. Okay. Last time we make that mistake. We did embrace before saying goodbye, but her sentiment was clear. We pressed on nevertheless.

We were going to see a corrida de rejones. Instead of matadors working on foot, the toreros are mounted on horses. We made it to our seats just in time for the paseillo – the parade of all the participants into the ring.

The two Spanish rejoneadores were dressed much more subduedly than their matador counterparts, in dark jackets rather than the brightly colored, sparkling trajes de luz (suits of light). However, the Portuguese of the trio was in his country’s traditional attire for the event – looking like a prince from the 18th century. His horse was equally adorned. Lovely. This chap, Rui Fernandes, had a long flowing mane of his own, and inspired shouts of “Guapo!”(Hottie!) from a woman near us each time he approached our side of the arena.

The paseillo ended by unnerving everyone when Guapo’s horse reared and threw him. What did this foretell of the evening? we worried. As the newspaper reported the next morning, the crowd didn’t know if it should gasp or laugh.

The first two bulls were lethargic and a great disappointment to all. Alex, who has learned much colorful language from his compañeros at school, giggled and squirmed and translated for me the curses being hurled at the lame toros. Though we had been concerned about Guapo, he proved quite capable, and though he got a dud of a bull to fight, we enjoyed watching his horsemanship nonetheless. The second rejoneador, Andy Cortagena, as equally unlucky.

But with the third bull, the energy increased and Leonardo Hernández had a worthy antagonist. He displayed awe inspiring equestrian skills and for the first time I had a flash of comprehension of what dressage was really all about. I never understood before why one would dance with a horse, but watching the horse and rider interact with the bull gave the art of dressage new meaning to me.

For his fine performance he was awarded one of the bull's ears. While taking his victory lap around the ring, he was honored with many tokens of appreciation thrown at his feet, including a live chicken.

From here on out, the evening became more and more electrifying. The Portuguese entered the ring for his second bull. His number one fan in our section continued shouting “Guapo! Guapo!”at each opportunity. Soon a man to our right heralded the call to the princely rejonador. Then more and more men and women were yelling "Guapo", until we were all in. His performance was brilliant, and he also was awarded an ear.

The quality of the bulls and the enthusiasm of the crowd inspired even greater performance by Andy Cartagena with his second bull. He performed an intimate dance with the horse and the bull, as if the universe were just the three of them. With his horse he made gestures both grand and subtle. Gestures as grand as humbling himself and his horse on their knees to honor the bull, as well as gestures as subtle as a feint to left to prompt the bull to charge, then redirecting the mass of the man and the horse at once to the right to outwit the bull.

A blood chilling moment came when one of the auxiliadores (the rejonedor’s assistants on foot) was working passes with the bull while Cartagena was out of the ring changing horses. The crowd yelled at the man on the ground that he was a fool, that he was too close. At once his body was riding the bull’s horns and flying through the air. The bull charged again before the other auxiliadores could coax him away with their capes. Three times the bull made contact with the man, and for the last the man clung to the horns with his bare hands. At last the bull released him to chase other swinging capes. A veritable miracle occurred when the charged man jumped to his feet unscathed, and continued his roll as auxiliador for the remainder of the corrida. The beauty of the dance was rewarded with an ear from the official, and another chicken from the crowd, in addition to the various other objects that were thrown to the victor as he paraded around the ring.


The coup de grace was Hernández’s second performance of the evening, for which he earned two ears and was carried out of the arena on his mens’ shoulders. Again, man and horse and bull seemed locked in their own world for those brief moments in the ring. Ultimately, the magnificence of the horses reign in my mind.

The evening was spectacular. Five ears, two chickens, one man thrown from his horse, another man thrown repeated by a bull. A guapo prince, and three dozen noble horses, as well as a puerta grande.

And likewise a spectacle. It is impossible to not think of the Colleseum and gladiators. I have chosen not to examine too closely the uncomfortable feelings I have about the bullfights. I have suspended my natural inclination to analyze. Quite frankly, I’d decided not to tell others about the experience of going to the bullfights. But the experience of this night was one not to forget. So, I write about it now for myself and for Alex, as part of our record of our year.

Video hightlights of 12 May 2010 Las Ventas web site

Leonardo Hernández con tres orejas por la Puerta Grande
12 de mayo de 2010. Corrida de rejoneo
Rui Fernandes: Saludos, Oreja
Andy Cartagena: Silencio, Oreja
Leonardo Hernández: Oreja, Dos orejas - Puerta grande
Seis toros de Luis Terrón
Con Alex.