Bullfighting at Las Ventas Arena (18+)

Finally, the trumpet of Presidente sounds, and an employee enters the arena with information about the first animal to be slaughtered. Here you can find the bull's name, weight, farm, year and month of birth.

The stands quieted down, and the audience waited for the first fight to begin.

Videographers are ready to shoot.

Another camera rose above the arena on a mechanical crank lift.

Today is an ordinary everyday bullfight, there will be no celebrities in the arena, and the bullfighter mentor introduces his students.

The oldest of the matadors took up a position opposite the gate of the bull pen.

The gate opens and the bull runs out into the arena.

Suddenly, something happens that I never expected to see - the bull immediately attacks the matador and knocks him down.

I don't know why, but I didn't see the matador trying to dodge the attack. The situation is very serious, the matador is in grave danger!

But then the helpers come in, they distract the bull with their raincoats, and the victim is quickly evacuated from the arena.

It seems that the bull was very aggressive even before the fight started.

The second matador continues the dangerous game, deftly dodging deadly horns.

The battle consists of three parts - "thirds". The first part can be called "dance with a cloak". Both the bullfighter and his assistants participate in it, showing elegant techniques of using this accessory-the capote. In this phase, the bull is quite lazy, apparently satisfied with the first easy victory.

Then a picador rides into the arena on a horse. During the bull's attack on the horse, he strikes the back of the neck with a pike. You might think that this is done in order to make the bull angry, but in fact, these blows weaken the neck muscles so that the bull is no longer so fast twirling its horns. Picador horses are usually hit, but not fatally, they are well protected. In the old days, bullfighting horses were killed by the dozens. In the city museum of Madrid, there is an old model of the arena with figures of bullfighting participants, where you can see many maimed and killed horses, with their guts released and other terrible details. Picadors are most often injured when they fall, especially when a horse also falls on them.

After striking with a pike, the matador continues to "dance" with the bull.

His assistants also do not sit idle, disorienting the animal.

The bull is already pretty excited and actively throws himself at the pink cloaks, which are called Capote.

The President's trumpet sounds and the second third begins. Its meaning is to make the animal angry. For this purpose, short peaks (banderillas) wrapped in cloth are used.

Their blows drive the bull into a rage and participants have to hide behind special partitions.

Banderillas are the weapons of the matador's assistants, which is why they are called "banderilleras". Each of the three bandelirieros stabs two spears into the back of the bull's neck.

When the bull is brought to "fighting condition", a red cloak and sword appear in the hands of the bullfighter. The "third of death" begins.

The last dance with an angry bull fascinates with the grace of the matador's movements.

The last dance, of course, for the bull...but it also happens the other way around. Not often nowadays, but still bullfighters die. But usually the bull receives a fatal blow with a sword.

The animal does not die immediately...a few more seconds of activity.

The strength leaves the bull. Blood from the wounds, blood from the mouth, blood from the nostrils...To be honest, it was unpleasant for me to look at it.

The bull makes one last attempt to get up, but falls on its side. End.

The muleros crew is hitching the body to a trio of mules. Workers level the sand and fill up the puddles of blood.

The fight ended, leaving me with a lot of impressions...and a very unpleasant aftertaste.

A break is announced. From the conversations of the "fans", I realized that they were not impressed with the first fight, and they have high hopes for the second. About him-on the next page.