Monument to the Bullfighter José Cubero Sánchez
In the square in front of the Arena Las Ventas is the El Yiyo monument by sculptor Luis Santiago, opened in 1987. The monument is dedicated to the famous bullfighter José Cubero Sánchez, who died on August 30, 1985 in the arena of the provincial town of Colmenar - Viejo. Jose was the son of Spanish immigrants and was born in Bordeaux on April 16, 1964, before his parents returned to Madrid. Here the young man became a student of the National Bullfighting School, achieved outstanding success and at the age of 16 made his debut in the arena as a picador, and in 1980 won the prestigious prize El Zapato del Oro (golden shoes), leading the ranks of neophytes (novilleril).
June 30, 1981 in Burgos, Jose participated in bullfighting already as a matador, the solemn dedication to bullfighters (Confirmación) took place on May 27, 1982 at the arena "Las Ventas" in Madrid. The brave young man quickly won the love of the public and received the nickname El Yiyo, it comes from the shortened to four sounds Joselillo (little Jose), so he was called by his mother and friends from the Canillejas quarter of Madrid, where he spent his childhood.
The sculptural composition depicts the last seconds of a bullfighter's life and the public's reaction to his death. The tragedy occurred during the last, sixth, fight with a bull named Burlero. After a decisive blow with his sword, Sanchez tried to avoid the bull, lost his balance and fell. The mortally wounded Bull took the bullfighter by the horns, the left horn pierced the chest below the left shoulder blade and hit the heart. Other bullfighting participants rushed to his aid and were able to remove him from the horn, but it was no longer possible to save him.
There is a legend that the bullfighter was still alive and managed to say the words "He killed me", but the bull's horn tore Sanchez's heart in half and he died instantly. I must say that on this day Jose was not supposed to participate in bullfighting, he replaced his sick colleague. Jose Kubera Sanchez was buried in the Almudena Cemetery in Madrid.
