Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Go bulls!


I've never been able to reconcile bullfighting with the notion of 'sport' - just as, for that matter, boxing, wrestling and other martial arts are more primitive fight reflex than they are a sport.  There's a place for them in training people to fight . . . but to entertain???  Sorry, deliberately inflicting pain and suffering, whether on a human being or an animal, doesn't come under the heading of 'entertainment' in my book.

That being the case, I couldn't help feeling sympathy for the bulls when I read this report.

Three matadors were gored in Madrid on Tuesday evening causing a bullfight to be called off early for the first time in 35 years.

David Mora was gored repeatedly when the first bull of the evening entered Las Ventas bullring during Tuesday's San Isidro festival.

The 33-year-old torero was tossed on the horns of Deslio, a fighting bull weighing 532 kgs – just over half a tonne – before being pummeled into the ground by the enraged animal.  (Shown below.)


Minutes later, the evening's second matador, Antonio Nazare, 29, was caught on the horns of the evening's second bull, causing "injuries to his right knee with probable ligament damage," the medical team at Las Ventas reported.

Shortly after he was carried from the ring, the third matador, Saul Jimenez Fortes, 24, bravely faced the same bull – only to be similarly gored.

The young bullfighter suffered two serious injuries when the horns pierced his thigh and hip.

There's more at the link.

Since the bulls' fate in the arena is assured, in this case they got their blow in first.  I can't say I sympathize with the matadors.  They were quite content to make the bulls suffer a prolonged, painful death.  For once the shoe was on the other foot (or hoof).

Peter

8 comments:

Bob said...

In medieval times the bull was fought by aristocrats, usually from horseback. Modern bullfighting in which the matador stands and faces the bull is usually, but not always, done by young Spaniards wishing to escape Spain's poverty trap.

In the days before antibiotics, wounds from bulls were more fatal than in modern times, infection from bull's horns being common. Bullfighters were so grateful for the invention of penicillin (both because of gorings and venereal disease) that they erected a statue to Dr. Alexander Fleming at one of the largest bullrings.

Gebiv said...

American bullfighting, also known as Freestyle Bullfighting, is a direct descendant of rodeo clown skills. So the bulls are never harmed (only the fighters) and they learn and get smarter...

Old NFO said...

Yep, just remember NOT to eat the 'small' mountain oysters... That means the bull won! :-) And you're right, it's pretty sad...

Murphy's Law said...

I admit it...I kinda root for the bulls

trailbee said...

To find yourself on the horns of this dilemma, not once but thrice, must have been interesting.
Years ago the Mexican bulls had their horns "cut" and therefore not killed in the ring. It ended in a sort of Matador vs Bull standoff. They got to fight another day. I don't know if they still have that rule. TV ran the Mexican fights on Saturdays in SoCal at one time. Used to watch it, knowing the good guy would walk away. :)

Timbo said...

Love to have a strong opinion on this but...

These bulls are bred for fighting and if it were banned would be gone.

The actual fight is something of an art. The effeminately dressed matador gradually dominates the beast.

Disclaimer: Only been to one bullfight in my life; not for me but a lot of people go.

Timbo said...

Forgot to add that in these cases the bulls are usually pardoned and sent back to breed.

Anonymous said...

I'd rather be a fighting bull than a beef steer...