Each bullfight comprises
six bulls and three matadors, each of whom fights two bulls.
The bulls are specially bred fighting bulls, usually from the
same bloodline and are not less than four years old with a weight
somewhere between 500 and 800 kilos. They must never have faced
a man on foot before they enter the bullring. The reason being
that if this is the case, they may charge the man, instead of
the cape. The selection of bulls is determined by drawing lots
on the morning of the corrida. The toreros perform in order
of seniority with the senior matador going first and fourth,
the second-ranked matador second and fifth and the least experienced
fighting third and sixth. If a matador is gored and unable to
continue, the senior matador must take his place and complete
the fight. Each bullfight is divided into three stages of thirds
and lasts for around 20 minutes.
A corrida starts with a parade of all the contestants
and bailiffs dressed in 17th century costume, who salute the
president of the fight. The president is an important official
who controls the fight and can award trophies to a matador who
performs well. A trumpet is blown to announce the first fight
when the matador and his team enter the ring, and to signal
the end of each stage. The bailiffs receive the key to the gate
which is thrown to them by the president of the bullfight, through
which the bulls enter the ring. The president then waves a white
handkerchief to signal the entrance of the first bull into the
ring.
Preliminary Phase
During the preliminary phase the footmen, peones or capeadores
work the bull with large magenta and gold capes while carefully
appraising its agility, intelligence, dangers, sight and, most
importantly, its strength. It's very important for the matador
to determine the animal's qualities such as whether it favours
one horn or the other (eg hooks to the left) or swings its horns
up at the end of each pass. Sometimes a bull is reluctant to
fight in which case it will be tactfully withdrawn on the sign
of a green handkerchief from the president.
First stage This is when the picadores, mounted on padded and blindfolded
horses provoke the bull to attack them. The aim is to plunge
their lance into the bull's neck thus weakening its strong neck
muscles. This causes it to lower its head without which the
matador couldn't perform the coup de grace in the final part
of the fight Second stage. When the bull has been sufficiently
weakened by the picadores, the next stage commences, during
which barbed darts decorated with colourful ribbons are placed
in the bull's neck. The banderillero, carrying a banderilla
in each hand, runs towards the charging bull at an angle and
places the banderillas in its neck. These are not supposed to
weaken the bull but rather correct any tendency to hook, regulate
the carriage of the head and slow it down.
Final stages The final stage of a bullfight is called the suerte/tercio
del muerte and ends with the death of the bull. It begins with
the matador removing his hat, saluting the president and asking
for permission to perform and kill the bull. He may dedicate
the bull to somebody in the crown. Sometimes the matador will
toss his hat over his head, if it lands upside down, it is supposed
to be bad luck. The matador creates a series of passes with
his red cape (of which there are 40), bringing the animal closer
to his body. The two most basic passes include the right handed
pass in which the sword is used to expand the cloth and the
left handed 'natural'. After each pass the crowd usually shouts
Olé!.
The kill When the matador realises the bull is weak and unable
to charge much longer he will reach for his killing sword and
seek to manoeuvre it directly in front of him with its head
down, so that he can administer the death stroke. The matador
looks down the sword to sight the target, leans over the horns
and attempts to insert it between the cervical vertebra and
into the bull's heart.
Finale If the matador has performed well and made a quick,
clean kill he will be applauded, do a lap of honour and be showered
with flowers, hats, cushions and anything else to hand. The
crowd demonstrates its approval of a fight by waving white handkerchiefs
which are a signal to the president to award the matador a trophy,
such as an ear or tail. If the bull has put up a good fight,
its carcass will also receive a lap of honour and very occasionally
if a bull is exceptionally brave or strong and the matador is
unable to kill it, it may be spared and allowed to return to
its stud farm to live out its life in peace.
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