The Charity Bullfight, whose origin dates back to the 18th century under the reign of Felipe IV, is together with the Goyesca de Ronda - for different reasons - an outstanding date in the bullfighting season and in it great milestones have been given, such as the afternoon of 1970 in which Paco Camino cut off eight ears.
From Felipe IV to Felipe VI, the current king, who as usual attended the celebration in the Royal Box, accompanied today by Luis Francisco Esplá, bullfighter -he likes to define himself as such, in the French way- to whom the word maestro does justice and it falls short.
For such a solemn occasion, a hodgepodge of herds, Juan Pedro Domecq (2nd, 4th and 6th), Daniel Ruiz (1st and 3rd) and Victoriano del Río (5th) and a shortlist in which Emilio de Justo already had a guaranteed place as a reward for very serious mishap suffered in this arena on Palm Sunday 2022. With him, Sebastián Castella and Fernando Adrián. The three bullfighters who opened the big door at the San Isidro Fair, which ended a couple of weeks ago.
Sebastián Castella's cape receipt to which he opened the square already anticipated what was going to be the great virtue of what would come later, also with the crutch: the mettle, the caress almost. However, everything was on the verge of falling apart when in the remove by saltilleras, cape behind his back, Daniel Ruiz's bull came upon him and saddled him on his astifino pythons, but without consequences, in one of those miracles that occur so many times. in the bullrings and that when this is not the case, tragedy strikes, as six years ago today in the French bullring of Air-sur-L'Adour and the fatal goring of Iván Fandiño, in whose memory a minute's silence was observed at the finish the walk
After the obligatory toast to the king, Castella went to the media and from there, vertical and still as a post, he called the bull and passed it over his back, changing the journey at the last moment. The value of the Béziers bullfighter is not disputed, proof of this has been given on so many afternoons, like this one - he did not even look when he got up from the aforementioned somersault - and if we add to this the cadence and temper that the series of bullfights had crutches by the two pitons, with special brilliance in the auctions below, the olés and ovations that came from the line are understood. He was going for a tangible prize, but a puncture before the lunge left him in a standing ovation.
Castella offered to the bullfighters' heaven and, in it, to Iván Fandiño, the slaughter to the fourth, to which José Chacón had banderilleado in a superior way. Encased bull that he faced with firmness of plants and clear mind, which allowed him to lead the attacks, which his had that of him, with length and link but without being able to allow himself greater joy. As a consequence of this, there was a certain discontinuity in the achievements but indisputable delivery of a Castella who went after the sword in rectitude. The hearing request, which recognized what had been done, did not seem enough to the tenant of the box (not the Real, the other, the one with the fights) and Castella received ovations around the ring.
With a long change in the tercio Emilio de Justo greeted the second of the afternoon, a Juanpedro who later would not give him any facilities during the fight, nor the wind, faithful to his Ventana appointment. Reserved and without delivery the bull and before him the right-handed man from Extremadura persisted with crutches that had both merit and little brilliance. Quick effect lunge and something else.
Mix of verónicas with feet together and chicuelinas by Emilio de Justo in the second of his batch, by Victoriano del Río, who put up a good fight on poles.
Without any evidence, he began to fight with his left hand and the attacks were vibrant, although somewhat unruly. By the right piton they were already more temperate and back to the left they continued in that sound, but without the necessary coupling between bull and bullfighter and everything began to blur, an ideal setting for the patriotic cries that devastate everything.
The third came out, from Daniel Ruiz, and his rag, scarce, had nothing to do with the first, made of the same iron, also manifesting flagrant lack of strength. And of course, protests arose, shouts and confrontations from line to line. A déjà-vu from San Isidro. He used it and did not flinch and saved the green handkerchief for a better occasion, to the morrocotudo anger of the staff.
While Fernando Adrián toasted Felipe VI, the cries of get out of the box! They were not for him or for that box, they were for the other, the one who did not want to return the bull, but it turned out curious. Adrián got on his knees and passed him in this way a couple of times until the bull carried him off in an ugly way, although without much trouble. The problem was the bull and its weaknesses, so many that when the bullfighter got up it was the animal that lay down on the sand. The task (sic) was as honorable as meaningless because there was nothing to scratch there.
Among the whistles of those who disapprove of his management at the head of the Center for Bullfighting Affairs of the Community of Madrid, Fernando Adrián offered Miguel Abellán a task that began with the well-known passes exchanged from behind. An important bull belonging to Juan Pedro Domecq, with deep thrusts that the bullfighter led from front to back.
He did it both with his right hands and naturally (there was one, already at the end, huge) and he got everyone in agreement, also when it came to asking for trophies after the lunge. So much so that the two ears that opened the big door for him arrived, the second in a row for him along with the one achieved in San Isidro. Triumph of a modest bullfighter who sees reward for years of struggle and that from now on should be reflected in contracts. It would be fair.
