Bullfighting fans keep, we keep in memory, dates, plazas, names of bulls and bullfighters, that, for good- ephemeral moments of beauty in this or that set, triumphs...- or for bad- failures, gorings...- They feed that hobby. But every July 8, the memory of the person who signs this and who was there, only retains one name, Germán González, a young man from Pamplona who died 45 years ago today from police shots in the vicinity of the Pamplona bullring. Some events that began when at the end of the bullfight, those who from the stands of the rocks went down to the ring displayed a banner asking for amnesty for the prisoners. Immediately a large police detachment entered the arena, firing bullets and rubber bullets at arm's length. There were, in the very square, more than a hundred wounded, outside of it Germán was killed and the riots in the city -then spread to other geographies- lasted until the next day. The Sanfermines were suspended, something that had only happened in 1937 and 1938, during the Civil War.
But it was starting the paseíllo on this July 8th of the electoral campaign, finally blue the sky, crowded lines, thunderous chants and emotions soared. That this is every bullfighting afternoon.
The José Escolar bulls had exhibited hearts of palm in the morning running of the bulls with their purple tones and astifinas antlers and they arrived with the band of their recent triumph at the San Isidro Fair, a bullfight in which Fernando Robleño, at the head of the poster this afternoon , he was able to leave through the front door if he did not fail with swords. With him, today, Juan del Álamo from Salamanca and Borja Jiménez from Seville.
Fernando Robleño used himself with fighting effectiveness in the first tercios with the bull that opened the arena and, crutch in hand, at the first change the bull stayed under him, lifting him into the air, he looked for him viciously on the ground and the goring came on the left thigh (the medical report would pick up after he bruised the femoral). They took the veteran right-hander from Madrid to the infirmary, Juan del Álamo took up a sword and a crutch to briefly machete (he got stuck with the pithing) and the bullfight was hand in hand.
After the order of the fight was altered, Borja Jiménez went to the gate of the bullpen to receive the first of his lot. The bullfighter was on his knees, the bull took a world to come out and when he did he passed over Borja, who was barely able to try the long change. The bullfighter from Espartinas rebuilt himself (the master Espartaco, in a bullshit in the alley, suffered as it is not written) and fought with temperate sets with feet together and a chicuelina.
Toast to the public (it was his debut in Pamplona as a matador), crutch in his right hand… and the bull that said no. That is to say, that he took time to charge and when he did he did not pass. Just like when it came to rehearsing the natural. Very firm Borja Jiménez, the risk of goring planned in each crutch because the one from Escolar knew Latin. The final downturn does not negate the merit of the bullfighter. Hence the ovation that he collected.
It was Juan del Alamo's turn and receipt verónicas that the bull took with a dismissive air. Like the two previous ones (not even the following ones) this was not, let's say, a paragon of bravery as it passed through the horse, nor was the punishment excessive, rather the opposite. The same sound that he showed with the cape was repeated on the crutch. Del Álamo pulled ex officio and passed it round with temperance, also in the natural ones, but the bull did not give for more. The lunge was better executed than positioned, the bull doubled quickly and, things in Pamplona, the ear fell, which served so that, top hat in hand, the "mayor of the sun" - who remains in office as long as the elections are held - put the scarf around the neck of the bullfighter from Salamanca.
Frightening the mast of the room and softness in the treatment of Borja Jiménez with the cape. José Chacón placed two superb pairs of banderillas, but since he was the bull for the afternoon snack, few found out. Very determined, Borja Jiménez began to fight with his right hand and the bull responded to the challenge in the first round but in the following rounds the merit went to the bullfighter, always well positioned and swallowing evidence, mishap included. The bull got worse because of the left piton and the bullfighter did his thing, all pride and also a good head. The ear would have fairly rewarded what was done but there was no luck with the sword. And, as in his previous turn, the public knew how to acknowledge what had been done with an ovation.
The order of the fight was changed again because Borja Jiménez (the satchel cut and a bandage on his right leg) did not want to go to the infirmary to be treated for an internal goring that occurred in the previous bull without dealing with the one who had to come out in sixth grade place, another garment. He seemed better because of the left piton and that's where Borja tried, but without much success. By law, an impossible. What things are, here the sword did work and even asked for an ear that would have recognized the merit of his entire afternoon. On the return to the ring, limping, he collected the affection of the people.
The sixth did not retract, for the worse, the previous ones. If used neither in the cloaks nor in the horse - this one was hit - and more of the same when Juan del Álamo tried, in vain, to pass him on the crutch.
And so, without any possible show, a bullfight ended in which the "schoolchildren" justo approved (the presentation, irreproachable), Robleño was gored, del Álamo was solvent and touched hair and Borja Jiménez lost his ears to the sword but gained credit as a bullfighter .
