Seville woke up still with the echoes of the Puerta del Príncipe opened by Daniel Luque the previous afternoon, the object of controversy for fans and specialized critics, with social networks as loudspeakers. A sign that bullfighting is alive but also evidence of an everlasting debate between guarantors of the essences (with an undisguised attitude of superiority over the masses who applaud everything), whether they are real or imagined, and those who choose to value them without a priori or hostility. and let yourself be carried away by what your eyes see and your heart feels on an afternoon of bullfighting. "Critical, what an ugly word," according to the illustrious sentence of the Pharaoh of Camas.
It is good in any case that in times like these we talk - with passion, too - about bulls. And for bulls with legend - Miura aside - those of Victorino Martín, an iron that today fought in La Maestranza still with the memory of his successful passage the previous season that provided the victory for the shortlist, with the claim of Manuel Escribano, who cut off two ears to a bull
And Escribano (on this date in 2016, also in La Maestranza, did the job of his life with Cobradiezmos, a bull of the same iron as the crowned A that, as a reward for his torrential bravery, was pardoned and eight years later is a stud. of reference in Las Tiesas, Victorino's Extremadura estate) headed this afternoon's poster - the first to finish the role as soon as tickets went on sale - with Borja Jiménez and Roca Rey completing it.
That Roca Rey, a great figure and the bullfighter with the greatest success at the box office, signed up for the bullfight of the Victorinos was sung like a feat (something that does not happen with other companions, such as Escribano himself, so accustomed to dealing with him and others. irons that are classified as "hard"). This being the case, and with Pescaíto Saturday already waiting at the end of the celebration, the crowd dressed in durse and La Maestranza, made up of a brush.
With a porta gayola, a usual declaration of intentions for him, Manuel Escribano went to receive the one who opened the plaza and after fighting the long change on his knees and already standing, he speared the veronica but the second time the bull grabbed him violently in the thigh right and on the ground he went for it again. A flurry of capes and Escribano, wounded, had no choice but, in the arms of the crews, to go to the infirmary.
While waiting to find out if the fight remained head to head, Borja Jiménez took charge of the bull, which he offered to his injured companion by placing his montera on the boards in front of the infirmary. And he began to fight naturally, very firm, very confident and with a long line.
The music sounded, the bullfighter changed hands and the bull moved less that way, so he returned to the left with a superb series of temper and command. And he killed him as he fought him, with determination and truth. With fewer merits, ears have been requested and granted at this same fair, but everything was applauded.
The turn was taken and in second place came the one who was going to be third, for Roca Rey, who bullfighted Veronica with sufficiency. A first strong punch, another of formality and tight removal by Borja Jiménez's aprons finished off with a medium tuck.
Arriving at the last third series in the round that the bull took with a certain buoyancy, not so much because of the left piton, so he returned to the right. He did not finish raising the level of the task and after killing him with skill, silence was the verdict.
Meanwhile, news came from the infirmary that Escribano was being operated on without general anesthesia because he wanted to go out to fight the second of his lot, but sixthly to give the doctors time and confirming that bullfighters are made of a different character. pasta.
The third Victor to leave, who was the first of Borja Jiménez's batch, attacked the Sevillian's cape with temperance, fueling hopes. That's why he toasted the public.
The bull was not very strong and, with the muleta in his left hand, Borja tempered three slow naturals finished off with the chest one. The second series is even better, always the bull embedded in the red cloth. The same as for the right piton and La Maestranza a clamor that was roared by the natives standing together. Superb were those helped by low and, with the great triumph in hand, the thrust, lying and rear, which delayed the death of the bull, left the prize in a very heavy ear. And the ovation to the bull in the drag is recognition of his noble nobility.
Moments of confusion and waiting before the departure of the fourth until it was announced over the public address system and greeted with an ovation that Escribano would kill the sixth.
Turn then for Roca Rey in the fourth, a gentleman bull with whom, after a third of varas without much relevance, the competition came in quites, for applauded aprons that of the Peruvian and risky chicuelinas that of the right-hander from Espartinas. He gave Roca Rey to maestro José Antonio Campuzano, his mentor for years since the beginning when he arrived from Peru.
Roughness in the opening series by the right and natural python, taking the lunges long, as long were the chest passes. There was a lack of connection, the bull did not allow it, but Roca Reu left muletazos that had less echo in the stands than they deserved. Serious task, without trifles, closed with a fallen thrust. Only a few light palms acknowledged what had been done. The weight of purple, they call it.
And to the same terrain where Escribano fell wounded at the dawn of the bullfight, Borja Jiménez, a brave man, went to the gate to receive Cobardón, who came out walking and distracted, his luck failing. However, when they reached a third of rods, the bull took two blows with determination and dedication, something that had not happened in the four previous fights.
Twice he tore the crutch out of Borja Jiménez's hand when he was bullfighting in circles. Each quote, each attack, was a bet, the bullfighter was always very confident, well placed, with command and serene courage. He took the muleta on the left, but that way the bull was impossible, and back to the right, and to Victorino he said that was that far and Borja Jiménez went for the sword, which he handled effectively. Very serious afternoon, very capable, by Borja Jiménez, bullfighter in one piece.
They dragged the bull and Manuel Escribano appeared in the alley, without a jacket and with jeans instead of a satchel, courtesy of his friend Chimy Ávila, an Argentine soccer player for Betis. And in such a way, between cheers and the music that started, he went to the scene of the events, the pigsty door to wait for the sixth.
And the music continued when the trance was resolved and a bunch of speedwells were already standing, the audience already standing, emotion on their faces and Amparito Roca playing. Entering long he took two blows from the bull. Despite his painful physical condition, Escribano also wanted to put flags and, limping, placed two pairs... with that same thing.
Toast between tears to José Luis Moreno, magnificent bullfighter, who was his representative in recent years, and to the media with the bull. Demanding bull, crutch on the left and risk taken by Escribano, who after the first series closed the bull more and with his right hand put together an important round.
Again the bull in the center of the plate and round muletazos of extraordinary merit. Kill or be killed lunge and it came first. The two ears were the tangible prize, but the big prize is the recognition of a bullfighter - and with him, also bullfighting - capable of putting his life on the line in pursuit of an ideal of beauty.
Memorable afternoon in La Maestranza, the bullfighting was a clamor.
