LA CORRIDA

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LA CORRIDA

• In most Bullrings there are marked differences
  between the seating in the shade and the seating
  under the hot sun. A different way of viewing the
  spectacle and not only in the physical
  sense.Seats in the shade are found in the
  sections 1, 2, and 3. Sections 4 and 7 share both
  sun and shade depending on the hour. Here, where
  the public are not harassed by a strong sun,
  prices for these seats are the most expensive and
  the public is better behaved. If your intention
  is to watch the bulls with genuine interest, get
  a seat on this side. Here, you can watch the
  bulls in peace without suffering any
  distractions. The real fans of the Bull-fights
  are found in these seats. Make sure you arrive on
  time- when the first fight starts. Once the bull
  is in the ring, it is not permitted to allow
  late-arrivals to take their seats until that bull
  is killed. Its a good idea to hire out a cushion
  to sit on. You can find them at some small stalls
  inside the stadium.The seating under the sun
  is where the "Peñas" gather, under the fierce
  heat of the merciless sun. The party atmosphere
  is at full swing here and watching the bulls
  fight could be purely incidental for some of the
  crowd. (Some would say purely accidental!) The
  party atmosphere means that eating drinking and
  singing to ones heartss content comes first and
  foremost.
• The only problem is the limited number of
  tickets. But that is something we will look into
  a little further down
• So, even if you have no interest in bull-fighting
  and even have some moral objections to it, you
  can safely sit among all the pandemonium on this
  side and scarcely be aware that there is a
  bull-fight going on.

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The seating on the sunny side of the Bullring is
totally dominated by the atmosphere generated by
the "Peñas". They occupy the vast majority of the
seats in the sections 5, 6 and 7 the upper rows
10, 11 and 12. But it is not necessary to be a
member to sit with them. The important thing is
to secure a ticket. This whole side of the
Bullring is pure spectacle and pandemonium. There
are sixteen brass bands sporadically playing
their loud music. Sometimes in unison, sometimes
different tunes at the same time, creating a din
and blare from the beginning to the end of the
fights. The chaos has its own certain order and
logic. There are some classic spots which are
repeated year after year making the "Mexican"
wave, the "Eurovision", Swaying from side to side
or imitating a rowing action up and down.
Throwing confetti, toilet rolls, etc. at one
another. Singing a sarcastic happy birthday" to
some luckless politicen.......anything at all
that comes to mind. And despite the constant flow
of alcoholic beverages, all is done in
good-natured fun so that, in spite of the blare
of bagpipes whistles and brass-bands a certain
kind of "peace" reigns among the total
pandemonium. You have to see it to believe it
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WHAT IS BULL-FIGHT

• Who doesn't know what goes on at a bull-fight ?
• Well, quite a lot of people it seems. And
  particularily the anglo-saxon races so let's hope
  they will give our following outline their very
  best attention
• The very first movement is when two horsemen, in
  all their plumed finery, suddenly burst into the
  middle of the ring at a gallop. They turn aside
  in opposite directions and gallop round the arena
  on each side. When their paths cross the public
  give a loud OOH ! to acclaim the possible
  collision which never happens.

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PARADE

• Then comes the parade of the bull-fighters and
  their entourage, and all the other people who
  will have some part to play in the event such as
  the the "picadores" on their horses and carrying
  their lance, the "banderilleros" who are dressed
  like the bull-fighters but whose function is to
  run at the bulls and stick darts into their backs
  as a preliminary to the bull-fighters work. There
  are others similarly dressed- the "Peones" - but
  whose function is simply to play with the bull
  with their coloured capes so that the
  bull-fighter can watch the way that the bull
  charges and turns with his horns. The "Mulillas"
  also take part in the parade and these are the
  men and horses which will drag the body of the
  dead bull from the ring.

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FIRST TERCIO

• After they salute the balcony of the president,
  permission is given for the bull-fight to begin.
  The same ritual which has gone on for countless
  years. There are three bull-fighters and two
  bulls for each one. The order is fixed the first
  bull-fighter fights the first and fourth bull,
  the second one will fight the second and fifth,
  the third will fight the third and sixth bull.
• Each bull-fight has three standard movements,
  called "tercios".
• The first "tercio" takes place as soon as the
  bull is released into the ring. The "peones"
  tempt the bull with their capes so that the
  quality of the bull charges can be appreciated.
  They will lead him over different sections of the
  ring so that his reactions can be carefully noted
  by the bull-fighter. Then the "Picador" appears
  with his horse and lance. He will pierce the back
  of the bull with his steel lance to weaken it and
  to tame some of his fierce energy. This is known
  as making a "puya" and is not popular with the
  crowd as they don't want the animal to be made
  too weak. On the other hand, the bull-fighter
  does want him to be weakened. The bull-fighter
  then plays with the bull with a yellow cape to
  learn more about the way it charges and turns.

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SECOND TERCIO

• The second "tercio" begins when the
  "banderilleros" take up their running position
  with a dart in each hand and they must run at the
  bull and stick these large darts, with a small
  steel hook at the end, into the back of the bull.
  There are usually three of these men who act in
  quick succession making
• a total fo six darts in all.

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THIRD TERCIO

• The third "tercio" is when the bull-fighter uses
  his red and yellow cape held by a wooden sword.
  He carries out several different movements where
  he tries to dominate the bull. When the bull is
  sufficiently tired, he changes the wooden sword
  for a steel one and with this sword he will give
  the final "estocada" where he must bury the sword
  in a small area of the animal's back to kill him.
  

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• Once the bull is dead, the president of the arena
  decides if he will concede any award to the
  bull-fighter. If he has done everything well, the
  public acclaim him and appeal for an award (This
  could be one ear, two ears, two ears and the
  tail, depending on how well he has done
  everything). If the bull-fighter has been bad,
  the crowd will boo and hiss and the luckless
  bull-fighter will have to wait for another better
  day. And the crowd await the second bull and hope
  for a better fight
• And that's the ritual for all six bulls. And
  after that the show is over for another day.