The hullaballoo about Toros!

So, after months of procrastinating, I decided to walk the middle path. Not as chicken as the “encierro”, not as bloody as a “bull-fight”, but Oh so entertaining – “Los concursos de recortes” which literally translates to “the trimming competition”. 

It’s young future-hopeful matadores going out to face young bulls (around three years old). 

The one I attended had 20 participants, 4 rounds of 5 each, with each participant getting three turns (fresh bulls each round, duh!). The five finalists (one from each group and one from any) get another go and one is crowned winner.  “The One” of course, is the aspirant with the most panache, and the boldest moves. (a bit like real life, eh). After each round, the hopefuls would come out and kneel to the bull before it’s led away from the arena. 

The crux of a good round is allowing the bull to get as close before side-stepping or hurling yourself over it. Posture, tactics to attract the bull, taking the bull on the moment it enters the ring, facing the bull head on, on your knees, with a fence at your back, a jump, a side-step, a flick of the hip, by how much did the horns miss you, running for cover once the trick was played out, staying and inciting the bull, every gesture, every Ole, every moment counts. 

This jury was out a long time for this spectacle and we ended with a Hamilton-esque contender and the underdog tying for first place, but damn … the show those 20 lads put on! 

#España   #Toros   #Madrid  #LosConcursosDeRecortes

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