Bullfighting has many different variations, but at its core, bullfighting is a physical contest that includes a bullfighter and animals attempting to immobilize, subdue, or kill a bull.This sport is known all over the world and is conducted with a set of rules, cultural expectations, and guidelines. There are some forms of bullfighting that involve leaping over a bull, dancing around or even trying to hold onto an object tied to the bull’s horns.The Spanish bullfight is the most famous form of bullfighting in the world. This is practiced in many parts of the world, such as Spain, Southern France, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. There’s little human contact in the Spanish bullfight and is known for its aggression and physique. Bullfighting is considered controversial in almost all parts of the world due to various different reasons. Funding, religion, and most importantly, animal welfare have always been the main concerns. Many countries consider bullfighting as a blood sport, but in countries like Spain, bullfighting is considered an art form or a cultural event. It is legal in Spain and Portugal and also in parts of Southern France and some Latin American countries. Other than that, most countries deem this sport illegal. Bullfighting has always been associated with machismo and masculinity, but there have been many female bullfighters plying their trade since the 20th century. One of these female bullfighters is Conchita Cintron who killed more than 750 bulls in a career spanning from 1936-1950.Facts About BullfightingHere are some facts about bullfighting that will shock you.Bullfighting is an old sport, most known from the countries of Spain, Portugal, and some countries of South America.The largest bullring in the world is Plaza de Toros Mexico located in central Mexico City. It has a capacity of seating 48,000 people.The oldest bullring in the world is La Maestranza located in Seville, Spain. 1765 was the year when this old bullring was first used for the sport.The Spanish bullfight, which is among the most famous bullfights, is a fight to the death.The Spanish bullfight is also known by the name of Corrida de Toros.The modern bullfight has rules and regulations.Three distinct stages are seen. Every distinct stage is started by the sound of a trumpet.Toreros or the bullfighter groups enter the arena in a parade with Paso Doble music in the background.The parade involves the bullfighters saluting all dignitaries in the bullring.Francisco Montes Reina (January 13, 1804 – April 4, 1851), or Paquiro, sorted out the rules, costumes, and traditions of the bullfighting sport. He was the greatest matador of his time.Seven men constitute a bullfighter team. The leader of the group is the matador. The matador has six assistants that take part in the drama.The matador (the man who kills the bull) is recognized by the gold of their traje de luces, translated as the suit of lights.18th-century Andalusian clothing inspired the bullfighters’ costume.At the end comes the ’third of death’, also known as tercio de muerte.This time, the matador enters the ring again, alone with a red cape and a sword. The red cape is known as a muleta.In a series of passes, the matador tries to attract the bull. This performance is called faena.As the bullfight nears its end, the bullfighter tries to make the bull come into position.The bull is then stabbed with the sword with the shoulder blades and through the heart. This last act is called estocada.If the matador makes a mistake, the bull heads towards the bullfighter and kills them with the horns.Manolete was a bullfighter killed at the age of 30. There are emergency operating rooms in the bullrings, but sometimes it is too late to save the matadors.There are bullfighting schools in Spain and students go to the schools as young as 14.The bullfighting schools allow students to first practice on fake bulls and then move to bull calves. Only after rigorous training are they let near the adult bulls.Due to these brutal killings of bulls, there has opposition from animal welfare organizations for animal cruelty.Bullfighting has been banned in some parts of Spain.The Canary Islands was the first Spanish region to ban bullfighting and it achieved this feat in the year 1991.Catalonia banned bullfighting in 2012 but the decision was overturned by the Spanish government in 2016.However many cities in the region, like Barcelona, have declared themselves to be anti-bullfighting cities.Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Tamil Nadu (India), American Freestyle Bullfighting, and Tanzania practice bloodless bullfights.The color red does not make bulls angry, in fact, the true reason for their irritation is the movement of the red cape.History Of BullfightingHere is some history of the sport.The roots of the sport can be traced back to prehistoric Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean region where bulls were worshipped and sacrificed.Other than that, the history of the sport is vast as there has been some form of bullfighting for thousands of years.There has been a depiction of male and female fighters fighting a bull in wall paintings dating back to 2000 BCE in Knossos, Crete.Moors then refined the bullfighting in Spain. The earlier practiced sport was rough from conquered Visigoths.The Moors then turned it into a bull game played on feast days.In this modified sport, Moors on horses killed the bulls.Then comes modern-day bullfighting where the matadors fight the bulls on foot. It was pioneered by Francisco Romero in 1726.Significance Of BullfightingThe significance of bullfighting is immense in some parts of the world. Let’s learn some bullfighting facts and their significance.Bullfights are significant for the Hispanic culture and history and this game has put the Spanish culture on the world map in many circumstances.For some cultures in Spain, this game is not just a fight but a historical sacrificial ritual.It is the art form that symbolizes the dance of death between the beast and human.The bull is bred specially for this occasion while the matador is just given a sword and a red cape.A special breed of bulls is used in bullfighting. The name of the breed is the Spanish fighting bull or Toro Bravo.Experts have managed to trace the origin of this bull to the Iberian Bulls which were used in Roman arenas.It is since history that this sport has gained importance.Indigenous wild bulls in the Iberian peninsula terrorized villages, damaging them, and killing everyone in between.The fascination stayed with humans since then and has led to this sport.Although the sport has gained its recognition with association with men and bulls, there are female bullfighters that are known all over the world.You can enjoy the history of the tradition if you visit Las Ventas in Madrid- the biggest bullring in Spain which also has a bullfighting museum.The Ugly Side Of BullfightingBullfighting is enjoyed by many, but there are people and organizations that put emphasis on the ugly part of this sport.The Spanish style of bullfighting is fatal for the bulls all the time. This is only giving pain to the animal for our satisfaction.In Spain, it is not considered bullfighting unless there is danger involved.Sometimes the matador is also killed by the bulls during the fight. Around 534 matadors have died over the last three centuries.Before the modern era, horses were used for the matadors. These animals were commonly gored and killed. They were considered of little or no value. This is also a serious animal hazard.
Bullfighting has many different variations, but at its core, bullfighting is a physical contest that includes a bullfighter and animals attempting to immobilize, subdue, or kill a bull.
