The Sanfermin 2013 Bullfighting week provided some curious moments in addition to the classic situations of opening the main gate for the successful toreros and the number of ears that they were awarded. Now that the week has come to an end, it might be useful to take a general look back at the events of the bullfighting week.

The week had begun on the 5th of July with the novillada (young bulls). The young bullfighter, Posadas Maravillas was awarded two ears and was carried shoulder-high through the main gate for his good work. On the following day, the 6th of July two of the three horse-riding toreros – Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza and Sergio Galán – were also carried shoulder high after receiving two ears each amid great applause from the public.

On the 7th, the first day of classic bullfighting,  the Alcurrucén bulls featured in a particularly insipid afternoon of bullfighting which perhaps had its only highlight in the fact that one of the banderilleros – the bullfighter’s deputies – got a jab of the horn to his scalp. On the 8th,  Manuel Escribano was awarded one ear against the Dolores Aguirre bulls, and displayed some decent fighting before the large crowd. But again, perhaps the most interesting anecdote occurred when the sixth bull jumped over the protection fencing and created panic among those in the passageway, including the Government representative in Navarra, who had to scurry away in search of a protection shelter. Apparently, she will be fined for breaking the rules by being present in the passageway area.

On the 9th, the bullfighter  David Mora stood out in another largely insipid bullfighting afternoon, with bulls from the Valdefresno bull-ranch.  He was award one ear while the rest came away empty-handed.  The 10th was expected to be the height of the week’s bullfighting with such bullfighter figures as Morante, El Juli and Talavante. All of them left empty-handed in a bland afternoon where neither bulls nor toreros could shine.

Finally, on the 11th there was a satisfactory bullfighting afternoon. David Mora was awarded two ears.  Francisco Mora got one and Iván Fandiño suffered a hair-raising tossing.

On both the 12th and the 13th the protagonist was the popular torero,  Juan José Padilla. Although he left empty-handed after the first day’s fighting, he showed on the following day that he is  special bullfighter in the Pamplona bullring and he was awarded two ears.  Finally, on the 14^th , the last day of the Feria del Toro de Pamplona 2013 the bullfights featured the Miura bulls and here, Jímenez Forte came away with one ear.

This year the award for the best bull-ranch  went to the Dolores Aguirre bull-breed that had fought on the 8th of July. The Carriquiri award for the best bull went to Heroína, nº 111 from the Fuente Ymbro bull-ranch and it was fought on the 13^th of July by Padilla.

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The final day of the afternoon bullfighting week in Pamplona did not display very much. The bulls did not show much strength and the best bullfighter was Jimenez Fortes who was awarded an ear thanks to a risky fight from which he came out a winner, although not altogether convincing.

14^th July Miura

Rafaelillo: Request for a ringside parade and silence

Javier Castaño: Silence and silence

Jiménez Fortes: An ear and silence.

Juan José Padilla is the uncrowned king. Today in the bullring he showed that he is a special bullfighter for the Pamplona Bullring.  The public were right behind him all the way and he responded with a fine piece of bullfighting with his second bull. It seemed he would get two ears but, in the end, was awarded only one by the president. In any case, as he already had been awarded one ear for his first bull, the main gate was opened in his honor. He was carried out shoulder high as was the other bullfighter, Iván Fandiño, who had got two ears for his first bull with a great display. Just a few days after his dramatic tossing, this bullfighter was carried out shoulder high alongside the king. Padilla, King of Pamplona.

13^th July (18. 30 p.m.) Fuente Ymbro
Juan José Padilla. Ear and ear
Miguel Ángel Perera: silence and applause
Iván Fandiño: two ears and applause

Reportaje fotográfico: Maite H. Mateo

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Juan José Padilla came to the bull-ring to fight bulls, and, although he came away without any award from his fights with the El Pilar bulls, nobody seemed to mind very much, because in Pamplona, at least on the sunny side of the bullring, what the popular Padilla does with the bull in the arena is what least counts. He is going to be popular and an idol in the ring until he retires. His mere presence is a spectacle for the crowd. The rest of the afternoon bullfighting and even Padilla could have come away with an ear if he had killed cleanly. Both El Juli and Jiménez Fortes got one ear each and they were proved competent toreros but yesterday, Padilla was the king.
12th July. El Pilar-Moisés Fraile
Juan José Padilla: silence and applause
Julián López “El Juli”: ear and applause
Jiménez Fortes: ear and silence

Photographic Report: Maite H. Mateo

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Finally, yesterday we saw a decent bullfighting spectacle. In this case, largely thanks to the toreros because the bulls did not display very much. David Mora was awarded a deserved ear for each of his two bulls and the gate to the bullring was opened in his honor for the first time in Sanfermin 2013 bullfighting week. Francisco Marco tried his very best and he also received one ear as his award. Iván Fandiño got the two worst bulls and he received a tremendous tossing from one of his bulls that left him at the mercy of the bull’s horns. Luckily, the bull only whacked him on his head with its horn as it failed to give him a goring.

According to the medical report issued from the infirmary inside the bullring, Iván Fandiño was treated for severe head bruising and temporary loss of consciousness after the fifth bull. After the bullfights, the bullfighter was sent off to hospital to receive x-rays and his condition was reserved. Finally, late last night he was discharged and it seems that it was just a fright in the end. This is the sequence of the tossing.

Photos: Miguel Goñi.
One of the most curious moments of this triumphant afternoon for Juan Mora occurred yesterday when  the “mulillas” or horses used to haul away the death bulls, suddenly broke away from their minders at the fourth bull and started to run wildly around the arena in front of the shocked thousands who watched open-mouthed from the stands. Finally they were brought to a halt after crashing into the wooden fencing around the arena.

Tomorrow will be the turn of Padilla.

11 julio (18:30 h.) Torrestrella
Francisco Marco: silence and one ear
Iván Fandiño: applause and applause
David Mora: one ear and one ear

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Torero David Mora was the only bullfighter to stand out in the afternoon bullfights with the Valdefresno bulls. He was awarded one ear with his second bull. The other two toreros, Rubén Pinar and Alberto Aguilar finished empty-handed. The bulls from the Valdefresno bull-ranch failed to impress on their debut in Pamplona.

9^th of July (18:30 h.) Valdefresno
Alberto Aguilar: silence and silence
David Mora:  silence and one ear
Rubén Pinar:  silence and silence

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Reportaje gráfico: Maite H. Mateo

Manuel Escribano was awarded an ear in yesterday’s afternoon bullfight with bulls from the Dolores Aguirre bull-ranch. The young torero showed he has some style and he attracted the interest of the crowded bullring. However, the anecdote of the day was found in one of the bulls –the sixth of the afternoon named “Cantinillo”. This final bull jumped the wooden fencing of the ring and entered the passageway, giving the people who were gathered there at the ringside, an unexpected fright. Among those present was the State Government delegate in Navarra, who had to turn and run as fast as she could in search of a protection shelter, as shown in the photo from today’s local newspaper, Diario de Navarra.

8th July  (18:30 h.) Dolores Aguirre
Manuel Escribano: one ear and a turn around the arena
José Miguel Pérez “Joselillo”:  applause and silence
Juan del Álamo: silence and applause

Reportaje fotográfico: Maite H. Mateo

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Reportaje fotográfico: Maite H. Mateo

Fotos: Mikel Urmeneta/Anna Neluvoba/Maite H. Mateo

The lackluster second bullfight of the Sanfermin bullfighting week was every bit as dull as the morning running of the bulls which featured these same Alcurrucén bulls. The only break in the monotony came when the banderillero David Peinado received a jab of a horn to his skull. His leg had been hooked by the bull’s horns and he fell to the ground without suffering any injury. But as a result of this action he was subsequently jabbed by the bull’s horn in his head, causing a 10-centimeter cut to the side of his skull. He was treated in the infirmary located inside the bullring. The banderillero could not continue with his bull, but it seems that the wound has been superficial and the bullfighter’s assistant is not in any danger.

But in general terms, the afternoon bullfighting proved very dull and boring and the blame must be laid on the Alcurrucén bulls whose level of fervor was well below that of the animated attempts of the bullfighters

Bullfight 7th July. Alcurrucén bull-breed
Antonio Ferrera: silence and silence
Antonio Nazaré: silence and turn around the arena
Alberto López Simón: silence and silence

At the horse-riding bullfight held yesterday, 6th of July, Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza and Sergio Galán both had the main door of the Pamplona bullring opened in their honor, after they were awarded two ears each, amid the cheers of an enthusiastic public. Roberto Armendáriz had to do with the award of one ear.

6th July (20:00 h.) Horse-riding toreros. San Pelayo
Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza: ear and ear
Sergio Galán: silence and two ears
Roberto Armendáriz: one ear and silence

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REPORTAJE FOTOGRÁFICO: MAITE H. MATEO