Bloodless Bullfighting

Have you ever wanted to attend a bull fight? I haven't because I know how it ends. Meaning, there's allot of blood and a long drawn out inhuman death for the bull. If the bull is lucky the matador is defeated and the bull is put out to pasture to live a long and happy life with all those cows. United States does not allow bullfighting in the way we know it. However, they do allow bloodless bullfighting and we just happen to be an hour away from the one and only. The bullfighting arena is in the small town of La Gloria, Tx which happens to be north west of McAllen. I'm always up for something new and unusual so why not. It should be a fun afternoon. 

What does bloodless bullfighting mean? Just as it sounds, the bull is spared. There is no lancing of the bull by the picadors and no faena-the fight to the death. Instead of using a sword the matador must grab a rose taped to the "kill spot" on the bull's back. Once the rose is grabbed the fight is over. Getting that close to the bull makes it even more dangerous for the matador. I would want to pray before getting into the ring with a bull. I think I will pray anyway, not sure for the bull or the matador. 

The bulls used in the ring have the same lineage as the bulls used 1500 years ago in Spain, where the art of bullfighting originated. The bulls are four years old, full grown, and weigh approximately 400 kilos. These bulls are grandsons of Clarenero, a brave bull that was pardoned in Spain over 15 years ago. Clarenero was sold to a ranch in Mexico. The owner of Santa Maria Bullring, Fred Renk bought one of Clarenero's sons creating his own line of fighting bulls. These guys were patiently waiting their turn.

The place was nothing fancy by any stretch of the imagination, actually it was quite interesting. The seating was pretty rustic as was the equipment used to drag the arena.

The place had everything you needed to enjoy an afternoon of bullfighting. Food, beer, bathrooms, and entertainment. What more could you ask for. A young lady entertained us with some mariachi music while dancing horses strutted their stuff.

   

Each fight was about 20 minutes long. The first matadors of the day was Cesar Casteneda, the fourth ranked bullfighter in Mexico. Half way through, the bull was able to catch Cesar off guard.

It all ended well no one got hurt. Well, maybe the matadors pride. Anyway, he was able to snatch the rose from the bulls back and live to bullfight another day.

We watched a total of 4 bullfights and all were different and entertaining. Your probably wondering what happens after the bullfight? Well, you would think that they would use the bull again. Nope! No fighting bull is ever used twice in the ring. That's because the bull learn as much in 20 minutes in the ring as you or I would learn in 20 years. If the bull is put in the ring a second time, there would be certain death for the matador. Once the bullfight is over, the bulls are sold to rodeos. They are ridden by bull riders or they are used in Cowboy Poker events where four cowboys are sitting at a table in the middle of a ring playing...of course poker. The bull is let in with the sole purpose is to unseat the poker players. The last remaining seated cowboy is the winner. Does not sound like something I would play.

All in all it was a great day of fun and entertainment. The not so fun part was driving home in the dark on back country Texas roads.