April 9, 1999
For local aficionados, the winters
without bulls are long. But, now, there is time to rejoice for
the 1999 Tijuana bullfight season will get under way, this Sunday
April 18, at 4:30 p.m., in Plaza El Toreo. A very attractive card
is on tap.
A herd of bulls from Cerro Viejo will be offered to Venezuelan ace Leonardo Benitez, Mexican bullfighting artist Federico Pizarro, and Tijuana star, Cesar Castañeda.
Perhaps, of equal importance to aficionados is that Jaime Gonzalez
will return as plaza judge. A former novillero, Gonzalez is the
best judge in recent Tijuana history.
During a breakfast press conference, last week, Luis Enrique Barro, of Espectáculos Taurinos de Mexico, S.A.; matador/empresario Pepe López Hurtado; and bullring manager Licenciado Portugal announced the schedule for this summer. There will be 13 corridas, plus the annual city-sponsored corrida and the Golden Ear affair, for which firm dates have not been established. Announced corrida dates are April 18; May 2, 16 and 30; June 13 and 27; July 4 and 18; Aug. 1, 15 and 29; Sept. 5 and 19; and Oct. 3. No novilladas are scheduled.
The season will be an international one, with performances by top ranked Mexican matadores, one Venezuelan, and Spanish matadors Domingo López Chavez, Rafael Ruiz "Rafaelillo," and the hottest torero in the world, Julian López "El Juli."
Bulls from some of Mexico's most celebrated ranches have been purchased for the 1999 Tijuana season.
TORO TOPICS
The first bullfight to be celebrated in the history of Japan was held, last month, in Tokyo. Spanish toreros Sergio Sánchez and Roberto Antolín "El Millonario" performed in the bloodless affair, facing bulls from the Mexican ranches of Real de Saltillo and Los Martinez. Some 6,000 people witnessed the affair, which set off a storm of protests from aficionados in South America, Spain, and France.
Setting an international record for longevity, Spanish Matador Curro Romero has initiated his 40th year as a matador de toros. He received his alternativa on March 18, 1959.
A new wave of horn-shaving scandals has enveloped bullfighting in Spain. Recently, the famous Torres-trella ranch, owned by Alvaro Domecq was fined two million pesetas ($13,000) and a one-month suspension, for a horn-shaving incident that occurred in Puerto de Santa Maria, in an afternoon that featured matadors Ortega Cano, Pepin Liria, and Vicente Barrera.
Likewise hit with the same fine and suspension, for the same violation, was the Nuñez del Cuvillo ranch.
Matador Tomas Campuzano, of Sevilla, has begun the final season of his career. He will reportedly make his new home in Venezuela.
Julian López "El Juli" and Enrique Ponce are the hottest matadors in the world. They frequently appear together. El Juli had sensational afternoon, March 28, in Marbella, Spain, where he cut three ears. Enrique Ponce cut two ears, as did Rivera Ordoñez. All three matadors left on the shoulders of the fans. (However, it should be noted that the Marbella plaza attracts an audience mostly of tourists. Thus, ears are much easier to cut).
On April 1, El Juli and Enrique Ponce performed in Benidorm, in a mano-a-mano affair in which El Juli cut the only ear of the day. On April 3, in Puerto Banús, El Juli worked with Espartaco and El Cordobés II. Each matador was awarded two ears.
And, in Hellin, Enrique Ponce had a great afternoon. The Valencian matador cut two ears from his first bull. Then, with his second, a bull of Ana Romero, Ponce recorded an indulto, sparing the bull's life and winning symbolic ears and tail for the matador. El Juli won an ear from each of his bulls, as did El Cordobés II.
El Juli will perform at least once, this season, in Tijuana, but has declined an offer to appear during Madrid's Feria de San Isidro, which will be celebrated in April and May.
Return
to Frontpage