Bull Ring




Types of Bulls


Bullrings

In my land there are two typical bullrings: bullsrings of the sea and wagon bull rings. The first type are only used in the towns which don't have fix bull rings. It consists of the following parts:

-Torill: is one place where the bulls are kept and also from where they enter into the ring.
-Barreres: they are use to prevent the bulls from escaping of the ring, also sometimes there are a lot of people sitting on them.
-Barrots: they are the basis of the ring there is usually a bar where they sell food. Consists of very bars situated parallels one beside the other. The people can move between the bars, but bulls not.
-Grades: the location is above of “barrots”,it is the place where people sit to see the bulls.
-Scaffoldings: objects of wood and other materials that use for that the bullfighter defender.
People can do constructions for themselves, but they have to have permission from the town hall.
In other places there rings with wagons. The people carry the wagons and use them as “grada”. This type of ring has two principal parts: the wagonst and the fences . Around people add the “tablados” made by scaffoldings.















  Bull rings of the sea.








                                                       Wagon bull rings.



Arguments  against  bullfighting.

1.       All cultures have both Western and Eastern destructive elements. The tradition don’t justify the cruelty.
2.       The fact that there are worse situations does not justify a refusal situation itself.
3.       The appreciation and respect aren’t shown through torture.
4.       This tradition also contains other things, it does not diminish its cruelty.
5.       There are harmless alternatives to discharge tension (sport).
6.       Religious holidays should not be used to reduce the animals to a symbol.
7.       It is pretentious to get in the place of God and so decide the fate of the animals.


Before the bullfight, the bull is treated much better than being killed in the bioindustry.
The bullfight is a sign of appreciation and respect for the animal's strength.
Bullfights are not a sport but they are a mixture of art, dance and are a sign of "manliness" (machismo).
A bullfight collectively serves to discharge negative feelings and aggressive. That is healthy.
The bulls are an almost religious symbol of the struggle between good and evil.
 The bull represents evil.
The bulls are bred just for his bravery during the run. The abolition of the bulls means the loss of a single animal specie.

The bulls are an important part of the Spanish tourist industry.

Bullfighting is the national holiday. They symbolize the essence of the country. Act against the bulls is to act against Spain





Bullfighting  bleeds

No one can give an exact definition of the statements made by Minister of Environment on bullfighting. The minister was in favor of banning the death of the bull and said he has not raised any ballot.

Despite the serious consequences of the prohibition to kill the bulls, the statements of the minister did not go to the bullfighting. Bullfights are still the basis of many popular festivals, major exhibitions mostly enjoy good health and a high percentage of places will continue to be filled.

There are serious doubts about the viability of a generational shift in the taurine supporters. The Union President subscribers Bullfighting in Spain, says that subscribers to bullfighting in Spain under age 20 for less than 5%. Currently, 82% of those aged 15-24 years  have no interest in the bullfighting, 1971, 55% of young people was interested in bulls in 1993 under 38%, in 2002 was 31% and currently is 27%.

The customs and entertainment of young people have changed, but also with the inability to arouse his attention at bullfighting, this is due to the progressive disappearance of bulls in the media.

The minister of Environment denies having proposed concrete measures about bulls, but the notice published  causes reactions of political parties and the ecological groups.
Some ecologist sectors have celebrated this piece of news that has originated a public debate about bullfighting and the animal’s death in the ring, and have claimed that the best way to gain their battle is prohibiting bullfighting.
Denials for Government and PSOE
The minister of Environment also said today that this issue is not in the government’s agenda. The secretary of PSOE has also said that this prohibition doesn’t take part of the election manifesto.
The general coordinator of IU is against the fact that legal measures of Government to defend animals might affect bullfighting. Llamazares expressed rejection to the end of this “fiesta”, although the other spokesman of IU-ICV, expressed a different opinion, he thinks that the killing of the bull should be eliminated.
The bullfighting world, against the proposal
The Union of Farmers of Lidia bulls said that bullfighting is a very important tradition in Spain and that it constitutes a ritual than includes the death of the animal. “Ecologistas en Acción” said that bullfighting is based on “the torture, the pain and the cruelty” towards the bull.



INTRODUCTION: These are the newspaper articles from the last few months that refer to the economic cutbacks that bullfighting has suffered in our territories.

15/03/2012
The 96% of the population is in favour of bullfighting.
This is real data from a real survey, in the town and with only one question: should we keep having festivals with bulls in the towns of the terres de l’ebre? The 96,6% of the population answers ‘yes’. These numbers are very different from the last surveys carried out by the animals rights activists, which asked  questions that were maybe a bit convoluted and confusing, and resulted in data that didn’t reflect the real feelings of the population.

06/03/2012
The 68% of citizens think that the ‘correbous’ shouldn’t keep existing, according to a survey.
The Non-governamental organisation of ADDA asks the citizens of the Terres de L’Ebre to stop participating in ‘medieval traditions’ and considers that there is a lack of pedagogy.

05/03/2012
Animalist remember Interior that the rules of “correbous” must be enforced
They hand in three resources after having  kept the complaints against the bullfighting events.
12/01/2012
The Generalitat will withdraw the population of bulls which have lived on a island of Ebre in Tortosa for 70 years.
The appearance of 5 dead animals alert  animal protectors and  members of Club de Rem font.
11/01/2012
Pallarès complains againts the correbous and says that got  eight complaints againts the last season.
The delegate of the government on the Terres de l'Ebre recalls that the regulation is under the public exibition and could be approved in March.

15/03/2012
The 96% of the population is in favour of bullfighting.
This is real data from a real survey, in the town and with only one question: should we keep having festivals with bulls in the towns of the terres de l’ebre? The 96,6% of the population answers ‘yes’. These numbers are very different from the last surveys carried out by the animals rights activists, which asked  questions that were maybe a bit convoluted and confusing, and resulted in data that didn’t reflect the real feelings of the population.

06/03/2012
The 68% of citizens think that the ‘correbous’ shouldn’t keep existing, according to a survey.
The Non-governamental organisation of ADDA asks the citizens of the Terres de L’Ebre to stop participating in ‘medieval traditions’ and considers that there is a lack of pedagogy.

05/03/2012
Animalist remember Interior that the rules of “correbous” must be enforced
They hand in three resources after having  kept the complaints against the bullfighting events.
12/01/2012
The Generalitat will withdraw the population of bulls which have lived on a island of Ebre in Tortosa for 70 years.
The appearance of 5 dead animals alert  animal protectors and  members of Club de Rem font.
11/01/2012
Pallarès complains againts the correbous and says that got  eight complaints againts the last season.
The delegate of the government on the Terres de l'Ebre recalls that the regulation is under the public exibition and could be approved in March.



01/1/2012
Camarles bulls can do
The council will organize two evenings in the bullrings and two bulls embolatsfor  the next 6 and 7 of December
Participants in a protest against correbous in Sant Carles de la Rapita just marching escorted by Police
Dozens of amateur bullfighting have rebuked and insulted theanimalist dozen who took part in a performance protest, called by Anima Naturalis and PACMA

Amposta is going to spend more than 85.000€ in “correbous”, a 5% less than last year.
The consistory has programmed 35 bullfighting events for the festivals of the village.




















INTERVIEW



1-How extensive are the lands where you keep your bulls?
I do not know, approximately 180 days' work, because here in Ampolla is not the only place where I have bulls.
2-How many hours a day do you dedicate to the bulls?
Everything depends on the season of bulls, when I spend more time there is from spring to summer, which can be perfectly from 9 to 10 hours.
3-How many workers have you got working for you?
Nowadays I have 5 workers, but also the whole family help me.
4-Have you received any prizes or recognition for your work?
Yes, in my whole life as a farmer I have received awards and recognition for my work.
5-How many town rings do you take your bulls to?
It depends if you hire me or not , from 20 to 25 bullfightings, where I take most bulls is Deltebre.
6-Where are you from?
In Deltebre (la Cava).
7-Do you like your work?
Yes, I have always done it since when I was little beacuse I grew up with the bulls, because my father was farmer.


8-Where do you keep the food for your bulls?
I save the fodder in the warehouse, and the green I go to search constantly in the land and the warehouse of fruits and vegetables.
9-What licence do you need for your work?
The papers that accredit “the mark of iron”, that is the license that is the most difficult to achieve, because when you have any heads of cattle, lands, etc. It is also required one insurance that covers the animals if they cause some kind of damage.
10-Have you ever been injured by a bull?
Yes, multiple insignificant thrusts.
11-How do you prepare the bulls to be “manso”?
We take into account that the bulls when they are little they have light skin, and if it is possible, white skin, then we castrate it.














12-How do you know a bull is “capllaçat”?
Naturally the bull does not have to be haggressive and it must have resistance if not a failure for the farmer.










13- Do you give meat to the butcher’s from your bulls?
Yes, when a bull is bad we bring it to the slaughterhouse.
14- Have you got any “serril” bull?
Yes, decree of differents types.
15- How many vehicles have you got to transport your bulls?
I have two trucks.
16- Have you ever kept the horns of any bulls, after their death?
Yes, all I can, keep them for me.
17-How many years have you worked with bulls?
For me the bulls are a tradition is a culture, they can continue their work and  I will do mine.

18-How many types of bulls have you got?
Nearly one could say that we are old, jajajajaja
19-What do you do every day with your bulls?
Calves, cow, manso, male, heifer.
20-Do you take them out to graze?
I feed the animals, I give food to the bulls and I clean the fenced piece of land.
21-How many bulls have you got?
832 cattle.
22-Do you follow tradition, from father to son?
Yes, my grandfather started.
23-How long have you followed it?
For three generations served as farmers.
24-Is it cheap?
Yes, that you put all your effort and dedication and also that you have food and material at your fingertips.
25-What do bulls eat?
They eat vegetable, fodder and fruits and straw.
26-Do the bulls go out the town centres?
Yes, but only in my lands because I'm forbidden to graze oxen out.










Bullfighting history
The spectacle of bullfighting has existed in one form or another since ancient days.
Bullfights were popular spectacles in ancient Rome but it was in the Iberian Peninsula that these contests were fully developed. In year 711 changed bullfighting significantly from the brutish, the show of oxen, they started to make the Moors, but then followed it the Visigoths, that killed the bulls riding.
Today the bullfight is much the same as it has been since about 1726, when Francisco Romero of Ronda, Spain, introduced the sword and the cape.
Bull fighting: The spectacle
Six bulls, to be killed by three matadors, are usually required for one afternoon’s bullfighting and each encounter lasts about 15 minutes. At the appointed time, the three matadors, each followed by their assistants. The matadors (the term toreador) are the stars of the show. They wear a distinctive costume consisting of a silk jacket heavily embroidered in gold, skintight trousers, and a hat. A suit of lights, as it is known, can cost several thousand pounds; a top matador must have at least six of them a season.
When a bull first comes into the arena out of the toril, the bullfighter displays some skills with the bull, with a large cape.
The amount of applause the matador receives is based on his proximity to the horns of the bull, his tranquillity in the face of danger and his grace in swinging the cape in front of an infuriated animal. The bull instinctively goes for the cloth because it is a large, moving target, not because of its colour; bulls are colour-blind and charge just as readily at the inside of the cape, which is yellow or red.
Fighting bulls charge instantly at anything that moves because of their natural instinct and centuries of special breeding. Unlike domestic bulls they do not have to be trained to charge nor are they starved or tortured because are savage. Those animals selected for the corrida are allowed to live a year longer than those assigned to the slaughterhouse. Bulls to be fought by beginners are supposed to be three years old and those fought by full matadors are supposed to be at least four.
The second part of the bullfighting consists of the work of the picadors, bearing lances and mounted on horses. The picadors carry the silver-embroidered jackets, chamois trousers and steel leg armour. After three lancing or less, depending on the judgment of the president of the bullfighting for that day, and the “banderilleros”, working on foot, advance to place their “banderillas” (brightly adorned, barbed sticks) in the bull’s shoulders in order to lower its head for the eventual kill. They wear costumes similar to those of their matadors but their jackets and trousers are embroidered in silver.
After the placing of the “banderillas”, a trumpet sounds signalling the last phase of the fight. Although the bull has been weakened and slowed it has also become warier during the course of the fight sensing that behind the cape is its true enemy; most thrust occur at this time. The serge cloth is draped over the sword, and the matador begins what is called “the work”, the last act of the bullfight. The aficionados look the matador’s every move, the ballet-like passes practised since childhood. As with every manoeuvre in the ring, the emphasis is on the ability to increase but control the personal danger, maintaining the balance between suicide and mere survival.
The basic sword passes are the trincherazo, generally done with one knee on the ground and at the beginning of “the work”; the signature, simply moving the cloth in front of the bull’s nose while the fighter remains motionless; the manoletina, where the sword is held behind the body; and the natural, a pass in which danger to the matador is increased by taking the sword out of the sword, thereby reducing the target size and tempting the bull to charge at the larger object the bullfighter.
After several minutes spent in making these passes, wherein the matador tries to stimulate the excitement of the crowd by working closer and closer to the horns, the fighter takes the sword and lines up the bull for the kill. The blade must go between the shoulder blades; because the space between them is very small, it is imperative that the front feet of the bull be together as the matador hurtles over the horns. The kill, properly done by aiming straight over the bull’s horns and plunging the sword between its withers into the aorta region, requires discipline, training, and raw courage; for this reason it is known as the “moment of truth”.


History of bulls in "Delta de l'Ebre"

These days most bull festivals which have, for centuries, been maintained in a traditional way, are concentrated in the south of Catalonia, especially in the counties of the Baix Ebre and Montsià, but also in the Terra Alta and other places like Cardona and Olot. However, they also held festivals in older times, with bulls and runs in many other villages and cities of the Old Catalonia and Northern Catalonia.
The Ebro region concentrates the only six wild bull farms in Catalonia. The tradition is ancient, and has been documented for centuries in historical archives of the region. Without doubt, the breeding of these animals has been an important livestock base which has brought animals to popular celebrations. There is still a memory of the names of some of the most prominent animals from the celebrations of the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s because, in the Ebro region, the animals always returned to their pens and took part in more than one Main Festival.
Recently, these breeders have founded the ‘Associació de Vaquibraus de les Terres de l’Ebre’ [Association of Cow-Bull breeders of the Ebro region]. This association, and the ‘Associació per a la Defensa de la Tradició i Cultura dels Bous a les Terres de l’Ebre’ [Association for the Defence of the Bull Tradition and Culture in the Ebro region], which was also created a short time ago, heads the defence of the festivity and its contents in the Catalan region. Both associations organise talks, exhibitions and prize draws and, together with various town halls of the Baix Ebre and Montsià, the ‘Jornades Populars del Correbous a les Terres de l’Ebre’ [Popular Meeting of Bull Runs of the Ebro region], followers and historians, anthropologists, bull critics, doctors, veterinaries, breeders, lawyers, journalists and local politicians participate in these meetings.
At the traditional Catalan festivals with bulls, also known as ‘correbous’ [bull runs], the animals were let loose, exhibited, led to a certain place, allowed to run and then popularly combated.
In olden times, the traditional modalities of street bulls and bullfighting coexisted. However, from the seventeenth century the run, which was encouraged by the Bourbon monarchs, who tried to suppress bullfighting and street games, evolved into a celebration with its own rules and symbols. In the struggle, the villagers’ performance was more controlled; it was also called a bullfighting ‘in the Spanish style’.
Until the nineteenth century, popular festivals and bullfighting were not opposed. The difference between one set of bull games and another was often only established by the physical context of where they were held.






  MATADOR DE TOROS
Is considered to be both an artist and an athlete, possessing great agility, grace, and coordination.
 The style and bravery of the matador is regarded as being at least as important as whether or not he actually kills the bull.
The most successful matadores used to be treated like pop stars, with a matching financial income, cult followings and accompanied by lurid tabloid stories about their conquests with women. 










PICADOR
A picador is a bullfighter who uses a special lance called pica while on horseback to test the bull's strength and to provide clues to the matador on which side the bull is favoring. They perform in the tercio de varas which is the first of the three stages in a Spanish bullfight. The shape of the lance or pica is regulated by Spanish
To protect the horse from the bull’s horns, the horse is surrounded by a 'peto' – a mattress-like protection.
 






BANDERILLERO.
The banderillero is a torero who plants the banderillas. These are colourful sticks with a barbed point which are placed in the top of the bull's shoulder. Banderilleros attempt to place the sticks while running as close to the bull as possible. They are judged by the crowd on their form and bravery.









TORERO
A torero is a bullfighter and the main performer in bullfighting, practiced in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, France and various other countries influenced by Spanish culture
In Spanish, the word torero describes any of the performers who actively participate in the bullfight. The main one who is the leader of the entourage and who kills the bull is addressed as maestro and his formal title is matador de toros.
 







BULLFIGHTING RING.
1.Boxes 2.Tended High 3.Tended low 4.Contrabarrera 5.Barrera 6.Callejón (Corridor Surrounding the arena, where bullfighters and their teams watch, wait and shelter) 7.Burladero (Life saving barrier) 8.Presidencia (President of the bullfight) 9.Puerta Cuadrillas (Incoming door for bullfighters and their teams) 10.Toriles (Where bulls are kept just before the fight) 11.Arrastre Toros 12.Patio Caballos 13.Corrales (Bull pens).
 
















INTRODUCTION: Worldwide there are many countries that practice bullfighting.
Some of them are:
MEXICO
Mexico: Bullfighting arrived in Mexico with the first Spanish. There are documents
from 1526 with data from the first bullfights in the area where it is now Mexico City.
Bullfighting was banned in Mexico City several times during its history from 1867 to
1887 and from 1916 until 1920. Between 1925 and 1945, the Mexican bullfighting lived
a 'Golden Age'. The largest bullring in the world is La Monumental in Mexico D.F. was
inaugurated on February 16, 1942.
 











VENEZUELA
Venezuela: Bullfighting started in Venezuela with the Spanish arrived, but took its
modern form in the nineteenth century. Today, the bullfighting industry has at least
55 permanent arenas. One of the most important bullfighting festivals in Venezuela
is the 'Feria de San Cristobal. It is said that San Cristobal is the most bullfighting
city Venezuela and bullfights take place in this city during the year. Coleus is very
popular in Venezuela This is a 'sport' where two riders try to throw a bull to the ground
repeatedly pulling its tail. His popularity began in 1980, when Venezuelan President
Luis Herrera Camping, was a big fan. States with more coleus are Aragua, Lara,
Guarico, Cojeles, Apure and Portuguesa.


FRANCE
Bullfighting also takes place in southern France. Both are organized bullfighting Spanish-style bullfighting as local. The bullfighting season in France is from February to October. With bullfighting in the Spanish style, kill more than 1,000 bulls per year. The Spanish bullfighting industry is clearly present in the south of France and the bulls themselves come from Spain and France. The center of bullfighting in France but is the city of Nîmes, where there is also a school of bullfighting. Other cities where the bull runs occur are Avignon, Béziers, Bayonne and Carcassonne. Different types of bullfighting in France Bullfighting in Spanish style.
 








COLOMBIA
Of the five Latin American countries that have a bullfighting industry, Colombia seems to be the second bull. Today, the bullfighting industry has at least 86 permanent arenas, Bogotá, has the second largest square of bulls, founded in 1931.
CORRALEJA: With regard to the parties, the typical party in Colombia is called "Corraleja", where a crowd of people, mostly drunk, provokes a bull in a bullfighting arena or stadium. Accidents often occur and people end up hurt. The Corralejas are very informal and wild, and are to provoke the bull with capes, flags and other objects such as umbrellas. Horses are sometimes used as well.
COLEO: Another activity that bulls used in Colombia is Coleo ell. This is a 'sport' cruel popular mostly done in Venezuela and Colombia (also in Panama and Brazil) in which two riders try to throw a bull to the ground repeatedly pulling his tail (or sometimes their legs). Used bulls 'meat' instead of 'fighting bulls', and often the bull ends with a broken tail or paws.
Corraleja:









Coleo:










 

PORTUGAL
Bullfighting in Portugal generals shares traits with the present culture of the bulls in Spain's , as encierros them popular (largadas) and of diverse variants of the corridas (touradas).It's celebrated also in southern France and in countries of Others Latin America. In Portugal as the concurrent traits Particular preference by the juego de habilidad (Rejoneo) and of the Fuerza (Forcados), or the exception in the animal's ultimate sacrificio (Touros of morte), autorizado market only in the town of Barrancos, in the Alentejo . The reference center bullfighting in Portugal is Ribatejo and the season is from April to October. 

-Senhora da Graça de Mosteiros (largadas)












Beja (tourada):