Thornton Bullfight Report (Brief)

Today was pretty messy at Praca Sao Joao in Thornton. Out of six attempts, there was only one grab. Jose Manuel Duarte's horse was knocked over, and the bull gave him a pretty nasty injury on the face (not enough to even keep him down for that bull. I will give him a lot of credit there - his face looked pretty beat up, but he came back on another horse and finished the faena). The bulls were big and unpredictable.

Fortunately the best bull went to Vitor Ribeira (I think that is his name- I have never seen him before, but WOW! what a cavaleirho). This guy has style, knowledge of the bulls, skill, and a varied repertoire that balances serious torear with enough adorno to add sparkle.

I don't know if I am going to be there on Monday, but if you are at all thinking about it, I strongly suggest it. It should be good.

Another Bullfight!

I was looking for details on the Thornton bullfight to give to someone and found out that there is going to be one more after Thornton in Stevinson on Sunday, Oct. 24. It seems a risky proposition, as there could be rain by then, but if skies are clear, I will probably go to that one, too.

Remember, for up-to-date bullfight information, be sure to check bullfights.org, and excellent and well-designed site that always has the scoop on California (alta and baja) bullfights.

Columbus Day!

I hope you all had a very happy Columbus Day (observed). I did. I even ate Italian food, but I do that. Often.

In honor of Columbus and things Iberian being brought to the new world, I wore a Bullfighting T-Shirt today. Not even a funny glance, which is about par for the course. No one reads T-shirts anymore, which is a good thing, since argument from T-shirt is only a notch above argument from bumper sticker. At least a t-shirt is a potential conversation starter.

"Oh, so you like rejoneo? Don't you think that it lacks the full emotional range of toreo a pie?"

So far it only works in bullfights, except that the typical response to a shirt promoting Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza in a California bullfight is, "he's very good, but Joao Moura is better."

Of course Hermoso de Mendoza is better, but don't say that too loudly around several thousand Azorans.

Of course this coming weekend marks the end of the bullfighting season, with the great two day bullfight at the festival of Our Lady of Fatima at Thornton in the delta. I am planning on making it for both days, so if you are going, look for me (I will post later in the week what I will be wearing).

Gustine Bullfight Review

Since Jeff reminded me, I figured I better type this up before it all fades away in my memory.

Not that it should, as the first three bulls were outstanding, and one of the cavaleirhos, Jose Manuel Duarte, was in top form.

Toiro 1 - a good charger, tenacious, strong, and straight. Kept to the task at hand throughout his time in the ring. Cav. Paolo Caetano worked very close to the bull, keeping it under his command. His style was straight-forward with little adorno, but mostly textbook excellence. He placed the sticks well. The forcados (Grupo Forcados Amadores de Chamusca from Portugal) made a great grab. For those who were at this bullfight and are new to the art, this bull was a good example of how it should be done on a bull that was worthy of the ring. Nothing fancy, but everything done correctly.

Toiro 2 - another good bull taken by Jose Manuel Duarte. I didn't really understand why Duarte has made so many appearances in California this summer. He has a fairly big name, and can do some beautiful work with the bulls. However, as the summer went on, I realized what it was that is hurting him: he is trying very hard to match Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza's style in placing the sticks, and he fails too often. When he connects, it is poetry in motion, but it often takes a couple of false starts. He did well with the spears, but failed his first baderilla. He quickly came back with a good straight ahead placement, and then followed by another good one and then one of those breathtaking moments that make me keep coming back for more. The bull was a fast charger and well-built, but was slightly reluctant. However, Duarte controlled and corrected the bull's reluctance with his skillfull horse work. The Turlock forcados narrowly averted disaster (two of their guys were slammed between the horns and the wall), but were able to pull the bull off the barrier and ended up with a decent grab.

Toiro 3 - OK. Ana Maria Batista is very pretty. We can all agree on that. Equestrian bullfighting has always been an acceptable venue for women to participate in, unlike toreo a pie, which just doesn't work. Ana Maria Batista has a good command of the horses and a keen understanding of the bulls. Agreed. However, the peones have the habit of stepping in to pull the bull off of her horse, thus thwarting her attempts at doing much with the bull. Unlike Patricia Pellen who had to dress down one of my least favorite capes a couple of years ago, Batista simply does what she does. It makes me wonder: as much as no one wants to see a performer, especially a lovely torera, lose her temper in the ring, Pellen was able to get that loathesome cape out of the way for the rest of the corrida. Does Batista really need the extra assistance? Anyway, the bulll came out strong, but said loathesome cape winded it with a completely innappropriate series of punishing passes. It got so out of hand that the crowd had to whistle him out of the ring. Honestly, I think that he is a frustrated matador. Unfortunately he is about as artless as they come, so watching him attempt lances with his cape is about as far from art as anything I can think of in the ring. He looks like Mr. Toad in a suit of lights, and his inept attempts at showboating highten the effect. Anyway, Batista did what she could and the Portuguese forcados made a great grab.

Toiro 4 - Well, it is important to remember that bulls are not trained, nor have they ever been in a ring before. You just don't know how they will do until they are in the ring with the performer. This was a weak bull, but Caetano mastered it and was able to coax some art out of the performance. Unfortunately the bull had not run enough, so it posed a pretty nasty challenge to the forcados (six from the Portuguese group, with Steve and Joe from Turlock). It took three attempts, but the last grab was a good one.

Toiro 5 - A decent bull, but easily distracted, and far too interested in the peones. Overall it was a mixed bag from Duarte, who made a couple of spectacular placements among a bunch of botched attempts at fancy stuff, that would have worked if he had placed the horse closer to the bull. It seems that his timing was a bit off with this bull, partly because the bull was so easily distracted, and partly because he seemed to be trying to extend his technique. This was my "ah-hah!" moment. Jose Manuel Duarte is using this season in California to rehearse and refine his technique, so that he is not doing it on the sand in front of the critics and aficionados in Portugal and Spain. If he can get his technique down on this stuff in strange remote rings full of drunken Azoran farmers in California, with borrowed horses and unbloodied bulls, when he is on his own turf with his own horses and cuadrilla and barbs on his sticks, he should be able to shine. Let's hope at least. I get the feeling that Cesar Castaneda of Tijuana does the same thing up here (unlike Oscar San Roman, who is a scoundrel who just comes up here to receive his fee and does no art at all. Come to think of it, he fights that way in Mexico, too. I wonder why his name has not shown up on any cartel for a couple of years?), as well as a couple of Spanish matadores who actually seem to appreciate the opportunity to work on the California livestock. It took Turlock four tries to finally land a good grab.

Toiro 6 - A complete manso fit only for stew meat. The bull bluffed more than he charged (a lot of pawing at the ground and head throwing), and showed little interest in the horse. On Batista's part it was a mixed bag. She botched what would have been a fantastic al quiebro placement, but had a notably good banderilla. She gradually brought the bull out of his querencia, and kept him fairly well under control. The Portuguese forcados made a great grab.

The band, from the Azores, was fantastic. They had a good repertoire, sound musicianship, and good direction (although the conductor did get a little hasty in playing for what turned out to be missed sticks).

Cesar Castaneda revisited

I have been a champion of Cesar Castaneda since the first time I saw him work a bull before an indifferent audience in Tracy, California. He did not care that very few in the crowd understood the art of the matadores. He was there to torear, and he did a good job. I have since seen him on both sides of the border, and realized that the core of a good matador was there. Many people I know think very little of him, and I suspect that it has a lot to do with external factors (he is, after all, Tijuanense). So, I was particularly pleased to read that Gerry Campos has noticed that there is something there.

Gerry is rather astute (as I have known him to be in general). Cesar is, indeed, one of the few matadores who realizes that the California bullfights are at the very least a chance to get paid to practice with livestock before an audience, albeit a fairly indifferent one.

Bullfights!

This is just a reminder that Gustine's festa of Our Lady of the Miracles is coming up. Due to a family reunion, we will not be able to attend the weekend events, but I will certainly be at the Monday bullfight on September 13th. It looks like it is going to be a great cartel.

The reason I am bringing this up now is that I have heard from a lot of folks who are interested in going. I am happy to be the tour guide for this event, but be warned that it is one of the most packed bullfights of the season. Although it starts at 8pm, we will have to be there much earlier. This bullfight will be at standing room only easily by 7 and will be sold out by 7:30.

What this boils down to is that we will need to leave probably by 4pm from the Bay Area in order to get seats. If you are in the area and want to join us, please let me know. If you want to meet us there and don't know what I look like, keep your eyes on this website, as I will tell exactly what I will be wearing, where I will probably be sitting, and when I can be found at the food and beer stands.

Also, there is a serious thing to consider about this. Gustine is very close to a major wetlands. The mosquitoes fly in clouds. West Nile virus has hit California. Be prepared. I have only found the things to be as bad as they are in Gustine in Minnesota. No other place on Earth comes close. Last year I absent-mindedly swatted my arm without looking. When I did look down there were five dead mosquitoes where I had slapped. Long sleeves, repellent, all of these things are a big help in combatting the little menaces. Not as good as liberal applications of DDT, but don't get me started on the grave error banning that chemical was.

Also, on September 18th, there will be a Tourada a corda (bullfight on a rope) at Pico dos Padres. Those are very fun events.

Then, the next day will be a big bullfight in honor of the 90th birthday of one of the legends of California bullfighting. I might not make it to the Tourada a corda, but I will certainly be at this one. There are four horsemen, three matadores, and two forcado groups (one from Lisboa) on the cartel. One of the matadores is Vitor Mendes, who is a great matador. The band will be from the Azores. There will be entertainment on both days, and the bullfight starts at 5pm. This is another that we will want to get to early, although the last time we got to Pico dos Padres late, the seats were taken, so we joined the crowd on the hill above the bullring, and it was actually quite nice. Still, I would rather be in the seats.

Finally, mark down Oct 16 and 18 for the Our Lady of Fatima festa in Thornton. I am planning on bringing Amalia to the day bullfight on the 16th, since I promised that I would take her to one more, and Gustine gets crowded and goes very late into the night (ditto with Pico dos Padres, although if I make it to the a corda, she will want to come to that). So, if you want to get the toddler commentary, get in touch with us and you can sit by us. Amalia is quite enthusiastic about the fiesta brava, although she might get off on a tangent and start identifying where the various beef cuts come from on the bull.

Vamos al toros!

For Your Reading Enjoyment...

I have been exceedingly busy recently, which you probably wouldn't guess from the long-winded posts, but you have to understand that long-winded posts tend to happen when I need a break from lengthy stints at writing PR materials.

When I am up to my ears in honing taglines, I turn to the blog and rant, pretty much without editing.

However, there are times when I am too busy even to do this. I have a restaurant review due today as well as a rough draft of a marketing piece for a client. I also owe Amalia a trip to the park and some reading time.

So, I offer you this guide to San Fermin in Pamplona as something to read until I can come back and amuse you with more recipes and rants.

Brief Bullfight Report

Last night in Thornton was a mixed bag. It was a festival style bullfight, which is a more informal style: for instance, the performers wore traje corto instead of trajes de luces. Sario Cabral and Eduardo Costa were good, but poor Joseph Correia has had better nights. His two assigned bulls were terrible, and the third bull he had was equally awful. I will post a bull-by-bull report later, but not tonight. Probably Monday, as tomorrow is a full day of festivities.

We had a good time, the weather was great, and the small crowd was full of aficionados, which is a pleasant thing. Most of the California bullfights are full of folks who really don't know what they are looking at, so it was a pleasant change to have the spectators really know something.

Toiros!

Friday, July 2nd is a 7 bull corrida in Thornton, one of the little delta towns. It is an all local cartel, with Joe Correia, Eddie Costa, Sario Cabral and his brother, whose name escapes me. The forcados will be from Artesia. Other than the proximity to the train tracks, the Thornton bullring is fantastic. The bullfight starts at 8pm. If you are in Northern California, I recommend making the trip. I will be leaving Oakland with a group at 5pm. I hope we get there in time for the first bull, as traffic was a nightmare tonight already. We will be meeting a fellow St. Blogger, so look for us around the food and beer area before or during intermission. I am six feet, have a red beard, a really beat up leather bomber jacket, and will probably be in some tropical shirt. Or you can ask the trumpet player (I think David Costa is going to be playing for the Presidencia - he knows me). Or, if you want to go, email me and I will tell you exactly what I will wear and where I will try to sit.

Bulllfight Report

Last night's bullfight for the Turlock DES Festa, held at the Stevinson Praca de Toiros, featured Pedro Salvador, from Portugal, Eduardo Costa from Los Banos, and Jose Ignacio Ramos from Spain as well as the Forcados from Turlock and Artesia. The seven bulls (Salvador and Artesia took the extra) from the Ganaderia Acoreana were fairly decent (I would call five of them good, one so-so and one bad). The ring was sold out with standees at least two deep all around the ring (and this was the case half an hour before the trumpet).

Toiro 1 - a good, fast charging bull, taken by Cav. (Alt) Pedro Salvador, who made several failed attempts at placement, but redeemed himself with good horsemanship and a couple of beautiful placements. Turlock made a good, clean grab.

Toiro 2 - This bull had stamina, but was easily distracted from the charge and was a bisco. Cav (Practicante - until next week) Eduardo Costa was OK, but has had better times in the ring. Nothing spectacular. For some reason I did not take notes on Artesia's grab, but I think it was OK.

Toiro 3 - Matador Jose Ignacio Ramos took this beautiful chestnut bull. Even though 95% of the crowd neither knows nor cares a whit about the art of toreo en pie, Ramos always performs honorably. He showed decent work with the cape, placed his own sticks, and gave a respectable faena with the muleta, working both sides. He clearly had the bull under his control. Overall his repertoire was pretty straightforward, but well executed.

Toiro 4 - A charcoal bull that charged consistantly for Salvador allowed a wonderful display of horsemanship that was all but ruined by too many failed attempts at placement. It reminded me of playing a Bach keyboard piece and acing all the ornaments, but making a mess of the actual written notes. There were several excellent placements, though, so he was able to salvage his honor. The Turlock squad had trouble with this bull, failing two grabs, and making a good grab on the third attempt with a different forcado at the head.

Toiro 5 - An all around acceptible if not remarkable performance by the bull, Eduardo Costa and the Artesia forcados (with the Turlock tailman joining them). The bull was quite good, so a quibbler might quibble about Costa doing work that was only just OK for a horseman of his abilities.

Toiro 6 - A so-so bull that was well-worked by Ramos, who built a couple fo solid series of veronicas (something that I never understood is why more bullfighters in California don't do more with the cape, as that is the one area where there is no difference between the bloodless bullfights and the real thing), and showed classic form with the muleta (including several striking naturales). He placed his own sticks, which was an ugly affair this time, with a lot of bad timing and worse aim. Other than the tercio de banderillas, I continue to be impressed with Ramos's class and integrity as a torero.

Toiro 7 - Ever get a bonus that seems more like an obligation. Bad bull, and Salvador was unable to do much with it. The sort of thing that makes you first excited to get the extra bull, but then makes you think of how far along I-5 you would already be if they stopped at six. There were a couple of moments, but at that hour you want something more. Good grab by Artesia, I think, as Amalia and my mother were clearly ready to go, so we were not really focused on it.

The band (Lira Acoreana) was good at what it did, but really needs a larger repertoire.

It was a beautiful evening in the San Joaquin Valley, with a cool breeze, a gorgeous sunset, and a low mosquito count.

Next week is the Festa de Stevinson, with a really exciting cartel. Again, don't take my word for it, look it up yourself bullfights.org.

If you are looking for me tomorrow night...

If you need any advice on making strange concoctions out of organ meat or brewing interesting cordials, you will find me in Stevinson, California for the Festa da Turlock. The cartel is Cav. Pedro Salvador (Portugal), Cav. Eduardo Costa (from California, who will be taking his alternativa this year, in fact I think in a couple of weeks), and Matador Jose Ignacio Ramos (Spain), with forcados from Turlock and Artesia.

If you have the evening free, have $20 (plus enough for $2 beers and $3 pork sandwiches) and are in Northern California, the fun starts at 8pm. I sit on the side of the ring opposite the toril (near the presidencia). I will try to post a review of the bullfight sometime on Tuesday (although I have a pretty full schedule, so if it doesn't happen Tuesday, it will not happen at all).

Remember, if you are interested in the California bullfights to frequently check bullfights.org for all your West Coast bullfight schedule needs.

La Virgen de la Macarena

The Old Oligarch has a post that mentions his learning "more than he ever cared about the Macarena." One thing he didn't mention was the bullfighting connection to the Macarena. As he correctly notes, the song is named for a quarter of Sevilla, which is named for its well-known and revered statue of the Blessed Mother.

Someone once wrote a tune (it may have originally been a hymn, but is used intrumentally nowadays) called "La Virgen de la Macarena." It is one of those searingly emotional saeta-like Spanish tunes, with a haunting melody that is generally assigned to the trumpet. When you hear it, the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

In many bullrings the band plays "La Virgen de la Macarena" when the matadores have entered the chapel of the bullring (as my distant cousin by marriage (second cousin of the fellow who married my second cousin - you tell me the exact relationship), who is a Portuguese matador, says, "there are no atheists on the sand").

The Tijuana bullfight orchestra, which has had its ups and downs, but remains an outstanding ensemble, plays this tune with particular brilliance. Their trumpet soloist is phenomenal and sends that melody out over the ring in such a way as to make all time and space stand still. Suddenly the Corona and melon and chips vendors seem to disolve. The villamelones who are there to ogle the girls cease to annoy. One is no longer sitting in La Plaza de Toros Monumental La Playa in Tijuana, a strange outpost of never-never land on the Pacific Ocean, but in the timeless universe of the bullfight, indeed of all Spanish history.

For a few minutes, when one is sitting in the sun (or shade, although on some days it all seems like Sol) at the bullring and "La Virgen de la Macarena" plays it all fits together: Santiago Matamoros, El Cid, Juan Belmonte, Cortez, Fillipe II, El Escorial, Franco, Picasso, Goya, Cervantes (minus the hand left at Lepanto), El Cordobes, flamenco, insufferable royal bureaucrats creating ever more byzantine social divisions, intense piety, equally intense anti-clericalism, the whole tapestry of Spanish culture seems to unfold in that trumpet solo.

Then the solo is over and you hear "cerveza!" and "ayiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" and "que un cabron!" and you are back in Tijuana and it is not Juan Belmonte on the sand, but Cesar Castaneda (who, as I have said before, can be quite good) and it is not Goya drawing from the Sol General, but a drunken San Diego State student on a long weekend making eyes at the pretty girl, hoping that the pretty girl's boyfriend, the fellow with the parrot and goat and rooster on his shirt doesn't notice.

You will have to hunt to find a good recording of the song. I finally found an almost tolerable one on a record of Bullfight pasodobles as played by the Mariachi Silvestre Vargas. If anyone has a better recording than that, please let me know.

Barney Bullfight

Someone found this site with a Google search for "Barney Bullfight."

First, I am not so sure that Barney is an intact male. At the ranches toreros and amateurs might participate in vacadas on the cows, which are just as ferocious as the bulls, have horns just as dangerous, etc., but I don't think there is a right thinking Spaniard in all the world who would attempt to torear a steer.

Second, Barney does not have horns. Baby Bop or BJ, on the other hand... at least I wouldn't object to them taking the sword, and they do have horns.

Third, Barney might be able to talk, but he would never have the potential of developing sentido, which, while being a toreros dream come true, would make for a particular stupid bullfight. I can just see it:

Barney charges the muleta, only to find that the matador has skillfully manipulated it so that he ends up striking air. "Super-dee-duper! If we use our imaginations we can pretend that we just struck a rival for our territory."

Finally, audiences would quickly tire of Barney skipping around the ring, singing. If the band were to play during the final tercio, that singing would clash with the pasodobles.

On the other hand, I can't think of any adult who would not relish the thought of Barney taking the pic or banderillas.

Bullfights! San Fermin! Food! Yippeeyieyay!

This weekend one can find bulls in Tulare (Saturday) and Stevinson (Monday). I might go to Stevinson (it is the Hilmar D.E.S festa). Tulare is just too far to drive. The Stevinson ring is a good one, and the cartel is Eddie Costa of Los Banos and Cesar Castaneda of Tijuana. Castaneda is capable of good work, but he is uneven. I was very enthusiastic about him a number of years ago, but the last few times I saw him I was less than satisfied. Someone told me that it was a goring that challenged his nerve. Maybe so, but many others bounce back after a goring. I have always liked his attitude in the past and he seems to have had technique.

Meanwhile, for those of you in the area (or willing to travel) please mark your calendars for my annual San Fermin barbecue and party on July 10th in sunny Oakland, California (in the neighborhood where Gertrude Stein grew up in, Jack London lived for a spell, and one of the Wells Fargo founders lived). I cook food from the areas of the world where bullfighting flourishes: Spanish, Basque, Portuguese, Catalonian (nyah, nyah, nyah you limp-wristed animal rights creeps in Barcelona, stronghold of Commies and heretics), Camarguese, Mexican, Californian, Bourdeaulaise, Peruvian, Venezuelan, Colombian, as well as the food of Greece and Italy (historic nod to the taurine contributions of the Minoans and Romans). The fun starts at 4pm and goes late into the night (paella is served at midnight). For out of towners, there is crashing room in our place (nothing luxurious, we are talking about a patch of floor after the coveted couches are snagged), and we can probably quarter folks in friends' places as well, if need be. In the morning we can have breakfast and walk to the Latin Mass (either Tridentine or Novus Ordo, both Latin, both reverent).

The traditional dress for San Fermin is white with a red sash and bandana. I am usually the only one so clad, so obviously it is optional. Feel free to bring musical instruments, although I have plenty of Iberian and bullfight-related music on CD. At some point we will probably look at some bullfight videos, for those who are interested. I don't have a huge collection, but I have some good ones.

The usual crowd is an interesting mix of folks, from radical Berkeley leftists to radical Berkeley rightists. We even have had Libertarians show up. As long as they appease the Jefe with offerings of wine, they are tolerated. No one else should feel the least bit obligated to bring anything but an appetite (except for actual Commies. They need to appease the Jefe as well - this Jefe can be bribed. If you want a clean and noble saintly Jefe, you will have to look to Francisco Franco. I am more like Nixon in a funny hat. Very bribable).

One note: the sangria is stronger than it seems at first. Go easy on it!

If you want directions or would like to reserve one of the coveted couches (at three am I cannot guarantee anything, but can try to remember who has dibs on the best perches. I will have been cooking for something like 14 hours straight, though), please drop me a line! All St. Bloggers are invited. For out of towners who would like one of my tours of the Bay Area, please plan on staying through Monday, as I will be too tired after mass on Sunday to show people the sights (other than the gelateria or the taqueria, as the last thing I will want to do is to cook).

Toiros!

On Saturday is the big bullfight in Madera. I will not be able to go, unfortunately, but I highly recommend it. We always have a good time in Madera, and the bulls are usually pretty good. For pictures of Madera from a couple of years ago, go here for Jared's excellent pictures. There are some good ones in there.

Also, on Monday is the St. Anthony bullfight in Stevinson. If all goes according to schedule, I will be at that one. It should be fun, although it just doesn't seem like the beginning of the season without a bullfight in the hills. There is not going to be one up there until next month or something. Too bad. It is a great early summer ring.

If any of you want directions or more information, you can get in touch with me, or go to bullfights.org and look at the California schedules section. It looks like this is going to be the most complete list again this year (the various Portuguese California sites have been a little spotty in the last few years).

If anyone wants to meat up with me at one of these bullfights, let me know and I will tell you how to find me. I generally have a favorite section in each ring, and can be counted on to be around the linguica stand before the bullfight.

Bullfighting in California

If you are at all interested in the California Bloodless Bullfights, here is the place to go for schedules. Sometimes they are not updated in a timely fashion, so I recommend checking out this site to verify.