telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne … lonia.html
I’m surprised no one had mentioned this yet.
[quote]
While Jose Tomas, Spain’s finest matador, was the undisputed star of the evening, the honour of killing the last bull on Catalan soil fell to torero Serafin Marin, a native of Barcelona.
When Marin delivered the estocada, a half tonne bull dropped to the sand, just as reflections of the sun faded in the matador’s suit of light.
On a day when bloodthirsty spectacle was staged for the last time, Spain’s leading exponent of the sport took a triumphant bow in his favourite arena.
The final Ole! at La Monumental arena in central Barcelona marked the end of an era and cast the uneasy relationship between the Catalans and Spain into thick swirl of emotion.
The 18,000 seats for the region’s last ever bullfight sold out within hours and tickets traded on the blackmarket commanding more than ten times their face value. A few were touted on the internet for as much as 1,500 euros each. [/quote]
Mr Thomas is quite the stud.[quote]
Tomas can reportedly command a fee of up to half a million euros for each appearance and attracts aficionados from the world over.
He refuses to allow his bullfights to be televised, adding to the mystique surrounding him, and last year almost died when he was gored by a bull in Aquascalientes, Mexico surviving only after a 17-pint blood transfusion.
But while his name on the billboard guarantees a sell out, such popularity is rare. [/quote]
Fortunately for fans of bull related activities, the run with the bulls thing is still on as is the swinging torches of fire on the horns thing.
Ole!
See ya, fancypants.
