José Ortega Cano has returned to the ring in a bullfight full of meaning. In the year in which he celebrates five decades since he took the alternative, the bullfighter, now 70 years old, has once again faced a bull at a bullfighting festival.
The right-hander has experienced one of the most special events for him with emotion, since his entire family has accompanied him from the stands. Among them, his son José María, fruit of his previous marriage to Ana María Aldón, has played a prominent role.
Despite some moments of tension, the bullfighter delighted the spectators in the modest bullring of Villanueva de la Fuente. He showed that, even after 7 years of absence from the world of bullfighting, he still retains his ability.
With just a few stretches before entering the ring, he managed to perform a task that earned him the recognition of two ears from the bull.
José María has experienced it with the excitement and nervousness of a first time. First, from the stands, accompanied by his uncles, biting their nails. Then, she came down to the ring to hug her father after her performance.
This task by Ortega Cano is one of the few that his son, José María, has witnessed. The bullfighter retired from the bullring in 2017, when his son was barely three years old. Together, father and son, they have taken a very emotional tour of the ring, receiving praise and applause from everyone, aware of the importance for Ortega Cano of having his son by his side at this very special moment. In addition, they approached his relatives, to whom Ortega dedicated his work.
The bullfighter was later honored with a plaque in recognition of his fifty years of contribution to the history of bullfighting. A gesture that he received with gratitude and emotion. “I am a legend of bullfighting,” he proudly stated the day before Beatriz Cortázar on the program ‘And now Sonsoles’, showing his happiness at returning to the arena.
This is just the first of the performances with which the bullfighter will celebrate his 50 years since he took the alternative. Next Saturday, he will continue to commemorate this milestone at the La Lastrilla bullfighting festival, in Segovia, where he aspires to leave the bullring again.