Many fans of bullfighting reject the (mis)called corrida de rejones for various reasons, in which the main advantage of fighting on a spirited steed and not on foot, and also fighting against bulls with their horns statutorily polled. But the truth is that they have their public and the places are filled at their request, such that this afternoon isidril in Las Ventas.
The rejoneo is also known as the Art of Marialva, a name it takes from the Portuguese nobleman IV Marqués de Marialva, a bullfighter on horseback and author, at the end of the 18th century, of the Treaty that established the founding rules that, with logical variations, are still in force. We go like Curro Cúchares in bullfighting on foot, saved are all distances. There are many names that have magnified the history of bullfighting on horseback, among them a woman, Conchita Cintrón “The Blonde Goddess of Bullfighting” born in Chile in 1922 and died in Lisbon eighty-seven years later, to whom the legislation of the time-Franco dictatorship- prevented his dream of fighting on foot in official festivities. The critic Gregorio Corrochano wrote of her: “The day this bullfighter gets off the horse, many bullfighters will have to get on the horse.”
If in the last three decades Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza has been the undisputed owner and lord of the ranks of bullfighters, a teacher who has opened new forms in his discipline and with a horse, “Cagancho”, which revolutionized all the rules, since the beginning of the current century Diego Ventura, born in Lisbon and settled in La Puebla del RÃo – yes, where Morante – not only disputes the throne but, according to many, already occupies it as a law of life.
No less than seventeen large doors in Las Ventas Diego Ventura carried when doing the paseillo. Well, now they are eighteen, a milestone forged from an indisputable teaching, ambition, sense of the show and, of course, with a stable of horses that is renewed over the years but always maintains an outstanding level. For example, the horse “Fabulous” that lived up to its name in the tercio de banderillas of its first bull, to which – back there with the placement of the death grate – cut off two ears and on which Ventura did authentic mischief that put the square standing
Pole in hand he went to the gayola porta to receive the second of his batch and with a country stamp he was blinding him on the stick until he was fixed in the media. With “NazarÃâ€, his veteran star horse, and while a female voice ripped into cante from the stands, he raised clamors. Then, on other mounts, pirouettes, boasts, rides, bankruptcies, ornaments would arrive…
“Galop horse cuatralbo†Alberti wrote and Paco Ibáñez sang and on a jaco of such characteristic Ventura placed three roses that together with the previous banderillas left the bull’s back like a balcony in spring. Effective final blow and another ear to the gate, which Diego walked along with the aforementioned “NazarÔ, who said goodbye to the arenas and who awaits a golden retirement.
His teammates, Leonardo Hernández and the Portuguese Duarte Fernándes, who confirmed the alternative, exhibited good dressage, beautiful horses and achieved moments of brilliance. And, as is customary in the trade, with excessive gestures. The afternoon, like so many others, belonged to Diego Ventura.