February 24th, 2010

I went to the Fiesta Brava this last weekend. The Plaza De Toros in DF is the biggest bull ring in the world, holding a stunning 50,000 people. It was almost at capacity this weekend, because it was a special event with the bull fighters all using horses. These horses were amazingly courageous, agile and well trained. Like running sideways as the bull charged full speed and the bull fighter would be fending him off with his lance (or whatever its called). They also had these amazing ‘juke’ moves, where they would both charge head on and then at the last second the horse would fake out the bull and dash the other way and the bull fighter would make an attack. One horse even showed some fancy foot work, by literally dancing right in the middle of a skirmish. Another bull fighter got his horse to kiss the bull right before the kill.

It was an interesting event. It was a good sampling of the general mexican people: the rich, middle class and poor all enjoy and can attend. And in one of the most economically stratified cities in the world, that is a unique thing to witness. Of course the deaths of 6 bulls for entertainment seams a little excessive and I took no pleasure in the act. But on the other side, most bulls don’t do anything with their lives except eat crappy food and be forced to make bang on top of cows they don’t truly love. But for one day they are champions in an arena, with many people routing for them, the underdog (or bull). It is nice to know, that the entire stadium will boo the bull fighter if he misses the kill shot and the bull doesn’t die instantly, as my friend said, ‘the bull shouldn’t have to die alone’.