Sol y Sombra

Emilio de Justo, cont.

More photos of Emilio de Justo from the Festival de las Calaveras in Aguascalientes, on October 31,  2021.

Emilio's second bull of the day, Siempre Alegre (Begoña), enters the ring with enthusiasm, as its name would suggest!

More photos tomorrow!

Emilio de Justo

38 year-old Spanish matador Emilio de Justo has taken the New World by storm during his campaign during the last few months.

Here he is during the corrida on October 31, 2021, in Plaza Monumental de Aguascalientes, during the Festival de las Calaveras.

With his first bull, Devoto (ganadería Begoña):

More photos of Emilio and his second bull tomorrow.

Around the Bullring

Photos from Plaza Monumental de Aguascalientes, photographed on October 31 of last year:

Dancers dressed for Día de los Muertos:

An aficionada greets her friends at the bullfight:

Souvenir miniature chaquetilla:

Souvenir matador keychain:

Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes, Novillada: Picadors and Banderilleros

With the novillo Antepasado (ganadería San Martín), for Alejandro Adame:

A Banderillero with Campo Santo, for Emiliano Robledo:

Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes, Novillada: Emiliano Robledo

Another novillero from Aguascalientes, Emiliano Robledo, performing at the Festival de las Calaveras novillada at Plaza San Marcos on October 29, 2021.

His first novillo, Buen Recuerdo (ganadería San Martín):

With his second novillo, Campo Santo:

He had a difficult faena with Campo Santo, being upended more than once, but fortunately was not injured:

His award:

Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes, Novillada: Miguel Aguilar

Another Aguascalientes novillero, Miguel Aguilar, performing in Plaza San Marcos on October 29, 2021.

Caping his first novillo, Místico (ganadería San Martín):

A rodillas:

Miguel asked to fight the reserve novillo, Espiritú (ganadería San Martín).

Finishing his capework with a flourish:

Miguel was awarded two ears for his performance with Espíritu. He looks upward, likely dedicating the award to his brother Mario.

Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes, Novillada: Alejandro Adame

Alejandro Adame, performing on October 29, 2021, at Plaza San Marcos in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Entering the bullring:

With his first bull, Antepasado (ganadería San Martín):

With his second bull, Pan de Muerto:

Alejandro would win only applause during this novillada.

Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes: Novillada

I attended the Festival de las Calaveras in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in the week surrounding Day of the Dead.

For photos of the town and its festivities, please see my other blog, www.photoabcs.com and scroll down to the posts, or click here.

There was one novillada (event for aspiring matadors, or novilleros) on October 29 at Plaza San Marcos, one corrida on October 31 at Plaza Monumental, and two other events for aficionados practicos (amateurs) at Plaza San Marcos.

I'll begin with photos from the novillada, featuring Miguel Aguilar, Alejandro Adame and  Emiliano Robledo, all aspiring novilleros from Aguascalientes.

Before the paseíllo (entrance of the matadors), there was a performance of dancers dressed for Day of the Dead:

Entrance of the novilleros, preceded by the alguacilillo (ceremonial horseman who opens the corrida).  From left to right: Miguel Aguilar, Emiliano Robledo, and Alejandro Adame:

Alejandro Adame, latest of the Aguascalientes family of toreros:

Miguel Aguilar:

A salute to the crowd:

More photos to follow!

Chaquetillas

Souvenir miniature chaquetillas, and montera keychains, for sale outside the Tlaxcala bullring.

Photographed in November 2016.

Leonardo Benitez

I have seen Leonardo Benitez perform three times in Tijuana's Plaza Monumental, but the last time was in 2011!

So it was my pleasure to see him perform last Saturday in a festival in honor of Eloy Cavazos at Rancho Santa Alicia, a private ranch southeast of Tijuana.

This was my second time at the lovely Rancho Santa Alicia, the last time being in 2013.

Leonardo's bull, Maestro, from Rancho Santa Alicia's ganadería Cervantes Limón.

Benitez caping the handsome Maestro:

The first series of passes ends inauspiciously:

He quickly regained composure and control over Maestro:

More photos from Rancho Santa Alicia will be coming in a few days!

Hacienda San Antonio Tepetzala

In November, 2019 I toured a number of Mexican ganaderías (bull breeding ranches) in southern and central Mexico with the Peña Taurina Redondél of Sacramento, California.

One of the highlights was a visit to the lovely Hacienda San Antonio Tepetzala. The hacienda is located north of Apizaco, in the taurine-rich state of Tlaxcala.

The hacienda traces its roots to 1530, just nine years after Hernán Cortes landed in Mexico.

Its use as a ganadería dates to 1951. The ganadería's founder was don Cirilo Sánchez Piedras and his brother, Emilio.  Don Cirilo's son, Emilio Sánchez Rivera and his wife Stephanie Quintero Bonilla are the present owners, and were our very gracious hosts.

The entrance to the Hacienda.

The peaceful courtyard:

Emilio shares some of the documents relating to the original land grant.

Touring the countryside where the bulls and cows grazed. We were happy to be out of harm's way up in the flat-bed trailer pulled by a tractor!

When fighting bulls are together in the countryside, they are usually tranquil, but their innate aggression sometimes shows, like this one attacking a bush!

Ramón González is a tlachiquero (one who collects agave juice for use in pulque). He demonstrates how the aguamiel (agave juice) is extracted from the heart of the agave into the large gourd he holds, and is then transferred to the large containers on the back of the hard-working burro.

A rock that covers the heart of the maguey is removed, revealing the aguamiel. The rock is replaced after collection and Ramón will return in a day or two to collect more.

Pepe Buenaventura samples the aguamiel after a rough filtration.

The aguamiel arrives by burro to the warehouse, where it will be fermented:

After two or three days fermenting in large vats, we have pulque! (in the pitcher)

Pulque was the first fermented drink in Mexico, known to the indigenous tribes. It fell out of favor in the 20th century with the arrival of beer etc., but is now enjoying a small revival.

The lovely chapel:

Antique implements in the old kitchen:

At the bar!

Custom-made shot glasses bearing the brand of the ganadería. The glasses are made by an artisan in nearby Huamantla.

Armando admires a portrait of Juan Belmonte:

Ganaderías in Mexico serve a vital role in preserving undeveloped land for wildlife.

A Canyon Towhee:

Bewick's Wren:

Vermilion Flycatcher:

Morante de la Puebla

Morante de la Puebla has the uncanny ability to make something incredibly dangerous look incredibly elegant!

Here he passes the bull, Togado (ganadería Zalduendo), in Valladolid, Spain, during the bullfight in honor of Victor Barrio, held on September 4, 2016.

José Rodriguez, "Pepehillo"

I enjoy matadors who place their own banderillas. José Rodriguez "Pepehillo" was always one to excite the crowd with his banderillas, including when he broke them in two (quebrados, or cortos), such as this time in Tijuana's Plaza Monumental on August 31, 2008.

Spanish Fans

An array of souvenir Spanish fans, for sale outside Tijuana's Caliente bullring.

Photographed on July 8, 2018.

 

Rodolfo Rodriguez, El Pana

While at El Pana's sister's house in Apizaco, I presented her with a photo that I took in Tijuana's Plaza Monumental in 2013.

I will always remember that day, when El Pana won my admiration.

I wrote about it in this post.

I signed the photo thanking El Pana for that memorable day.

Rodolfo Rodriguez "El Pana"

In November I was part of a tour arranged by the Peña Redondel of Sacramento, California, traveling from Mexico City (see the previous photos from Plaza Mexico), to Guadalajara.

During the trip, one of our stops was in Apizaco, the home of matador Rodolfo Rodriguez, "El Pana."

We visited the home of his mother, and then the home of his sister, which are both virtual shrines to the fond legacy of El Pana, who died of injuries suffered in the bullring in 2016.

Here is a Day of the Dead figurine in the likeness of El Pana, at the home of his sister.

Destino

The bull Destino (Bernaldo de Quirós), after its time in the ring with Ernesto Javier "Calita" in Plaza Mexico on December 10 of this year.

Ernesto Javier "Calita"

Ernesto Javier "Calita" capes his first bull, Destino (Bernaldo de Quirós) at Plaza Mexico, November 10, 2019.

 

Ernesto Javier "Calita"

Ernesto Javier "Calita," his cuadrilla, and the aguacil prepare to enter Plaza Mexico. Calita is lit by one of the many spotlights illuminating the long corridor leading to the bullring. (tap or click to enlarge)

Banderillas

One of the monosabios (assistants) at Plaza Mexico brings banderillas to a member of the cuadrilla of Ernesto Javier "Calita." Photographed on November 10 of this year.

Monosabios

Two monosabios (bullring assistants), await their entrance into Plaza Mexico.

The sign on the left is legalese, releasing Plaza Mexico from liability for injuries to those entering the callejón without permission! (I had permission).

Photographed on December 10, 2019.

Morante de la Puebla

A close up of Spanish matador Morante de la Puebla, as he awaits his entrance into Plaza Mexico.

Photographed on the afternoon of December 10, 2019.

Morante de la Puebla

Matador Morante de la Puebla awaits his entrance to Plaza Mexico on the afternoon of November 10, 2019.

Morante de la Puebla

At my recent shows in Mexico City and Guadalajara, I was frequently asked my opinions on different bullfighters.

My response was that each matador brought to mind a different word. Roca Rey: electrifying. José Tomás: purity. Morante de la Puebla: poetry.

La poesía describes Morante's sublime style. Often times it seems his passes are in slow-motion, his temple (passing the cape at just a certain speed to keep the bull at just a certain speed) is so perfect. His gesture, absence of gesture, or a raised or lowered hand, makes the difference between mechanics and poetry.

As a former matador who was sitting next to me commented (something is lost in memory and translation): "Many ears are cut, but artistry is rare."

Here is Morante passing his second bull, Agua Nieve, (Bernaldo de Quirós), from which he would be awarded an ear.

Photographed in Plaza Mexico on November 10 of this year.

 

 

Joselito Adame

Joselito Adame passes his first bull, Palomero (Bernaldo de Quirós). He would cut one ear from this excellent bull.