Tenorio Sidelined

Hilda Tenorio, Mexico's most well respected matadora de toros, has been sidelined due to knee problems and will undergo surgery this week for the situation.

She will miss varied contracts over the incident, but is expected to make a full recovery in time.

Over her career, Tenorio has had repeated knee injuries and problems to the same.

Padillita

Another of the newer novilleros on the scene who continues to show progress is Carlos Diaz "Padillita" out of Aguascalientes.

While it may still be too soon to totally pass judgment on him as a future prospect, early indications show him to be a torero of amazing knowledge and artistic ability. As he continues to improve, he could well turn into someone quite worthy of figura status.

Padillita is a novillero on the rise

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Delgado

Many great toreros have come from the Monterrey area. Raul Garcia, Cavazos, the Zambranos, Manolo Martinez, Mauro Liceaga, Garza, etc....

Also from Monterrey is a promising novillero, Cayetano Delgado.

Oddly, Delgado made his debut int he suit of lights not in Mexico, but in a bloodless bullfight in Texas promoted by the Renk family a few years ago. He has since become a regular at these bloodless bullfights.

Delgado has also been seen within the Mexican interior on a regular basis recently. He had a novillada in Saltillo a while back that was well received.

There are, as always, a number of confident new toreros on the scene right now. How many of them will make it to the top sir always speculative, but Delgado has the willingness, courage and ability to do so.

Keep an eye on him. You may soon see great things.

Llaguno

Many capable toreros have come from Queretaro, such as the San Roman family and more. Enter Juan Pablo Llaguno into the ranks as well. Though a newer matador, he has shown skill and determination that indicates the potential to become a true figura, in both Mexico and Spain.

Llaguno took the alternativa in 2014 and again, though fairly new as a matador de toros, he has lived up to the expectations placed upon him as a novillero.

A fiery performer, with much emotion in his style, he is yet another young man to keep an eye on and a true hope for the future.

Diego Bricio

Diego Bricio was born in Guadalajara., Mexico and first rose to fame while appearing alongside his brother, Alfredo, in the 1990s. The brother, however, died from a serious leg goring in 1993, when a farol de rodillas went bad and his bull slammed straight into him.

Diego, on the other hand, went on to take the alternativa at the hands of Enrique Garza and Pizarro in Autlan

Always a charismatic performer, Diego was more popular in the Mexican interior than on the Mexican border, having several triumphs in Guadalajara, Aguascalientes  and other plazas.

After a successful career as a matador de toros, Bricio retired to become one of the world's best banderilleros. He remains active in this fashion to this date.  He still makes is home in Guadalajara.

Jose Briones

Several outstanding toreros have come from San Luis Potosí over the years. Jesus Silva, Fermin Rivera, Curro Rivera and others come to mind. Jose Briones is yet another Potosino, born there in 1980, who has made a name for himself as an artistic and capable torero.

Briones showed considerable skill  as a  novillero, with particularly refined ability for the big capote. His muleta work was dominating as well, leading him to show promise in his initial appearances.

Briones took the alternativa in San Luis Posoti in 2005 at the hands of Manolo Mejia. As a matador de toros he has continued to show the same skill reflected in his early days as a novillero.

Paula Santos

Women bullfighters are an in thing today, where considered a novelty in the past. Hilda Tenorio , Cristina Sanchez, Paula San Roman and Vanessa Montoya have all gained considerable recognition in the ring.

Enter Paula Santos of Moita, Portugal into the fold.

Santos is a rising novillera of considerable merit, gaining recognition fast in her native Portugal. If she continues to improve as she has in recent showings, she should become a female figura. She has especially shown skill amid timing with the muleta. 

Manolo Urena Going Strong

Since retirement from the ring long ago, Manolo Urena continues to be going strong with book  signings and presentations of his autobiographical book and as a flamenco singer.

Urena will also be seen in a new book on the history of bullfighting in Tijuana coming out late in 2015.

Urena was a novillero and matador de toros of extreme valor, who suffered many bad gorings in his career. He was especially popular in Nogales, Tijuana and Juarez, but also offered excellent showings in Mexico City, Guadalajara and other interior rings.

He is known for an uncanny goring in the side of the head in Guatemala early in his career, where the horn removed part of his ear.

Esparza

Vicente Esparza was born in Aguascalientes in 1943 and spent decades as one of the most capable of Mexican banderilleros.

He still makes his home in Aguascalientes.

In the past Aguascalientes has given birth to many matadores and banderilleros who were recognized for their work with the barbs. Jesus Delgadillo "Estudiante",  Carlos Gonzalez, Jose Maria Gonzalez "Joselito", Miguel "Armillita" and Juan Gallo would be some of them.

Vicente Esparza ranks high also, as one of the most capable of banderilleros ever, possibly equal to many of the matadores de toros he worked with in the cuadrilla.

In this blog we give brief and long overdue recognition to him for his services to la fiesta brava.

Duarte

Often, the banderilleros go unaccredited in the bullfight, as faceless, nameless men who ply their trade and little more. Sometimes., however, such an individual makes a name for himself and becomes as recognized as his employer.  There are a few such men. Alfredo Acosta, Curro Alvarez and Paco Ruiz would be some. Also would be Paco Duarte of Portugal.

Present in the cuadrilla of Telles, this banderillero  has become recognized as one of the specialists in his field. Knowledgeable beyond description as to the characteristics of different bulls, magnificent with the barbs and  a charismatic individual by all accounts, he is presently recognized as one of the most capable of banderilleros in Europe.

Whenever you see this man in action it is a pleasure to watch.

Death Of Sanchez Bejarano

Sanchez Bejarano, a popular journeyman torero in his era , has passed away in Spain.

Though never a figura, Bejarano was known for artistic work and for being good with the sword.

One of his best and most unaccredited of showings came in Madrid in the summer of 1978, in a corrida alongside Ricardo de Fabra and Vicente Montes. Bejarano cut no ears, but took a vuelta from each bull after two long, emotional faenas. On other occasions he did much better rewardwise, appearing in this ring over 30 times and cutting 10 ears there, though the 1978 showing noted is considered by some to have been his most elegant.

He had suffered from cancer, reportedly, for a long time and was 71 at the time of his passing.

He will be buried in Colmenar de Montamayor (Salamanca) which was his home town.

San Luis

Ante tres cuartos de entrada, Eulalio López “Zotoluco”, Enrique Ponce y Arturo Saldívar partieron plaza en la Monumental “El Paseo” donde lidiaron un encierro compuesto por tres toros de Jaral de Peñas y tres de la Joya, de los que destacó el tercero de la tarde perteneciente al hierro de Jaral de Peñas que recibió el arrastre lento.

El maestro Zotoluco se topó con el lote más complicado de la tarde. En el que abrió plaza, Eulalio López estuvo muy por encima del astado toreando con mucho temple por ambos lados y dejando pasajes que calaron hondo en los tendidos. Sin embargo la espada le privó del triunfo y la labor fue premiada con las palmas del público. Con su segundo, el maestro de Iztacalco trató de sacar agua de las piedras con un astado que se prestó muy poco para el lucimiento y al final fue silenciado.

Enrique Ponce salió de vena en esta tarde que marcó una escala en su campaña por la República Mexicana. El maestro de Valencia mostró su gran calidad y torería con ambos toros. En su primero estuvo muy bien toreando por ambos lados con derechazos de gran manufactura; dejó una gran estocada y recibió el primer apéndice. Con su segundo astado mantuvo el ritmo y volvió a conectar con el tendido con ese toreo de buen gusto que lo caracteriza. Volvió a matar con una buena estocada y le fue otorgado un apéndice más.

Finalmente, Arturo Saldívar otorgó el toque de juventud a esta noche. Corrió con la suerte de torear al mejor ejemplar de la tarde y supo aprovechar las grandes condiciones del de Jaral de Peñas. La afición pudo ver a toro y torero en plan grande por lo que al final el torero hidrocálido cortó dos orejas y el astado recibió el arrastre lento. Con el que cerró plaza, Saldívar poco pudo hacer aunque su labor fue ovacionada, pero ya tenía asegurada la salida a hombros junto al maestro Enrique Ponce.

Diego Silveti Gored

Diego Silveti was gored in the right knee in the Aguascalientes feria. The wound is not considered as serious as it should have been and should not have much effect on his upcoming Spanish campaign.

This makes the torero's fifth goring. In his career he has received one cornada as a practicing fan, two as a novillos and now two as a matador.

Payo, Morante Y Silveti En Aguas.

Morante de la Puebla se presentó por segunda ocasión en la feria y nuevamente tuvo una tarde difícil. Su primer astado fue protestado por el público por falta de fuerza y lo sustituyó uno de Begoña que sirvió de poco. A pesar de que el torero español mostró esfuerzo su labor fue silenciada. Con su segundo, la historia fue la misma y tras dos pinchazos recibió los pitos de la afición hidrocálida.

Octavio García “El Payo” estuvo muy por encima de su primer astado y dejó buenas sensaciones por el pitón izquierdo. Al final de la faena acortó distancias mostrándose muy valiente y, con una buena estocada, cortó el primer apéndice de la tarde. Con su segundo, el torero queretano estuvo muy firme y aguantó las miradas del astado, situación que caló fuerte en el tendido. Tras una estocada, “El Payo” fue por el descabello y cortó una oreja más por lo que salió a hombros.

Por último, Diego Silveti se topó con un toro noble que fue bien al capote. Con la muleta, el torero de dinastía tuvo grandes pasajes por el pitón derecho al realizar  pases muy largos y a baja altura. Por el pitón izquierdo, el astado protestaba por lo que el matador de Irapuato volvió a realizar su faena por el lado derecho. Remató la faena con manoletinas antes de realizar una estocada defectuosa que hizo que se le fuera la oreja de las manos. El toro recibió el arrastre lento.

Con el último de la tarde, Diego Silveti comenzó bien toreando a la verónica, sin embargo, el astado sufrió una fea voltereta que lo lastimó y alteró las grandes condiciones que mostró al comienzo de la lidia. Con la muleta, Silveti se mostró voluntarioso pero el daño que sufrió el de Mimiahuapan fue irreversible por lo que la labor del torero fue breve.