Bullfighter sent to jail for killer car accident

Ortega Cano receives
his sentence

SEVILLA Retired bullfighter, breeder and celebrity José Ortega Cano was condemned to two years, six months and one day in jail for the fatal car accident of May 28, 2011 in which the driver of the other car, Carlos Parra, was killed. Although Ortega Cano insisted in his defence that he had obeyed all road signs and speed limits, and had not had anything stronger than a soft drink -although he admitted he had 'wet his lips' with cava- his blood alcohol level was way over the limit. His lawyer alleged that the 'chain of custody' of blood sample had been broken at the Virgen Macarena Hospital in Sevilla, where he had been attended to, and was thus not trusted as proof. José Ortega Cano is a frequent presence in the celebrity-prone media because he was married to singing star Rocío Jurado, who died in 2006, and with whom he adopted two children. Retired as a matador some years ago, he became a biological father in February this year with his present partner Ana María Aldón. Ortega Cano has announced he will appeal.

Bullfighter accused of money laundering

Salvador Barberán

Part of large anti-corruption operation

ALGECIRAS Salvador Barberán, a promising young bullfighter from Algeciras, and his manager, Pablo Cano, were arrested last week in an operation that the National Police have been developing since September, and which is still open and under sub judice regulations. According to sources close to the matter, Barberán and his manager were sent to the Botafuegos prison, although 'there are at least two more' jailed in the same case. Initially, some twenty people were detained and questioned, after a series of properties in Algeciras and on the Costa del Sol appeared almost simultaneously on property registries. Several were subsequently released. The case is 'substantial' and is part of the macro-operation we reported in Jimena property in money laundering scandal article of earlier this month. The involvement of Barberán, who became a fully fledged matador at the Algeciras Feria earlier this year, has caused much surprise in his native town. UPDATE: Barberán and his manager were released after reportedly paying bail of €20,000.

The 27th edition of the Bullfighting Workshops are open

Opening ceremonies

ALGECIRAS Mayor José Ignacio Landaluce presided yesterday over a full house for the opening ceremonies for the XXVII edition of the town's Jornadas de Tauromaquia. In his presentation, Landaluce pointed to the importance of the Bullfighting School of Algeciras in the city's support for bullfighting, as well as the cooperation of the bullfighting impresario company Fomentauro, which runs the Las Palomas bullring. He also alluded to the difficult times the country is going through, which is having an impact on this most Spanish of 'arts'. Nevertheless, he says, matadors, aficionados, impresarios, journalists and many others, continue to attend these workshops, which is a very good sign. The official opening words were pronounced by prosecutor and professor at UNED Juan Luis Moreno Retamino, who in turn presented the programme for the coming days, which include talks and conferences by eminent people with an interest in bullfighting such as breeder Ricardo Gallardo, attorney Joaquín Moeckel and matador Eduardo Dávila Miura, among others.

'No bull please' says Gibraltar group

Instituto Cervantes,
10 Market Lane, Gibraltar

GIBRALTAR (Press release, verbatim) The Voice of Gibraltar Group notes that the Institute Cervantes has to date kept a low profile and avoided contentious topics. However, in seeking to promote ‘the art of bullfighting’ they have chosen a topic that will place them into direct confrontation with Gibraltarians who share the Great British respect for animals. As a representative of a foreign state which in general shows no respect towards the Gibraltarian people and its institutions, spending its money on promoting the language, wine tasting, Zarusula [sic, they mean Zarzuela],>>>

Sunday's running of the bulls has one man severely injured

(Photo: europasur.es)

LOS BARRIOS There was a lot of bull running last Sunday. A strange (un-connected?) Easter tradition in many places, and no less so in the Campo de Gibraltar. However, at the toro embolao festivities in Los Barrios an 8 year old bull called Pajarillo ('Little Bird', from the Gavira breeders) gored a young man from La Línea, catching him in the throat. The 26 year old was taken to the Puerta del Mar Hospital in Cádiz, where he remains in 'unstable condition' (pronóstico reservado). PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue.

Only five months between these two pictures

Yesterday (Photo: Gallardo/EFE)

October 2011

OLIVENZA (Agencies) Bullfighter Juan José Padilla was severely injured in October when he was fighting the fourth bull that afternoon. He lost an eye and a good part of his face. Yesterday, he was back in the ring at Olivenza, the subject of enormous praise for his courage and carried through La Puerta Grande on the shoulders of his admirers (the 'big door', the highest honour a torero can be given after a fight). His return had created much expectation in the bullfighting world and the area had to be cleared of photographers by the Guardia Civil. Whether or not you approve of los toros, it must be admitted that the human side of this man's story is spectacular.

Gored bullfighter's press conference: 'impossible to fulfill contracts

(Photo: europasur.es)

ZARAGOZA (Agencies) The bullfighter who was severly gored through the jaw and eye on October 7th (See here) left the hospital yesterday and held a press conference to announce that his wish to complete his contracts in Latin America will be "impossible". However, he will be preparing to fight again next season "because that is the way it is written in this profession." He added that he resented neither the bull nor bullfighting. "Bulls have given me a great deal; this is just an accident," he said. Present at the press conference were the heads of the medical team that took care of him. Padilla also said that he now had to concentrate on regaining mobility in his face and the use of his left eye.

Severely gored bullfighter: "I will fight with an eyepatch"

See below for horrifying close-up

ZARAGOZA (Agencies) Juan José Padilla was severely gored last Friday at the ring in Zaragoza. The bull's horn went through his jaw and eye. He was informed that the left side of his face would probably be paralysed and he will most likely lose the sight in that eye, though there is a chance that after some time and scarring, repairs could be made to gain some movement. His reaction was to order his apoderado (manager in bullfighting parlance) not to cancel any of his November engagements in the Americas. Friends and fellow toreros agree that, although he is still in Intensive Care at the Miguel Servet Hospital, he is in good spirits and 'always ready for more', and 'he says he will fight with an eyepatch if he has to'. His medical team say that Padilla has so far avoided any infection to the area, which is what they had been very concerned about.>>>

The end of a bullfighting era arrives this Sunday

Monumental bullring, Barcelona

BARCELONA (El País/Antonio Lorca) When the bullfight featuring matadors Juan Mora, José Tomás and Serafín Marín comes to a close next Sunday, Barcelona's Monumental bullring will close forever. That afternoon the corner between Gran Vía and Marina street, which lies adjacent to the arena, will once more be the stage for heated verbal encounters between aficionados and noisy, angry and intense protests from anti-bullfighting campaigners. But it won't come to anything serious; the attitudes of both sides show the passion is intrinsically linked to this once-massively popular spectacle, which is now adrift in a rough sea of troubles.>>>

Ratón, the killer bull

Ratón was so named because he was thin and small when he was born. Nothing, in other words, as he is now. On Saturday, Ratón killed his third victim at an encierro in Xàtiva, a young man who was being watched because he appeared to be under the influence and was about to be removed from the ring. Ratón got there first. The organizers of these feria encierros pay up to €15,000 to feature Ratón in the hope that he will attract ticket-buying punters. He evidently attracts idiots as wel.

No bulls at the bullring again

LA LINEA (Agencies) There will be no major bullfights at the La Linea bullring again this year. A tradition of many years is broken for the second consecutive feria. The reason given by Mayor Gemma Araujo is that there hadn't been time to set out the tender conditions for the ring. However, it is understood that the real reason is that there was no money for a grant to bullfighter Curro Escarcena, the one impresario who had wanted to organize the fights this year. A grant, or subsidy is a tradition, acting as a financial net in case the carteles (scheduled bullfights) show a loss. The La Linea bullring>>>

Catalonia Parlament votes to ban bullfighting

(BBC / Photo: JimenaPulse file, of 2007 Feria in Jimena) The parliament of Catalonia has voted to ban bullfighting - the first region of mainland Spain to do so. The vote took place as the result of a petition brought to parliament, signed by 180,000 people who say the practice is barbaric and outdated. Bullfight supporters insist that the corrida, as it is known, is an important tradition to preserve. They also fear the vote could be the first of many in the country. The ban takes effect in January 2012. In today's vote, 68 backed a ban, 55 voted against and nine abstained.>

Man severely injured at Los Barrios bull run

LOS BARRIOS

(Photo: EuropaSur/Erasmo Fenoy)The traditional Toro Embolao (bull with protective balls on horns) at Los Barrios on Easter Sunday took place yesterday in its thirtieth edition. Some 15,000 people took part either as spectators or participants. One man, well known in the town, was severely injured after being charged by the first of the three bulls released and was rushed unconscious to the hospital where he is 'stable with a positive prognosis'.

A load of bull

Alexander Bewick is back again - again. This time he writes about bullfighting. Apparently Catalonia is debating banning the corrida from the region, while Madrid is declaring it a Bien de Interés Cultural. In Andalucía, the PP is proposing a law to 'defend our traditions, our culture and our fiesta nacional (another name for the bullfight)'. Bewick also confesses to having 'followed the bulls' in a youthful fantasy regarding Ernest Hemingway. See for yourself.