Valencia Bullfight: A Night of Courage and Bravura
Yesterday in Valencia, a fearless Jandilla bull named Leguleyo sparked a powerful display of bravery that guided a gripping performance by Roca Rey. The crowd rewarded the Peruvian with two ears, in addition to the one earned from the sixth bull, as he left the arena carrying triumph on his shoulders.
From Borja Domecq, a stern and deeply colored brindle bull with a heavy, upright frame, emerged the day’s apex in a tightly fought pen of bulls. This animal began with a dominant charge that demanded control, but Antonio Punta met it in the horse’s encounter with steady calm, avoiding excessive punishment as the bull pressed forward from the toriles.
Early on, the bull leapt into the muleta with a rapid burst during two kneeling passes that opened the second heaver, allowing Roca Rey to begin his work in the plaza’s center. The creature continued to press with relentless eagerness, and through a first half of the corrida, the matador struggled to settle into rhythm. Yet the bull’s fierce bravery called for a more intimate approach, and when the maestro redirected with the left hand, the flights of the muleta met the animal in a way that revealed the bull’s deepest, most sincere form of courage, producing the most compelling moments of the encounter.
From that turning point, Roca Rey found his footing and firm resolve, matching the bull’s powerful energy. It became a true duel, with the crowd increasingly urging the president to grant an indult, an honor not bestowed that evening. Still, the performance culminated in a celebrated return to the arena after Leguleyo went to the center of the ring, signaling his supreme bravery. The audience’s excitement culminated in Roca Rey taking two ears from that grand bull, and adding another from the sixth, a serious Jandilla animal that also demanded leadership in its powerful bursts after the horseman’s gaze and the escobos settled the rhythm of the ride.
In this case, the Lima-born torero saluted the fourth with a measured, composed approach following a long, methodical sail through the opening. He applied the same firm control but found less authority, enduring powerful bursts as the animal began to edge toward the boards. The show built to a crescendo with the artist’s response and dramatic touches that heightened the afternoon’s popular mood.
Another strong note came from a deep cinqueño that opened the program for Manzanares, who was forced to push himself harder as he rose to the challenge, leaning forward in his cues. The bull’s opposition kept closing the arc of the muleta, and the animal reacted with multiple, forceful bursts. The performance did not flow with the ease of the ideal, and it ended with a belated, awkward finish and a mis-timed stab that failed to seal the moment cleanly.
To the fourth, bearing Vegahermosa’s emblem, the animal fought with stubborn energy despite the back half of its body showing fatigue. The torero was unable to adjust the movements sufficiently to tame the pace, and the fight did not gain the momentum needed for a decisive climax.
A different kind of narrative emerged with Alejandro Talavante, who attended Fallas with a quiet presence. His first bull collapsed quickly under the brutal sting of a powerful strike from Manolo Cid, and the matador’s handling did not reveal much artistry or clarity against the fifth, who defended aggressively and poorly coordinated with the man’s efforts. The evening closed with a sense of missed opportunities, though the night retained a certain drama and emotional weight for those who stayed until the end.
Despite the challenges, the event preserved its sense of ritual and spectacle, delivering memorable moments of courage, precision, and the shared drama that defines Valencia’s bullfighting tradition. The crowd’s reaction underscored the enduring appeal of a corrida that respects the animal’s bravura while recognizing the skill and poise of the bullfighters.
[Source attribution: Valencia Bullfighting Archive]