Opaque bullfighting

This year's bullfighting spectacle at the Seville fair was not as successful as in previous editions. Fortunately, the band enlivened the many dull moments provided by the bulls and the riders with vibrant pasodobles. The former were meek and rakish, while the mounted bullfighters were less powerful, with less accuracy in placing the banderillas and too many false passes. In short, Ventura cut off an ear after a strong request for the second ear from the fifth bull, in which his eagerness stood out more than his bullfighting; and Guillermo Hermoso took another ear from the sixth bull after a rear rejón and a descabello.

Ventura was unfamiliar with his first bull. He wasn't the spectacular, powerful, and confident gentleman he'd been on so many other afternoons; he even missed two consecutive passes with the banderillas, which isn't typical for this bullfighter. It's true, however, that the bull was excessively tame and made things difficult for the gentleman, who tried to make amends with a pair of two-handed passes with the horse without its headstall, which won him over. The majority didn't agree to an ear, but no one asked him to return to the ring afterward.

He went all out on the fifth, knowing he hadn't left a good taste in the other's mouth. More accurate, more passionate, perhaps overly so, he once again showed off by placing a pair of two-handed banderillas with the horse off the reins, but everything felt rushed, in a frantic pursuit of a trophy.

Hermoso de Mendoza Jr. didn't shine as usual either. He failed to stick a banderilla, overused false passes, and poorly killed both of his bulls. To his credit, the tight Hermosinas were achieved with his first bull, which he summoned from the boards with the rejón de muerte, and bull and bullfighter met beyond the hydrant. He waited for the sixth at the bullpen door and managed to stick two pairs of garapullos with both hands afterwards, with varying success.

Finally, Rui Fernandes's ugly habit of coming out to greet the bullfighter without being asked is curious. But he doesn't hesitate. While the bullring falls silent, waiting for the next bull to be announced, Fernandes takes the Portuguese hat he wears and greets the crowd as if someone had asked him to. Anyway...

The truth is that once again this gentleman has passed through the Seville fair without much fanfare ; it's unclear whether he's a recommendation from the company or a friend of Diego Ventura, who imposed him to open the bullring and not be a nuisance. And he isn't a nuisance. With his first bull, he always nailed it after the event, with little connection to the audience, while, fortunately, the band entertained with pasodobles. He was more spirited with the fourth, without any moments of special brilliance, although this didn't prevent him from coming out again to take the bow of his own accord.