Sunday 13, corrida de toros. Victorinos.

Six dark grey Victorinos, all five years old, two of them close to six and all of them well over 550 kilos. Antonio Ferrera in a sky blue suit and gold, Daniel Luque in white and Roman in a green suit of lights with gold trimmings. Roman had his hair cut for the occasion.

The long awaited Victorinos closed the first part of the feria and when the first animal rushed into the arena it was greeted with an ovation from an eagre crowd. But the best surprise came when Antonio Ferrera stepped in to meet him, carrying a sky blue capote and performed a series of enchanting veronicas to which the bull responded well. That was about all it did. It soon became clear that this victorino wouldn’t repeat what one of his brothers did in Olivenza, some time ago when Ferrera spared his life. After an impossible faena, the animal left the arena in disgrace leaving his matador empty handed. His second opponent wasn’t much better. This wasn’t going to be one of Ferrera’s remarkable evenings like the one I wrote about in my report on the Malaga feria.

Daniel Luque’s first bull fell over at the first encounter with the picador but was only returned to the corrals after he had sunk to his feet for a second time. The people in the stands were getting restless. These weren’t the victorinos they expected! The substitute just about stayed on his feet and gave his matador enough opposition for a faena of reasonable quality and a kill that earned him the first and only ear of the evening. The fifth bull disappointed once again and although Luque desperately tried to get a second ear, his efforts weren’t enough and he was rewarded with an ovation after the bull was dragged out.

Roman -the only valencian matador in the feria- gave a good impression although his bulls too lacked strength and stamina. His capework was fine and during the faenas de muleta he showed good quality. If only he had killed better, his evening wouldn’t have passed in anonimity. Sadly it was the only evening this young valencian matador had to perform in front of his townspeople. All in all a disappointing evening but Ferrera’s bright blue cape will not be forgotten

Cronica de Pieter Hildering