Bull is weakened by multiple stabbings before matador enters
The
incident occurred in a bullring in Aguascalientes, Mexico, while Tomas
taunted Navegante with a cape. Photos and video show numerous spikes
hanging from Navegante’s back, which is lathered in blood from
the bull's own wounds.
During bullfights the animal is stabbed repeatedly with spears by horse-mounted men known as picadores, then by others called bandilleros wielding
sharp spikes that they leave lodged in the bull’s flesh, all in
an effort to sever or fatigue key muscles, reduce his ability to lift
his head, and weaken him via blood loss, confusion, and pain before the
matador steps into the ring.
'Living without bullfighting is not living,' says matador
Considered
one of Spain’s top matadors, 34-year-old Tomas has been quoted as
saying that “living without bullfighting is not living.” He
is hailed for his risky style of edging exceptionally close to the
bull, and has been seriously gored several times over the years.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais,
Tomas's injury on Saturday was so severe that doctors on hand at the
bullring did not have time to administer anesthesia to him before
operating. His rare “A” blood type led officials to ask
audience members to donate blood to help replace the eight liters that
the star bullfighter ultimately lost.
On Sunday in Barcelona, a
Spanish bull whose name was not mentioned in reports gored matador
Manuel Diaz "El Cordobes" at the Monumental Bullring in Barcelona.
Details of the incident are not immediately available.
Bull's death is sure but often slow
There
is no information available on the condition of either Navegante or the
bull in Spain. However, customarily all animals used in bullfights are
killed either during the event or soon afterward.
While it is the
role of the matador to deal a quick fatal stab of a sword into the
heart of the bull, often the stroke is less than accurate. The bull
sustains injuries to his lungs and bronchials, which burble blood
through his mouth and nose and bring death slowly.
Bullfighting
is illegal in the United States (except for a variant called
"bloodless" bullfighting in some states such as California) but allowed
in many countries including Spain, Mexico, Colombia, France, Portugal,
Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador.
Sources for this article included AP, CNN, El Mundo, El Pais, and the website of The Humane Society of the United States.
Video of the Tomas goring is provided by El Pais.
Katerina Lorenzatos Makris is the author of 17 novels for
publishers including Avon, E.P. Dutton, and Simon & Schuster, and
hundreds of articles for publications such as National Geographic
Traveler, San Francisco Chronicle, and Veggie Life. She wrote a
teleplay for CBS and short fiction for The Bark magazine. With coauthor
Shelley Frost, she wrote Your Adopted Dog
(The Lyons Press). Holding a B.A. in Environmental Science Studies and
a lifelong interest in animal issues, she spends a lot of her time
battling a severe addiction to dogs.
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