Events
Festival in Memory of Torera Patricia Hayes
March 7, 2010
To close out the Winter Season of his Santa Maria Bullring, Fred Renk organized a special Memorial Festival in honor of the North American torera, Patricia Hayes, who passed away earlier this year in Odessa, Texas. Sadly, the day ended up being a double memorial since the long time torero, aficionado practico, and friend, Bruce Hutton, passed away just days before the festival. The toreros, along with the large crowd, observed a minute of silence after the paseo in memory of these departed friends.
Members of Patricia s family came for the event and a special wreath with her photo was prepared by the bullring s chapel, and before the festival the announcer reviewed her illustrious career in the rings of Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru in the 1950s and 60s. Known as the Grace Kelly of the bullring because of her beauty, blue eyes, and blonde hair, this brave torera enjoyed many successes in the plaza as well as suffering several severe gorings.
To face five bulls from the Ranch of Rafael Mendoza, Renk brought together the professional matadors Enrique Delgado and Longino Mendoza with the experienced aficionados practicos Jim Verner and Bill Torres, plus the debut of a new aficionado practico, Marco Antonio Garcia. The first four animals were brave but complicated while the last novillo was exceptional and charged repeatedly with noble bravery. The retired matador, Fernando Corral Corralito was the judge, assisted by the knowledgeable aficionado, Dave Tuggle.
Enrique Delgado worked his animal well with the cape, and after dedicating the faena to Karlene Ewing, he showed his skill with the muleta and was award a symbolic ear.
The second bull of the day was for Longino Mendoza, who settled the animal with the capote and went on to make a good faena for the second symbolic ear of the day.
Jim Verner received his novillo with veronicas and then made a quite of gaoneras. He dedicated to the family of Patricia Hayes and opened with por altos before going to derechazos and naturales. Although he entered with good form when making the simulated sword thrust, he missed grabbing the rose that was glued to the animals withers. Successful on the second try, Verner, too, received a symbolic ear.
Bill Torres opened with smooth veronicas and went on to do close chicuelinas. With the muleta, he fixed the bull well in the cloth and made a long and varied faena before grabbing the rose and receiving two symbolic ears.
The new aficionado practico, Marco Antonio Garcia, drew the best bull of the day and showed that with his limited experience he can stand his ground and make a variety of passes with both the capote and muleta and was awarded symbolic two ears and a tail.
