Peña History
In 1962 Nancy Slayton (Q.E.P.D.) saw an ad in an old TOROS magazine regarding the desire to start a bullfight club in the San Francisco area. She contacted the lady, Catherine Sutherland, who ran the ad and helped her organize the peña. Thirty interested people became the founding members.
The first meetings were held in Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area until an almost permanent room was secured in the Marines Memorial Club. Throughout the years it has moved from a circle of restaurants to members homes and back again to a circle of restaurants. Many of the meetings were educational with guest speakers on various aspects of the corrida, history, music, cape work, current matadors' standings, etc.
Sol y Sombra was represented at two of the International Congresos of Tauromaquia--Seville in 1966 and Lisbon in 1972 at all the NATC yearly conventions.
TODAY
Some members participate in meetings with other sister clubs and attend the NATC (National Association of Taurine Clubs) Congresos which are held yearly in Mexico, Spain, and France. Sol y Sombra has hosted several congresos in Zacatecas, Mexico. The latest one was September 2003.
Many club members have traditionally gone to Tijuana for the Opening of the Season in May when the Empresa has the pachanga. For the last five years members have also enjoyed attending the Annual Taurine Summit of all California Peñas.
Nowadays, two hours away, almost in our backyard, there is a California Season in the San Joaquin Valley from late April to late October with bloodless bullfighting which members are encouraged to attend. There is a corrida about once a week and sometimes twice a week. The cartels consist of active matadores and rejoneadores from not only California, but also Mexico, Portugal and Spain. There are pre & post corrida meetings with discussions on tauromaquia while enjoying tailgating. Also, tertulias have followed corridas such as the World Bullfights and most recently the Historical Corrida on March 12, 2004 featuring Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza, Dennis Borba and Fernando Ochoa.
The meetings in the San Francisco Bay Area are held either in restaurants or at members homes. Besides showing videos, the peña invites distinguished guests who influence or participate in the art of tauromaquia. In addition, the club receives special invitations to tientas and brandings which members attend.
Once upon a time on Sundays one could often find some members practicing cape work in Golden State Park under the direction of the Peña's Resident Retired, Matador, Guillermo Navarro. Today, the practicos not only do their training in a convenient park, but also attend bullfighting schools in the valley, in Mexico, or Spain.
¡VIVA LA FIESTA BRAVA!
¡OLé!
by Rose Prebil
August 2004
Note: Past data is from charter member,Doris Jacob's memoirs..(Q.E.P.D.)
