Peña News
January 4, 2006
Happy New Year!
The internet Newsletter Committee and the Website Committee have been continuously working to put things together. The wine is gone........Work should speed up....
As stated in our last "Las Noticias"--January/February 2006 Edition, Sol y Sombra elections are coming up.......March/April 06.... Please contact Joe Nye with your suggested nominations, including yourself! Call Joe at: (650) 347 6208. His e-mail is temporarily out of service and he's looking for a new computer and server; therefore, it's best to call him on the phone for now.
Congratulations to Sol y Sombra Director, Francisco Romero and his wife Maria who finally moved to their new home and graciously extend an invitation to all members of Sol y Sombra. We should figure out a day that we can hold a meeting at their brand new spacious residence! What a treat!
Sincere Condolences to Member, Sol y Sombra Past President, Alan Broca, for the loss of his sister in law last month. May the Lord give her a celestial palco and resignation to her family and friends to cope with such loss. Q.E.P.D. (Que En Paz Descanse--R.I.P.=Rest In Peace).
Taurine Highlights
PALHA, the most feared Portuguese Ganaderia, will be in Nimes for 2006 in spite of the veto for shaved horns. Nimes is out of the UVTF (Unión de Villas Taurinas Francesas = French VillagesTaurine Union composed of 45 cities) because Palha toros have been announced to perform in Nimes this year. The Portuguese Ganaderia was accused of sending shaved horn toros last year; therefore, the UVTF unanimously decided during their annual meeting, on November 27, 2005 in Beziers not to engaged the Portuguese Ganaderia for 2006. However, the empresario and mayor of Nimes decided otherwise. Simón Casas, Nimes Empresario, declared to Mundotoro that exclusion to UVTF is not going to harm Nimes' plaza.
Matador Luis Francisco Esplá has joined "Thinking Heads"--a Lecturing Agency that promote guess speakers for conferences.
Death threats for Matador Antonio Barreras if he performed in Insurgentes on Sunday, December 25, 2005. Antonio got two intimidating phone calls because he was going to be in the cartel with Matador Humberto Flores who was sanctioned not to fight in plaza Mexico by his union for at least a year. According to the association of Mexican Matadores and Rejoneadores, Humberto violated the Mexican/Spanish agreement of 50/50 when he performed with Spaniards El Fandi and Finito de Cordoba because Mexican Rejoneador Rodrigo Santos who was also in the cartel supposedly did not count as he was not on foot. Both Spaniards-- El Fandi and Finito de Cordoba were sanctioned from performing in Mexico for 5 yrs. and Mexican Rodrigo Santos and Humberto Flores for a year. The way of sanctioning was that no other matador or rejoneador would perform with them for that particular period of time. Furthermore, Antonio was told by the Mexican Association that if he performed, he would be banned from Mexican plazas for 5 years even though he validly has fought in Mexico 80 times and had 20 gorings.
The reaction of the Spanish Union of Matdores and Rejoneadores was that no Spaniards would perform in Mexico. Jose Maria Plaza, President of the Spanish Association declared that their board had the consent of figuras such as Enrique Ponce, Juli, Morante, etc. and that it was unjust punishment for those matadors that had followed the guidelines. He also stated that the agreement signed last September was not going to be valid. Therefore, Antonio Barrera was adviced by his union not to go to Mexico--he was substituted by Mexican Matador Alberto Huerta.
"La Asociación Mexicana recapacita y decide no sancionar"--the Mexican Association receeded and decided to lift the sanction--was the headlines on December 22nd. "We are finally recognized that we also put our lives on the line" declared Rejoneador Rodrigo Santos after he was informed of the decision. However, this statement was taken back when the Mexican Association President declared that he solely did not have the right to make that decision. And when the board met, Mexicans, Rodrigo Santos and Humberto Flores, were sanction for 5 years, like the Spaniards, rather than one as previously stated.
Angelino renounced being part of the Mexican Association. His apoderado, ex-,matador Curro Leal stated that Angelino will perform with whomever hires him.
Zotoluco declared on December 28, 2005 that he was in disagreement with the Mexican Association of Matadores because it was unjust punishment even to his own Mexican colleagues. He stated that such sunctions left no one to fight and consequently the public will stay away from the plazas. Zotoluco asserted that he was current with his union dues and that he was not going to belong to another association; instead, he was going to handle his own affairs. He also indicated that he respected all taurine associations--Asociación de Empresarios, Asociación de Picadores and Banderilleros, Union de Criadores de Toros de Lidia.
According to a press relealed, Zotoluco ended 2005 going out on shoulders in Tlatenango, Zacatecas. In 2005 he fought 53 corridas in Mexico and 1 in Madrid, Spain, cutting v 108 ears, 15 tails, had 2 indultos and gave 2 alternativas.
Jose Maria Luevano has joined Zotoluco in leaving the Matador's Union according to a report on January 2, 2006.
Rafael Herrerias, Mexico City's Empresario, stated through Clarin's microphones on Sunday, January 1st? that the rights of the Mexican Association of Matadores did not exists. --"No pueden castigar algo que no existe, los derechos de la agrupacion no existen, no son nada" He pointed out the inconsistent legal measures. Herrerias said that Finito de Cordoba and El Fandi have been contracted including Mexico City's Plaza --see above paragraph where the sanction was supposed to occur.
La Feria de Cali, Colombia ended with a golden brioche for their festival. From the 6 Las Ventas Ganaderia belonging to Matador César Rincón (Marqués de Domecq livestock descendants) 2 bulls were "indultados"--their lives were spared due to their bravery & nobility, another one was given a "vuelta" around the ring, and another one was clapped in "el arrastre"--as he was taken away. César Rincón cut 2 ears, El Cid got 2 symbolic ears since his bull was indultado, César Jiménez cut one ear, Iván García cut 2 ears (making it 6 altogether during the fair and has become the idol of the feria), Luis Bolivar did not have luck with his toro--the only manso of the batch.
Iván Garcia from Madrid is a contender to win Cali's Trophy--El Sr. de los Cristales for the Feria de Cali. His apoderado, Retired Matador José Antonio Campuzano, stated that something similar happened 3 yrs. ago with Sebastián Castella who he also manages. Cali was the take off and contracts followed.
Ivan said that he never thought that things could turn out so well. He was delighted with the aficionados that go to the plaza, always clapping when things go well and that whether or not he gets the trophy the important part was that he felt well--a gusto toreando en esta plaza. When asked how he felt being dress in a suit of lights during the coming of the New Year. "An unimaginable emotion. I perfectly recall looking at the clock when the bull collapsed and it was 6 p.m., exactly 12 o'clock in Madrid. I thought of my family and saw the plaza filled with white handkerchieves. I thought to myself, it's the most beautiful dream in my life.".......¡Enhorabuena, Matador!
Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza arrived in Mexico on January 3, 2006 and his first performance will be on January 5, 2006 at Matehuala, San Luis Potosí with toros Hernández Andrés. In the cartel will be Jose Antonio Hernández and Miguel Urquiza. Pablo hopes that the situtation between the Mexican Union and the Spanish Union gets solved. However, he belongs to the Protauni association; therefore, he's not affected by the rupture and he will comply with his 30 contracts in Mexico.
Matador Victor Manuel Blazquez from Valencia, Spain, whom we have seen in several occasions in California's San Joaquin Valley, performed in Poland for the Opera Carmen during the Holiday Season. Victor declared that he was hesitant at first but went ahead because it involved propagation of La Fiesta Brava.
Madrid News (Mundotoro on 1/3/06: El Ministerio de Cultura (Culture Department) stated that in 2005, 25 millions expectators less went to the movies than the yr. before. It constitutes 20%.which is about the same in Italy and Germany. In France the loss was 10% and in the United States 6%. In Spain, up to 50% of the losses is covered by the Department of Culture through the decree enacted on July 2001(Fomento y promoción de la Cinematografía y el Sector Audivisual). Also, because cinematography is considered good for the cultural well being, it has an IVA (tax) of 4%--same as in Portugal-- while bullfighting has 16% and losses are not state, they are private instead.
Olé!
Yours truly,
Rose Prebil
