Peña News
May 2006
Morante de Puebla did not surpass last year s performance during May s Feria de Jerez. But he continued to delight aficionados this year.
Puerta Grande for Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza in Madrid on May 19, 2006 in a no hay billetes --sold out corrida. He cut an ear on his first toro and another one on his second with a strong petition for a 2nd ear which was not authorized by the judge. Others on the cartel were Joao Moura who got silence on both toros and álvaro Montes who got an ovation on his 1st and one ear on his 2nd toro.
Luis Francisco Esplá will celebrate his 30 yrs. of alternativa in Almadén. In the cartel will be his son Alejandro Esplá Tarruella. The event was going to be behind close doors with a few friends. Now it will be in public with his son killing a novillo. To add to the festivities, a jazz band will play during the festival.
Alejandro Esplá remembers being 14 or 15 years old when he felt the urge to become a torero and told his parents. They in turn sent him to the United States to study. Now, he s a Public Relations and Adverticing Student. I m going to take things calmly and slow. I m trying to find out my level. But the idea is to go forward and see what happens, declared Alejandro.
El Juli will not be in any of Empresario Justo Ojeda s plazas, stated Roberto Dominguez, Juli s Manager. There was disagreement with the empresa last year and Julián was not in the Sevilla s or Jerez cartel. He will not be in Puerto de Santa Maria or Burgos also. It s clear that it is not a matter of money, said Roberto Dominguez, his apoderado.
Enrique Ponce managed to pull a faena out of mansos in San Isidro. His trend is continuing--He got credit for having the best faena in Sevilla s Feria de abril. The 34th yr. old Matador with 17 yrs.of alternativa stated in a press interview that he has not reached the top and considers himself still learning. However, Enrique thinks that he needs to consider himself the best before facing toros.
Cristina Sanchez, the first woman on foot to take the alternativa in Europe came out of retirement in Torremolinos, Malaga on May 21, 2006 and cut 2 ears from her second toro and got a vuelta for her first bull since she missed with the sword. On the cartel were Jesulín de Ubrique who cut one. and 2 ears and El Cordobés who cut 2, and one ear of the Manolo González toros. The 3 toreros were carried out on shoulders at the end of the performance.
Cristina took her alternativa on May 23, 1996 in Nimes, France. Her padrino was Curro Romero and testigo Jose Maria Manzanares. She confirmed in Las Ventas on May 12, 1998. However, she was not included in San Isidro s cartel the following year and that supposedly unmotivated her to continue in the profession. Therefore on October 12, 1999 alternating with Fernando Cepeda and Javier Conde in Las Ventas, she retired after performing 22 times and cutting 20 ears and a tail that year. It is said that she retired because some of her colleagues did not want to be in the cartel with her. Before retiring she gave the alternativa to another woman, Mari Paz Vega with Jose Antonio Ferrera as witness on September 29, 1997.
Toros in Lisbon after 6 years absence. Campo opened its gate for a sale out. The restored bullring sits in a shopping center.
