I picked up this interesting list of facts about bullfighting from The Guardian here.
- Bullfighting was at first seen as an exclusively aristocratic pursuit for Spanish noblemen who remained seated on horseback. In 1726, the matador Francisco Romero was the first to challenge the bull on foot. He also introduced the famous red cape (muleta) and sword (estoque).
- This new style, attracting larger and more excited crowds, encouraged the building of arenas dedicated to the bullfight. Initially square, the buildings became circular to discourage the action from becoming confined to a corner.
- Most major towns in Spain have a bullring. La Maestranza in Seville is the oldest bullring (construction started 1758) at which the annual Feria de Abril bullfighting festival is held. The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid is the most prestigious arena.
- In 1946, the world’s largest bullfighting venue, the Plaza México, opened in Mexico City, seating 48,000.
- Juan Belmonte (1892-1962, pictured right) is considered the greatest matador of all time. Despite being gored several times, his style is still emulated by contemporary matadors. In 1962, Belmonte shot himself after doctors told him his injuries would prevent him from pursuing his penchant for cigars, wine and prostitutes.
- In the 18th and 19th centuries, bullfighting was banned on several occasions, most notably by Philip V, who considered it barbaric and thus unsuitable for noblemen. It was after this that it was claimed as a sport for common people.
- During the Franco dictatorship, the state actively approved of bullfighting as a genuinely Spanish tradition.
- The World Society for the Protection of Animals estimates that around 40,000 bulls are killed each year in European bullfights (Spain, Portugal and France). In Spain, 3,200 official bullfights take place annually. About 210,000 bulls die every year in Latin American bullfights (Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela).
- Fifty-two matadors have been killed in the arena since 1700. In 1934, Ignacio Sánchez Mejías (a friend of poet Federico García Lorca) was gored and died from a gangrene infection. The most recent fatality was José Cubero (“Yiyo”), who was gored in the heart in 1985.
- Some matadors have met their end in more peculiar ways. José de los Santos (1806-47) fled in fear of a bull in the Valencia ring, leapt over the fence and impaled himself on his own sword.
- According to the League Against Cruel Sports, the bullfighting industry generates annual revenues of £2.2bn.
- Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has banned under 14s from attending bullfights.
- A special type of surgery has developed for the treatment of cornadas, or horn wounds.
