Toro Toro!!!

Wow! Last night we went to the culminating activity of the Handford Festa.....the Riverdale Bull Fights.

I have literally NEVER seen anything like this. It was an amazing night. Take a look at how it went.

By the way, modern bullfighting here is a bloodless sport (unless a bull fighter gets injured) and the bull is not killed in the end. Just so you know. (I wouldn't have anything to do with it if it were not.)



In Portuguese style bull fighting, the fight happens in two phases known as "cavaleiro" and "pega." The cavaleiro is a beautifully dressed horseman on a specially trained and decorated horse. The cavaleiro's job is to stab the bull with long decorated sticks (bandeirilhas-I looked it up...lol).

In the "pega," 8 men (known as forcados) literally wrestle the bull with no weapons of any kind. (This part is UNREAL!!!! and these guys are INSANE!!!) Their job is to subdue the bull and bring him to a complete stop. A front man challenges the bull and provokes him to charge. Mid-charge, the front man grabs the bull and is then aided by the other 7 men in stopping him (including the dude who is pulling the bull by the tail......lol). It is an unimaginable amount of fun to watch. Check it out.

At this particular Bull Fight there was the addition of the Spanish style with the use of a Matador. The Matador fights the bull in the ring with the use of a cape (generally red) and a sword (traditionally used to administer the fatal blow. Here.....just for looks). The Matador uses his cape (with truly enjoyable pomp and circumstance) to control the bull and maneuver him into the proper position to kill. The Matador gets unbelievably close to the bull, at times taunting and showing his bravery by turning his back or even laying on the ground. It is beautiful.