Three ears, two good bulls, and a dramatic toss for Artazos

The third and final semifinal of the International Contest of Bullfighting Schools in Málaga was entertaining and varied due to the commitment of the students and the quality of most of the bulls fought, while the bitter side was marked by the dramatic tumble suffered by Daniel Artazos from Valencia.

It was during the third bull of the afternoon when the young bullfighter entered his mandatory round of quites. The bull, the worst conditioned and most malicious of those that entered the ring, charged at Artazos who fell badly on his neck, becoming unconscious and inert on the ground, shocking the audience. He was transferred to the infirmary, where he began to regain consciousness; once in the hands of the doctors, he gradually regained mobility in his limbs, although the medical staff, as a precaution, decided to transfer him to the Regional Hospital (formerly Carlos Haya) to undergo tests to rule out any injuries.

That third bull was the black sheep of a very well-presented group of bulls from Toros de La Plata, where the second –which left the fans feeling that it deserved a lap of honor in the dragging– and the fifth stood out.

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When his colleague fell injured, the Portuguese Vicente Sánchez, as the director of the lidia, had to kill two bulls. In both, he showed skill and steadiness. In his first, very settled, he drew some estimable veronicas and was neat with the muleta, where he based the fight on the right hand. He killed with a pinch and an opposite stab. In the fifth and last, which he received with two long changes, his natural bullfighting especially stood out. He killed with a pinch and a rear stab.

Bullfighting is about values, which are also learned in bullfighting schools, and both Sánchez and Antonio Arias demonstrated this by dedicating the last two fights of the event to their injured colleague. The Malagueño, in his debut at La Malagueta, was spirited against a good bull, from which he managed to draw a couple of good series of naturals. A very rear pinch and a stab reduced the prize to an ear requested by an audience supportive of the bullfighters.

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The poor use of the steels prevented Joaquín Manzur from winning an ear. The CITAR student was varied all afternoon with the cape –he was charged during the first bull's quite– and with the muleta he left some good passes, although what most resonated with the audience were the final manoletinas. He left four pinches before landing a laid stab.

Alejandro González did not have an easy task with the dangerous third bull, but the young swordsman from Albacete showed intelligence and courage to overcome the difficulties of the bull that had caught his companion and which soon became oriented. González based the fight on the left horn, the most viable of the animal, and faced it in the areas of the preference of the boards. He left three pinches before landing a stab. He deservedly took a lap because he was very dignified.

EVENT DETAILS

Location. La Malagueta bullring.

Bull Ranch. Young bulls from Toros de la Plata, well presented and generally good in play, highlighting the excellent second and fifth; the third, oriented and dangerous.

Bullfighting School Students. Vicente Sánchez (Vilafranca de Xira): ear and ear with request in the one he killed for Artazos; Joaquín Manzur (CITAR): silence after warning; Alejandro González (Albacete): lap after warning; Daniel Artazos (Valencia): injured; and Antonio Arias (Málaga): ear and request after warning.

Incidents. Third semifinal of the International Contest of Bullfighting Schools. One-third entry on a hot afternoon. Presided by Francisco Fernández. Carlos Garrido stood out banderilling the first. Daniel Artazos was attended in the infirmary after being concussed when flipped by the third and was transferred to the hospital.