Matadors and Bull Fighting

== == The movement is known as a "veronica." It is named for St. Veronica and the gesture she used in wiping the face of Jesus.

It's just one of those things that has been around so long that it is a part of their culture now.

Bullfights also provide direct or indirect employment for thousands of people. It also brings considerable money to the country from tourist dollars.

It's the thrill they get from violence, which is an ancient form of "entertainment" that dates back to the Stone Age. You wonder why many people will flock to movies that contain action and violence....well it's because of that. Since a lot of Spaniards are more towards the older customs of entertainment that doesn't include going to the movie theatre, they get their thrills from watching a bull fight. Some people call it "blood lust," others call it a thrill from the primeval days of hunter versus prey.

Well, yes and no. Yes because the bulls used in Spanish bull fighting have been bred to fight to the death. No because these bulls, just like all other "normal" bulls on a farm or ranch, are used to breed cows.

Fighting bulls are raised on special ranches that are devoted to raising them. The young bulls are separated from their mothers at one year of age and then spend the next 3 years in vast pastures feeding primarily on the natural grasses. Once the bull is 4-6 years of age it will be sold to a bullfight promoter and, a few days before the fight, will be transferred to a corral at the bullring. In the morning before the fight takes place the animals are separated and moved to very small pens under the bullring and they will stay there until their time to fight arrives.

The species of cattle used in bullfighting are Bos primigenius taurus. The breed itself is called Fighting Bull or Fighting Cattle, or, in Spanish, Toro de Lide, Toro de Lidia, Toro Lidiado, or Ganado Bravo.

It is believed that a form of bullfighting was introduced to Spain during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius nearly 2000 years ago. Over the centuries the practice evolved into what we know today. When the Spanish conquered and colonized an area they introduced the spectacle, especially in parts of the Americas.

The main performer is the matador whose job it is to kill the bull properly after an artistic performance with the cape - the muleta. Matador is his profession.

The Plaza de Toros is the name of the arena where a bullfight is held.

The matador wears a traje de luces - a suit of lights.

Fighting bulls are raised on ganaderias (ranches) in Spain, Mexico, Portugal, France and some Latin American countries. The bulls are descendants of the wild cattle that once roamed the Iberian Peninsula and are not domesticated. They are wild animals noted for their aggressive behavior.

It comes from the Spanish term - matador de torosor 'one who kills bulls'.

The REwards are approval and admiration (both familial and public)..plus you get to make a nice living and have groupies! The Awards are ears and tails, depending on how well you did.

Not all bullfighters are successful, by the way..most are not.

There is no 'referee' in a bullfight. There is, however, a judge of the bullfight called presidente who sits high in the bullring and he controls the fight. He is usually a government official and is usually advised by a retired matador or other knowledgeable person. He signals the changes of the terceos (acts) of the bullfight and awards trophies (ears, tail of the bull) to the matador. His commands are sent via a trumpeter to the participants of the fight. Each short trumpet melody has a specific meaning.

Yes, the bull gains confidence when it is able to make contact with a padded horse. It also helps to tire the tossing muscle causing the bull to lower its head and concentrate its charge, making it a bit easier for the matador to control the animal during the final phase of the fight.

In Spain a matador earns $50,000 to 656,000 per bullfight

it is cool how is it cool you could die

Spain, and it is not considered a sport. It is an art form.

In the United States of America, YES, By Federal law! There is some grey area with so-called bloodless bullfights of the Portugese cavalry ( they use horses more) variety, but traditional animal-sacrificed Bull Fights- No Way.

Yes Bullfighting is illegal in the UK, But not in Spain and Mexico.

I may not have them all but this will start you off. There is a difference of banning it altogether and banning the killing of the bull or having it be a bloodless event... the ones who have banned it from being killed and/or bloody are Ecuador, Canada, Cuba, United States, most of France, 2 regions in Spain... cities in Portugal (might be all of it now), Venezuela, and Colombia.

Ole is the traditional cheer, although I suspect (but haven't observed) that people may yell other supportive words or phrases as well.

The largest plaza de toros in Spain is the Plaza Monumental in Madrid which seats about 24,000.