For decades, we have wanted to see a bullfight.  Not that I endorse cruelty to animals, but I do like seeing different cultures and their customs (the USA ain’t the arbiter of morality to the world…).  Though we have been in Mexico at least 50 times, plus to Spain and other Latin American countries, but there never seemed to be a bullfight in the city or time that we were there.  Today in Ambato, we finally had a chance to see our first (and probably last…) bullfight.

There were 3 bullfighters and 7 bulls.  In Ambato, they still kill the bulls in the fight.  One of the bulls survived because it was stronger than the bullfighter and refused to be killed.  When the 30 minute buzzer went off, the fighter left the ring in shame.  It took another 25 minutes to convince the bull to go back into the pen.  The auxiliary bullfighters tried to lasso him, but he shook it off. Finally he was coaxed into the pen, where he is now destined to live a live of luxury in a pasture somewhere (at least we can hope…).

The star of the show was Manuel Escribano, the sole Ecuadorian bullfighter of the day.  He displayed a mastery of the bulls that was clearly above the others.  He killed his first bull in a clean hit that laid the animal to rest in a few seconds, with minimal pain.  The second bull he faced actually got control of him for a moment, tossing his cape and forcing him to run briefly from the animal.  Manuel then returned to face down the bull, kneeling in front of him, then standing and putting his hand on the bull’s head. The crowd went wild, waving white handkerchiefs, indicating that the bull should live.  Manuel looked at the crowd, nodded his head, dropped his sword, raised his cape for one last charge, then slapped the bull on the spine with his hand as the bull passed.  The crowd erupted with “Toro, toro, toro!” as Emanuel  took his bow and the bull was led off to his pen (which took about 5 minutes this time, as the bull seemed to realize he had been granted a reprieve).

All in all, I am glad we finally got to see this sport that is enjoyed in most of the Latin world.  Not sure that I want to go back and see it again though. We saw a master at work, and we saw a couple of bullfighters that were clearly not at the peak of their game.  It was an interesting glimpse into this particular sport.