While I understand that this is a "cultural" tradition... as well as the fact that matador and most people involved truly respect the animal... it still kills me that we humans find pleasure in sitting around watching something get killed. Why not go and enjoy a hanging for desert, or even an execution... what have you....

Amanda: Because animals aren't human?

That photo of the bull leaping over a pile of people is wild! It's hilarious to see them holding up their digital cameras and phone cameras as THEY ARE ABOUT TO BE CRUSHED. The whole event is fascinatingly ridiculous and yes, grotesque.

I would LOVE to enjoy a hanging for dessert. Do you know where the next one is scheduled?

Amanda: not that I disagree that the whole thing is barbaric, but: take a look at almost most tv shows and practically every blockbuster movie out there. We love watching violence.

you are right Jabo, exactly the same as the death penalties in USA and lots other countries, Guantanamo,etc,... hah! no! That is only for human beings.

well that's my point Will... We do love watching violence... I don't know if its something tribal in us... the fight in us... what have you...

We love watching it and very easily get caught up in it... study a group of people where fights etc all of a sudden start... people who otherwise wouldn't harm a soul are front and center kicking and punching... I am not claiming that everyone is like this... but my god... all the things happening around the world are never going to end (South Africa; Iraq, Isreal, Congo, etc.) because the violence and the awe of it are a part of us humans.

Amanda, every single thing you just said makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I still pull for the bulls.

The bullfight is about the skill of the Matador versus the power of the bull. The nobility and brutality of the bull's death brings humans closer to where our food comes from. Ronald McDonald won't step in the ring. He just orders frozen hamburgers from some far off packing plant where the animals get their throats slit or a pipe jammed through their skull. Which is more grotesque?

it is barbaric. I don't understand how watching anything die can be seen as entertainment. Regardles of the cutural, or theatrical presentation. Some things we are supposed to eventually outgrow, right?

And they call themselves a first world country? Well, it looks like Nth world fun to me.

Regards from Uruguay!

I would be okay with bullfighting if it were more fair: the bullfighter should also be naked, have no sword, and have large metal pins inserted painfully into his neck and upper back. Then we'll see who wins.

For arguments sake. (almost a repeat of kurt)
If the killing is not elegant (i.e. humane) the matador gets fewer awards; the fans aren't there for the killing. Also fighting bulls are raised free range, roaming wonderfully verdant green fields until the event, a good sight more than you could say for the apartment cows that make bigmacs. AND if the bull is outstanding in HIS performance, his life is spared and he retires back to the green pasture to make little bulls for the rest of his days! horray.

ps. vamo'arriba uruguay!

this thing does not make sense at all in these times
may be in olden days with not much to amuse with, these were centers of attraction
but now no more
come guys, how could you support such a thing
these animals- dont they need some respect
remember we are nothing but CLOTHED animals
if we call ourselves civilized, is this what we mean?

As most of spanish people, I absolutely HATE and DISAGREE with this supposed tradition. We're tired of being called 'torero' and 'ole flamenco', as well.

This is just a question of ignorance about us and our society. Please, dont' follow the cliche.

A spaniard.

PD: Congrats for the blog. Amazing!

Beautiful pictures, beautiful tradition. . . But I echo the sentiments of many here. Why is killing (even "just animals") such a fascinating thing? And why is it prideful to kill an animal that is relatively defenseless?

The same goes with how we raise and slaughter most of our meat (our referring USA). It's pretty shameful.

Brian: Because animals aren't human?
Sometimes (even this time) they seem better...

I really like the first and the last two images. But I'm not in accord with this tradition. We are in 2008 and not in the 14th century!

http://tinyurl.com/6qh9ny

I've been waiting for this ever since the Big Picture went live!

MORE photos of animals attacking humans, please! Shark and bear attacks would be great, and if you can find good photos of a wild monkey attack that would be awesome!

How many people here enjoy eating hamburgers? Seriously. Aminals are killed and mistreated all over America for food. I have no problem with a few bulls dying a year for a tradition that is nearly 420 years old. There are worse ways for a bull to go.

Many spanish people like me are against corridas. Bulls are animal, and they can suffer pain. If you stay here, in Spain, you could see how bulls are tortured to enjoy some people without feelings...

Beautiful pictures. This site is fantastic.

Although I find bullfighting to be objectionable I couldn't agree more with Kurt. Take a closer look at the meat processing industry. One day of operations in a typical large-scale slaughterhouse will witness far more senseless brutality and degredation of animal life than centuries of bullfighting could ever produce. At least there is artistry and some kind of aesthetic beauty in bullfighting. You could never say that about the modern slaughterhouse.

Yet I, too, root for the bull.

Does anyone know if the Bull gets eaten?

I ran in this last year. The run is fun. Bullfighting is not a sport. The bull has no chance. No matter what happens, the bull is going to die. What is also not focused on is that before the matador even enters the ring, the bull is speared at least twice by guys atop armored horses. Following that, two other guys run from behind the bull and stab it another 3-4 times. The second set of knives with barbs and weighted handles to further pull open the would.

All of these spearings occur in between the bull's shoulderblades which makes it so they can barely stand. By the time the matador even walks out, the bull has been stabbed at least 5 times, and all of its shoulder muscles have been severed so it can barely even stand up.

It is barbaric, and cruel but also part of their history (does not make it right though). I'm not a fan of this practice and would certainly vote against it.

@Trevor, etc:

It is the "artistry" that makes it more repugnant. Yes, awful things with forklifts and cattleprods are done to beef cows, and we like to pretend it doesn't happen. Those things are illegal, but even the legal things are revolting.

But this is a celebration of the slow mutilation and killing of a terrified and mostly defenceless animal, by some guy in traditional clothes, watched by thousands. Woo hoo.

Animals eat animals. Only humans make a pageant out of killing them.

I *always* root for the bulls.

I thought it was unfair and barbaric for a long while but giving more thought to it I've changed my mind. Here's why :

- while it sounds unequal, it's not. It's true that (way) more bulls die than torreadors - still some humans die, or get very badly injured. When this happens, the bull lives. Now realistically if you consider the idea of a deadly sport, I guess corrida is as far as you can get in term of death risk. More and you have basically no one but suicidal minds to participate to it. So of course there are tools to harass the bull. Because, unless you take a gun and there's no sport, there's no other way to do it. The bull is several time heavier, tougher, faster and more leathal than the torreador. Everyone who thinks torreador are vicious killer should try to do what they do for thirty seconds. IMO a vicious killer don't take that kind of risk !

- I can see a form of ethic and morality in it. It shows honestly something that is usually well hidden in our societies : death. It may sound barabaric, but I actually think it's deeply unhealthy to act as if death is only in movies or in the news. Corrida put death in the life of the audience, and maybe that's why it sounds so barbaric. But death IS a thing of life...

- ... and it's not like some bull's lives are a big price to pay to teach us that lesson. Because I consider deeply hypocrit to cry for the bull if you either eat meat (even sometimes) or use some fossile energy or have voted for a politician actively supporting war (quick exemples on the top of my head). Which means nearly all of us speaking here so maybe condemning corrida is a cheap way to act as we're not killers.

Well, we are.

The bulls get eaten! I think around the arena you find restaurants that are preparing their meat.

Traditions are traditions - the good guy and bad guy(the beast)!

The bad guys always has no change and must die regardless if is weak or strong! The bad guy is a beast. Some would call that Patriotism - killing on behalf of a label/idea.

Most of people in the world find appalling how easy cops kill humans, or how the slaughter houses function or how easy is to drop bombs or blow other people up.

Once we figure out how to avoid that then we should be concerned about killing a bull !!

BTW corrida (in my previsous mail) = bullfightingt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfighting

I suggest anyone thinking it's just a bull's slaughter with no risk to read the "hazardous" part. It's probably the more dangerous sport in the world.

"At one point it resulted in so many fatalities that the French government tried to ban it, but had to back down in the face of local opposition."

Blah, blah, blah, killing animals bad...the photos, however, are quite fantastic!

Go bulls!

There are more important things to be worrying about than a handful of bullfights. Like human trafficking in Asia or genocide in Africa. We allow some native groups to kill whales. I'm not comparing the two but I'm saying that its hard for us to judge another culture's traditions through our cultural lens. What we deem cruel might not be for another people group, and believe it or not, our culture is not better than others.

Modern day bull "fighting" (seems more like structured slaughtering to me) is all about making money . The influx of people (and money) into Pamplona is not something that those whose businesses rely on tourism would easily give up. It's a sad affair that seems to show that capitalism is more about making money rather than being humane.

http://ericstoller.com/blog/

I'm Spanish, and I'm usually against bullfighting because of the animal cruelty. But the "bullruns" as you call them ("encierros"), I'm starting to like them. I wouldn't put myself in front of a running bull, but it's a tradition, and no animal (except humans :P) gets hurt. The acrobatic jumping over the bulls is amazing too. What I despise is the torturing and killing.

My point is that most people are against any activity regarding bulls just because of the bullfighting torture, while there are other activities where the bulls don't suffer, are harmed, or get killed.

Normally a Lakers fan, but GO BULLS!!

I absolutely do not subscribe to the notion that an audience will learn something new about death by attending. The notion that death doesn't just exist on TV may be true; however, I can think of endless examples of common death that doesn't require an audience an a weakened animal. For example the lose of friend or family member. Witnessing a car accident would be another common example. Or perhaps knowing somebody abused or raped is another example of every day violence. Certainly we have no shortages of war and genocide. And these examples have far more pertinence with regards to learning something about humanity than a competition.

With regards to the meat eating topic, I too completely take issue with corporate farming and factory process meat. And therefore, I take part in community based agriculture. A farm that is operated in a sustainable way provides an animal with a wonderful life and balances nature in the most of symbiotic ways us humans can. For more thoughts on that topic I suggest: Michael Pollan's - The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Perhaps there is an innate human (more appropriately masculine) desire to take in carnage. And perhaps there is a beauty to be seen in bullfighting. We use to say the same thing about gladiator fighting. There is also an ethical question about what it means to progress as a species.

This website is so brilliant!

Classy editorial restraint and use of technology to hide the photos behind a warning and an unobtrusive (no refresh) click. Well done.

And I agree with nae: this website has quickly become one of my daily visits.

Gregory and Devin, I agree with you two.

Spain is not America.

The tradition is very old and beautiful and full of meaning. Yes, it is a bull dying (usually). But you will never understand what it really is unless you live in Spain. I stand proud on the culture of my nation that has continued for so long. It seems that Amercians have forgotten what a culture is. Please don't judge. If you do not like it, then don't participate.

Remirez

1/ the bull jumping over the mont of people ain't a fighting bull (look at the "cuernos")

2/ who enjoy eating a good steak ? what's the difference ? a cow is dead to make an hamburger (maybe some didn't notice that), so what, nobody should "enjoy" eating steak ?
bullshit. What struggles people here is "politically corectness", you can kill animals, you can enjoy their death through their meal, but, hey ! it's forbidden to watch their death, no ! that's bad ! ROFL! I enjoy corrida, but the death moment is always a pain for me (that's corrida, fear, grace and also pain : that's not all sugar)

I en

@ Keef

In your first assumption I understand your logic like this : "you don't learn anything new about death in bullfighting compare to any tragic experience you (or yours) may live.".

First I don't think it matters to learn something new, not even to learn, actually. The plot is more about experimenting death related emotion, which can be done numerous time as it's emotionnal, not just intellectual learning.

Second you forget that some people can reach 33 and never ever had lived any of the tragic experience you mention. That's my case, and I know at least some other people in the same situation.

Third the point of living something that connect you to death is to actually have some landmarks when death come to you or yours. Each culture has its way to deal with this universal issue. I find likely that bullfighting plays its role regarding this for some people.

Thus it's just a thought that entice me to stay open on the bullfighting matter. I don't know the spanish / basque cultural background there, even a little :P

What a superb series of images, capturing the ambiguity of our attitudes to animals. There are several fantastically painterly images here. Congrats to the photographers, congrats to the blog.

As for morality - well, I find the hand-wringing over bulls rather extraordinary given our grotesque attitude to our fellow human beings (especially if they're "overseas"). But of course, we are animals, and we exist in an exploitative relationship to everything around us.

Powerful images such as these remind us of this - and at their best offer us a means of transcendence.

Fantastic set of images with some truly other-worldly shots; The Bull jump being so astounding that it may as well be the creation of an artist.

Do I personally enjoy Bullfighting - No, though am I really morally offended by it when we live in a world where major western countries are practising torture on human prisoners? Not really. I think less time needs to be spent worrying about the tiny amount of thousands of animals killed every day for means of our consumption and more about something that matters.

So just like baseball, if you don't like it don't watch it - just shut up about it.

I find it much more interesting that with all of the growing up we've done as a human race, we still attach emotions to animals who are incapable of them. Its a shame...

@ 45 - It's not "just like baseball." People can have opinions and viewpoints and give critical analyses of things that they don't like...

@41 - And I don't believe that cultural relativism can be used to defend bullfighting. Slaughtering an animal for sport and capital gains is still inhumane, regardless of the cultural nuances. The bulls suffer for a long period of time. When a cow is killed for its meat, it is killed immediately. It is not allowed to linger so that humans can take pleasure in its suffering.

http://ericstoller.com/blog/

It's 2008, we shouldn't be killing animals for fun. We should be spending our time in front of a computer or some kind of screen at least.

I don't understand why these things still happen ...
go Bulls, dead to toreros!

Screw the bulls! I've been to quite a few bullfights and though I find it painful to watch, I keep going. It is interesting to see a living beast die a slow horrible death. To see it slowly tortured....to see it bleed to death. The see that long sword sink deep into it’s back and heart, the blood pour from it's mouth, and then to have its throat sliced only to be dragged from the ring behind a team of horses.

Don’t be fooled though…through it all the bull only cares about trying to kill the "thing" that it sees walking on two legs (fighting bulls NEVER, EVER see people not on horseback until in the ring).

I am American, but the Spanish, French and Portuguese should keep up the traditions of their past. They are only bulls and the only reason they were born was to fight and screw.

BTW….try to get the tail. It is delicious! The meat is given to the poor and shelters, but ONLY if the bull dies honorably. Pussies get thrown in the dumpster.

Toughen up! 25,000 Americans are murdered every single year. You simps are worried about a few animals???

FANTASTICO!!!

I think it's unfair for the bulls to be killed in the end, as it was the people who provoked the bulls in the first place. :(

http://superboyreturns.blogspot.com

those pictures were insane.I hope i am never in one

Great shots but I dont like bullfighting.

@50 Just because we are worried about animals doesnt make us 'simps' - some people care more for animals than most people out there and we dont appreciate people like you mr/ms ILOVEBULLFIGHTING.

Another huge approval of the tasteful way to allow people to decide to see the more graphic pictures, while seamlessly making it easy for adults and responsible people to make the choice to see them. Bravo!

And this isn't Spain's most barbaric tradition, they love rituals and ceremonies where animals suffer for their entertainment. You'd be surprised, and probably disgusted, at the kind of things going on in small villages every year.

I´m an spanish guy who loves your blog from an artistic point of view. The pictures you use to show in this blog are art, rather than journalistic documents.

Bullfighting and everything around it in Spain, always makes me vomit. However, I must say that most of the pictures you are showing here seem quite epic, cool, elegant and attractive to me.
I just want to say that the reality is just very far from it.

First of all; Thanks for this wonderful website and the choice of great images. This is the best of journalistic photography on the web.

Second: Yes, the Corrida is barbaric. But so are we. The veil of civilization is thin and I don't think this is such a bad thing. The tradition is about primal emotions: fear, pain, glory. And people need those emotions. Most of our lives have become pretty dull. Do we feel fear? pain? glory? in our suburbia homes? Can second hand emotions on ESPN replace them?

Personally my favourite photo of this set is the second-to-last one ;-)

Go the bull!

sad to see we have not evolved more... Can't we leave those poor animals alone.. I always cheer for the bull

http://despair.com/tradition.html

Tom wrote:
"Does anyone know if the Bull gets eaten?"

Indeed. There are a market where restaurant's chiefs can buy the bull's meat (why not say "corpse"?).

As Marc said, there are many villages where animals are tortured and humilliated, but i want to think that this activities seems disgusting for most of spanish people, like me.

I am Spanish and if I were given the chance to vote for banning bullfighting I would vote to abolish it. I find it cruel and I do not think hurting and killing an animal is acceptable for the sake of culture and tradition.

However I still remember the excitment that I experienced some years ago when I attended the one and only bullfight that I have been to. The sight of the bullfighter in front of this huge powerfull animal, the feeling of danger, the beauty and passion, the energy that you get from the enthusiastic audience and death in front of your eyes make bullfighting an amazing experience.

This is contradictory but I am both intellectual and passionnate, the animal part of myself experienced excitement and enjoyed it and at the same time I felt guilty for being there supporting the suffering and killing of the bulls.

So if the guy loses, do we get to eat him?

I went to a bullfight with my husband and his friend in Mexico. The friends wife chose to stay back at the hotel. I must admit you have to have the stomach for it.

Sitting there that close and literally watching the blood splatter is not for the faint of heart. I sat eating a sandwich while my husband and his friend turned away in disgust. Would I go again? No.

I have taught my children that some practices in other countries are not right, despite tradition. I can say I saw it first hand and the practice is cruel and inhumane, despite people saying it is a traditional practice.

I dont get it man. Why do they cintinually torment these animals.

JT
www.FireMe.To/udi

I don't like public killing in any form - but most of all I don't like "public opinions": your opinion is like your ass - everyone has it's own and noone don't want to know about it unless s/he want to use it for their own reasons. If you don't want your ass... opinion to be used by complete strangers - don't flash it on public (unless you enjoying it).

At least one of the captions mentions that the event starts at 8am. What it FAILS to mention is the majority of the runners keep up with the tradition of staying up all night and drinking enough red wine to kill an athletic midget. I find a bit more humor in the pics knowing that. Speaking of a bit of humor on the subject, check this out: http://theoriginalunoriginal.com/2008/07/11/bull-will-avenge-father’s-death-in-san-fermin-festival/

One would think that by virtue of humans being of higher intelligence, this historical practice would have, at some time, ceased. At the end of the day, history aside, it is an extremely cruel activity. Bullfighting, at its essence, is a slow torture of an animal exploited for the enjoyment of humans.

If this is offensive to so many people around the world, wouldn't that suggest there's something wrong with it?
Times change, people become more enlightened. No longer do we go and watch people be killed. Why animals?

Yeah the bulls dying makes me sad. I am sure if I saw pictures of slaughterhouses on PETA I would be sad too.

But honestly, wanna know what made me so excited about today's pictures?

The mention of the Hemingway and The Sun Also Rises. Love love love love that book! :)

this is a west wild culture

...........FROM THE WINDOW, IT'S EASY TO INSULT THE BULL.........*

* old italian folk saying

.........FROM THE WINDOW, IT'S EASY TO INSULT THE BULL....

before we get all righteous about the depravity that is bull fighting i suggest we examine some of our cultural traditions... such as:
1. Rodeo
2. Horse and Dog Racing
3. Dog and cock fighting

We're all animals.
My dogs better have been better animals than 90% the people I've met.

I was there July 10th of this year.... and it was one of the best times of my life. I was inches away from being gored... luckly I am in one piece.

I am not advocating the end bullfights in places where they are traditional and remain popular however consider this; Where once these contests/performances were held in towns or cities and done so as a celebration of customs and tradition they are now in many instances a product of tourist interest. The 'Yawkey Way' of Lisbon or Pamplona are surely saturated with vendors selling replica muletas and bull paraphernalia. Bulls are bred and trained like pit bull terriers to be violent for the purpose of the show. Overall the show is a bastardized version of the original, now much more commercial and less artful than the historical presentation. This is from a guy who while I am kind to all living things I am not by any means an animal lover.

@74 - Correct me if I am wrong (and you sort of assume that everyone who comments is from somewhere other than Spain when you say "our"), but animals are not killed at Rodeos, nor are they stabbed at horse or dog races.

Dog and cock fighting is illegal. Bullfighting isn't. Once again, I don't believe in cultural relativism.

http://ericstoller.com/blog/

Being a spaniard, and not being objective, I think you americans should just shut up on this one. If you like it, fine, if not, go watch something else. You people call yourselves a civilized country, the richest in the world, and still support death penalty and the right to possess firearms? And then you have the nerve of critizising a tradition that goes back hundreds of years because you love your pets more than your fellow human beings. Talk about sick. Go figure.

These bulls are bred only to be bullfighted, and then they are eaten. I cant personally see the wrong in that. If I go fishing, I stick a metallic prick on some living creature's mouth, pull it out of his environment and then I suffocate it to death. Sometimes it's a female and it's pregnant. Both are animals. Dont know what's more cruel. And fishing is a sport.

That said, I must admit that I find bullfighting the most boring thing to watch in the world.

A corrida is the ultimate, fatal, dramatic parable of courtship and love: the bull, strong, fast, driven by instinct represents the man, and the torero, with his shiny tight outfit and his cape represents the woman.

I´m mexican guy, who has lived in the US a couple of times. I´m a mexican guy who loves bullfighting. Why?,
because I found exciting the fact that if you make a mistake that animal can kill you. I read a comment saying that
the way to make that fair is
@13.-
I would be okay with bullfighting if it were more fair: the bullfighter should also be naked,
have no sword, and have large metal pins inserted painfully into his neck and upper back. Then we'll see who wins.
and another
Sorry Marc, totally hated
@56
And this isn't Spain's most barbaric tradition, they love rituals and ceremonies where animals suffer for their entertainment.
You'd be surprised, and probably disgusted, at the kind of things going on in small villages every year...

First of all, the bull is armed...you know those horns aren´t just plastic...so, it is fair when the "matador" has a blade with him... and if you haven´t
ever carry one of those ( which I assume) it is really havy, is not easy to have that in your hand while an animal that was born to kill the bullfighter is
just infront of you....

The second and what I think is the most important and has to be alot with Marc´s comment... Marc do you know what the inquisition was? You may or may not
but I´m sure you know what the witches of Salem were, the red coats or the "nuclear weapons" that Irak had...
Let´s face it people, halloween and many US traditions and reactions all along your history are and were based on fear. Don´t get me wrong, I´m not making
a judment of your culture, because I´m not the owner of the truth.It doesn´t matter that you were the biggest economy for the past 80 or 90 years
and I said you were because India and China and Europe are making a great effort to get over many things. I´m no saying that it makes my happy,
ofcourse not if you go down my country will go even deeper. Again, don´t get wrong, we (Mexicans) have learned many things from you, I did!
but the fact that I have and especial love for one country wont blind my self. You americans as everybody else have no right to make judgments, because money or power
does not mean be the owner of the truth! Everybody should have an opinion, but an opinion is way to different to a judment....and yes it drives nuts this comment
because somehow if is not the way you think, then everybody in the whole world is wrong...as I said... have an opinion is correct...to make a judgment you must
be the owner of the truth.. and sorry people no one in the world is....
Spain is a great country... respect their traditions...
Just before end this comment...Marc... would you be brave enough to be in fornt an animal 1100 lbs with two hudge horns on in for 5 minutes?...anybody??
Personally I won´t I´m not brave enough....then please, if you dont like it, dont watch it....but please,....dont make judgments

-Daniel Aceves-

@79 - Why can't we critique bullfighting in Spain as well as the death penalty and gun ownership in the USA? It does not have to be either or. There are several traditions that have gone on for hundreds of years that have been discontinued. Not all traditions need to be continued.

When you go fishing, I doubt it's in a colosseum...

http://ericstoller.com/blog/

This just shows the Spaniards of today are no better than their forefathers Tuaregs from five hundred years ago. Anyone participating in or enjoying watching these events should be shot on the spot. Tradition? Hm, like spitting in China? Tradition is one of the most cowardly words in the human culture, next to patriotism.

I Thing . . .
This IS a West Wild Culture

This is animal cruelty for cruelty's sake plain and simple. In this day and age these people should be ashamed!

we are responsible for our actions and our world and it's animals .these animals are beautiful .just look at them as animals .

i think it'd be a little more fair if it was just the matador and the bull instead of an exhausted and tortured bull.

get rid of all the dudes on horses, all the running around...

man vs. bull. who do you think will win?

THAT would put an end to the needless slaughter.

The bull is not eaten.
It's just killing for pleasure.

Killing whatever just for pleasure can not be culture.
Killing whatever just for pleasure should be punished, and it will.

from spain(sic).

If people around the world still wonder why Latinamerica is so behind Canada and the U.S. culturally, economically and politically, these pictures should provide an easy answer: just look at the primitive, barbaric and backwards "civilization" that was in charge of our region.

We must respect Spanish traditions! Howcum they stopped the Inquisition? Run out of heretics?

But Gawd I do love all the beautiful photos on Big Picture!

It's not the killing that makes it disgusting.

It's the cheering, the pleasure and the entertainment from watching the death.

The biological fascination with violence in movies and TV may come from the same place, but it's not comparable when one involves torture and killing something living and watching a play with computer effects.

I'll be rooting for the bulls. I can't stand to look, but I feel no sympathy for the humans who get killed this way.

The recortadors appear to have allot of skill I would love to see them in action dancing with the bulls.

The bull is a beautiful animal its a shame they have to die.

Is there a "Bull" heaven---where the bulls win and the humans die.

If anyone here speaking against the bullfighting tradition eat beef, pork, or chicken, you're an absolute hypocrite. As has been said: at least there is respect in this ritual. Industrialized slaughter is far, far worse.

Running the bulls in Pamplona is the ultimate adrenalin rush equal to your first time jumping out of an airplane not knowing if your shut opens. Runners need to understand the importance of traditions on how to run, what to avoid and how to act not to endanger fellow runners. This has become the biggest problem. Practically every body can run, no restrictions. Lots of people run after all night partying, being drunk. What the bullfight is concerned, it is time for America to learn about and to respect other peoples cultures. I have been sitting with Pamplonians during the San Fermin in the Pamplona Bullfight Arena. And I have keeped unforgettable memories from that time, full of tradition, enthusiasm, and pride of their culture. And not to forget extremely hospitable to their foreign guests. Bullfight will always exist in Spain, Mc Donalds with their Big Mc. may go down the drain someday.

Its not a fair fight.
toreador only enters the field after some goons stabbed the bull with those spikes to make the bull tired.
so when the toreador enter the bull is already very tired, not realy fair.
a toreador also should first run 10 miles then get beaten by a pro boxer and then we will see what he will do when he enters the ring.

I totaly disagree with these events, I only cheer when the Bull wins. they are the real warriors in this "game".
ps this blog is very good, the best I have seen on the net in YEARS.

ps this blog rules

I'm sick of all americans thinking of us like people who go watch bulls, run and play good soccer. We are not mexicans, we are not colombians, we are not "latinos" but we have many common traits with all south-american people, they are spanish also. Although we are europe and we are much more than Bulls and beer, please, expand your mind and stop seeing Spain like that.

I wanna realy know is there any brain in their heads? or they are fully MAD....
Sooooooooooooooooooooooo terible

These guy kill one bull per fight and give the bull a decent chance. The slaughterhouses kill in hundreds per day, and yet you people have opened your mouths like elephant's ass to complain about those fights, and eat fucking burgers all the time. Talk about hypocrisy.

I want to say this works due to loss wise.you can,t image this work untill you have wise in your head.I can only say unfortunatly.
thanks

I think bullfighters are very small men thinking they are god. Screw them!. Some spanish traditions are great but this torture to animals makes me ashamed of being spanish

i am reminded of a long standing american tradition called thanksgiving...not that I am sugesting a "running of the turkies..."

in all seriousness, this is a long standing tradition that has some aspects that I don't agree with, but I'm just not going to participate, you know?

First, the photos are really amazing. That is the number one reason to stop on this site.
Next, culture and civilization is a living evolving thing. Anyone who reads history knows the barbarities our ancestors did, and once we get to understand it, we stop doing it and move on.
I am Portuguese and live in Portugal. Like in Spain, we have these bullfighting, and bull street racing, but for many years the killing of the bull is forbidden in the arena. Nowadays is more a theatrical event. It's beautiful to see. It's a tradition and we like to keep it. If hurting the bull is still antithetical, someday it will be removed too. That is what we have to believe and fight for, as humans.

Considering the end result of this nonsense, I have no qualms at all about rooting for the bulls. Let them get their moment to shine before they face their gory end.

And when it's all over, steaks!

Hahahah its so funny , american peopele talking about right animal but...
what about right human : Guantanamo, Iraq war, Afghanistan , etc,etc

SOIS PATETICOS.

IDIOTS
IDIOTAS

...but by the time that bull was butchered shipped, trucked, shrink wrapped and put into a plastic bag you wouldn't think twice your steak. Suffering is never pretty but there are few people who could honestly say they don't contribute to it. The bull run is one of the the least of the injustices meted out to our fellow beings and our Earth.

It's funny how everybody is basing their opinion in so many wrong facts:

-Bullfighting is not a sport, it's not a competition with a winner and a loser.

-The toreros do not defend themselves with the blade, the important part of their outfit is the cape. They do not stab the bull when it is attacking them, they only stab them at the end to kill him. In between is the essence of a bullfight, it is called torear, the bull will follow the cape. The act of the killing is not what people chear for, it is much more important the act of torear. I know it is very difficult to understand for all the "open minded" people here because all you see is a Sport.

- The toreros are not sadic creatures seeking for blood becuase as I said the essence and beauty is in Torear not in killing. I'm quite sure that they have a lot more respect for the bulls that you woukd ever have.

-It is not the fact that is a tradition that makes bullfighting ok, it's the concept of itself, a mixed of art, culture, fear, courage, animal force. As I said it will never be understand if you do not open your mind and try to comprhend what is going on.

- Brave bulls are only used for bullfights, if bullfigths do not exist neither would them. They are incredible stron animals, more than 1,000 lbs, with incredible force, try to get in front of it with a sword and let's if you can stab it just once. It ios not the sword that makes the Matador strong, it's the cape.

- All the Spanish people taht comment here about how the majority of Spain is against the Corridas are lying; if it were that way why are most of the rings packed with people with tickets as expensive as 400 euros and reselling as high as 2,000? Why there were 1,500,000 people in Pamplona last week?

With all this said I do not expect anybody to change their mind, but for once try to be open minded and think about what other people feel, what the US thinks might not be what other people think.

for Comment 106 , Remember the Mane:
Do you live here, in Spain? I do. I'm quite impressed of someone who pretend to judge the facts better than the closest ones. Believe me when I say that most of spanish people doesn't agree with this. You say "why are most of the rings packed with people with tickets as expensive as 400 euros and reselling as high as 2,000?" Well, we're more than 40 millions. If you like to think that a few bullrings will represent a whole country... nothing more to say... and " Why there were 1,500,000 people in Pamplona last week?" Easy: TO GET DRUNK.
I guess it's cool to seem a smart guy, and I guess that ignorance is so brave... So,
don't call me a liar, please.

II

Ugh! This makes me sick! By the way Brian (comment #2), they may not be humans, but humans are animals. You can judge society by the way they treat their animals.

I am Spanish and I don't like at all bullfighting but I wouldn't ban it.

I have gone just once to see this "spectacle". Only to see that I will not return again.

Anyway, I agree with Kurt, Trevor and others.

I have to say that, as they have pointed out before, here there is a noble fight (at least more noble that in other places -for example, in a slaughterhouse) between the skill of the bullfighter versus the force of the animal. And no, there's not a "good boy" (the Matador) and a "bad boy" (the bull). Sometimes the "good boy" also dies. It's vey common in bullfighting that the Matador gets seriously injured. There is something of romanticism here.

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=o_fcYvE9lj0

And yes, we are killing animals everyday in the meat industry in a more brutal way and we are not always complaining about it. And I have never seen any worker of these industry willing to kill a bull like a matador does. I suppose they prefer to use more "aseptic" ways.

And I`d like to say that these bulls are born and grow up just to fight versus the matador. I mean, no bullfighting ---> no bulls. Do you understand?

By the way, in Spain there is a big controversy between bullfighting supporters and opponents.

And one more thing. Some people have said here: "it's barbaric". Maybe. But every society has their own "barbaric" rites. And some of them are more barbaric than others.

You can, Kendra. However, look at how we treat the meat we eat everyday -- we keep them locked up in cages, fed sub-par food that is genetically engineered to make them fatter, pump them full of steroids, then slam them in the head with mechanical sledgehammers to kill them. The bulls of a bullfight live out in the range, are raised naturally and are allowed to fight their butcher, in a sense. Yeah, it's barbaric, but f you're to judge the Spanish on this tradition then how do you judge yourself when you sit down to a nice steak dinner at Outback?

you are so Americans!!!

First - When I read the reports about people who are injured or killed in the running, I think - if you're gonna run with the bulls, you're gonna have to face the consequences. Frankly, I think anyone who wants to run in front of a bull needs to have have his head examined.

Second - I see so many comments making this a cultural issue. Yes, bullfighting is a tradition in Spain, I'm not arguing that point. But let's face it, the thrill of killing something by first maiming it, then tormenting it, before finally killing it represents the worldwide issue of man's inhumanity to man - and animals.

Animal kills Animal. Wats new ?

It is their culture and tradition. Fair enought. What isnt fair is that the bulls are already tranquilized before they go out.

Simply desgusting this killed called "tradition" by the sapnishes...

Bullfighting, like many other human activities, is a relic of our evolution. While it gives pleasure to some, those feelings were formed through 2 million years of survival in a tough world that was very different from today. We have the intelligence to move beyond primitive evolutionary urges and pleasures that are no longer useful, and in fact harmful. As long as humans don’t use their intelligence to recognize harmful urges and emotions, we will continue to be less than human – or at least less than humans are capable of -- and we will continue to destroy our world rather than preserve it.

poor and stupid humanity ...*

from France

Me río yo de los americanos y su paz... ohhhhhh!
Irak?... Guantanamo?... Permisos de armas?
Quién quiera que mire y quien se alarme que mire a otro lado.

Poors...

Viva San Fermin!

firstly yes the bull jumping over the crowd is noy a fighting bull. these adre the little baby bulls they send in to the ring after the encierro(the run). by this time the ring is full with all the wimps who dash to the ring without ever coming near a fighting bull.
It gives the tourist an opportunity to take a photo and show friends what heroes they are.
I have run with the bulls more than 30 times and the object is to run with them not from them. It is taken very seriously and the top runners are revered e.g. David Rodrigues ,Julen Medina , as are the bulls . One such bull was Vaporoso who gored 5 people in one run. I have enormous respect for the bulls and have been hit and trampled several times but I do not like the bullfight. This is my personal choice but I would not impose my view on those who have followed this tradition .

I don't like corrida or bullfight. I'm french, and had once the opportunity to assist to such event, just to confirm my opinion. Believe me, the first part of a bullfight is awesome. It's a superb animal, and the matador must be crazy to do what it does.

But the end, the death of the bull, is disgusting. The animal suffers, no question about that. But I don't think that people are there to see the bull death.

Anyway, I left the arena before the end of the show...

Amanda: i ttly agree with u. animals should not be killed for entertainment or for amusement. its ttly against humanity!

Bill W: the fact that u enjoy watching animals attack each other or a human is breath taking. U R SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i think that u should not do that u would not like that done to u so dont do it

poor bulls!!!

Everyone keeps saying bull fighting has this beautiful meaning.....If that is so, tell me what this meaning is so I can understand!

man has battled with brutallity since evolution from ape began. in the wild the biggest predator wins, the idea of bull fighting here comes from a summoning of a clever beings grace and skill with which he can defeat a wild beast (admittedly a character of one here) against the physical odds. it wasn't so long ago that man would hunt and kill his prey to feed his family - this is not an unnoble act. our ability to elevate ourselves above the animal instincts it what makes us the masters of our world of which we once weren't. comments like 'this is against all humanity' are ironic as we are mostly beast ourselves. we have much further to evolve before we can dismiss such shows of relatively small superiority but considering the spec of time in which this tradition has been passed down, it is highly relevant.

the san fermin festival has so much more than bull fighting. The run is the main attraction and the festival is the 3rd biggest in the world for a reason. I was in ring on 10th July as bulls jumped over revellers, and no amount of animal rights and do gooder comments will prevent me going back. It was the best time of my life. !!

Alvaro,

Claro que te llamo mentiroso, si fuera verdad lo que dices hace mucho tiempo que el gobierno hubiera prohibido los toros, si la mayoria de la gente esta en contra seria facil no? Unas cuentas plazas dices? Hay 49 provincias en España, salvo Cadiz, las Canarias, y alguna que otra mas hay una plaza en cada capital de provincia, a eso añade los pueblos, suma las capacidades y entonces vueve a decir que son unas cuantas plazas.

Alvaro i'm sorry but you're LYING, that's all. Just check google and see how many corridas we have in spain every year.
I come from euskalherria, and hate to be known for bullfighting, flamenco and siesta but i'd never say that most of spanish are against bullfightin cause it's not true, maybe you are sorrounded by people who hate bullfighting and that's your impression...

my blog post about my time at the running this year: http://whatupwilly.blogspot.com/2008/07/running-of-bulls-2008-encierro-1-july.html

great pictures
great blog
lousy comments...

quote from andrew "Animals eat animals. Only humans make a pageant out of killing them."

Really? Orcas like to throw seals around like a Frisbee before eating them, large cats like to play with their pray occasionally before killing it. There are other examples.

Although I don't agree with bull fighting, humans aren't the only ones that turn killing into a sport in the animal kingdom.

Shameful

In the end, when the bull is killed, it is cooked and shared by many. Why is killing a bull, for show and skill, so denounced? Are the denouncers NOT meat eaters? It's so easy to go to the store to buy steak and to forget that someone, somewhere made that steak available to us. I hope they realize that animals don't shit meat for us. I'm also sure that beef animals who give us milk that later becomes cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc., is, at some point killed for meat, too. It's sad, but, it's human nature: survival of the fittest. And guess what, sometimes the bull is the fittest! Too bad they're vegetarians. Otherwise, they, too, would be able to feast after the festival. Would that make the denouncer happier? I think not. It is not my place to denounce someone else's culture and traditions, despite what I think of them.

Madness at its best.
Traditions.
Some traditions are good and has to be respected and followed.
Human beings are the olny ones who have the power to think.
Unfortunately we don't use that thinking power to weed out the good and the bad "traditions"

There are many comments against the inhumanity of this tradition. But I think the only people can complain about this is those that don't eat meat. People who are eating meat are committing much much worse atrocities against the poor animals. At least here the Bulls are getting a fair (at least better than the bulls in a slaughter house) chance of survival. The meat we (yes I am a non-vegetarian) eat is generated in a much worse way. There the animals have not even a fighting chance.

I find the PETA or any other animal rights activists who aren't pure vegetarians quite evil. They are trying to hide their true intentions ie to get some fame.

There are two separate issues here, the truth of one does not affect the truth of the other. I think it's shameful the way we treat animals in the process of supplying our food chain. I think bullfighting is shameful. It's not an either-or, it's a both-and. I buy free-range meat that is kosher-killed whenever possible. I don't attend bull-fights and find them to be barbaric.

The other issue is this whole "tradition" line of argument. Tradition is not justification for what is clearly cruelty. Cock-fighting, dog-fighting, gladiators, infant sacrifice ... all once "tradition." Read "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson.