Fallas 2014 - Cuarta de Abono

The view from the sofa - my thoughts on corridas I have watched on TV

12/03/2014 El Parralejo Novillos – Román, Francisco José Espada & José Garrido

This corrida brought to a close a week where I have been lucky enough to watch four novilladas – a useful snapshot of the novice landscape at the start of the season. I am happy to write that there is a promising set of novilleros ready to take to the sand during 2014. We can only hope that the crisis ridden fiesta gives them the opportunity to torear and develop into successful toreros.

I greatly enjoyed José Garrido’s performance in Olivenza last week, although his triumph on Friday was subsequently overshadowed by Ginés Marín and Luis Manuel Terrón’s brilliant performances on Sunday. Thankfully, we were once again able to enjoy Garrido’s best toreo this afternoon in Valencia. The lidia to his first novillo was marked by the excellent tercio de quites he shared with Román; athough Román performed the more varied quites, Garrido was firmer and more profound. He opened his faena with a spectacular series of derechazos en redondo on his knees. Once on his Garrido exploited the bull’s brave charge with some profound series en redondo. The overarching concept was clean execution, long passes and low hands – an infallible combination. The novillo soon faded, no doubt suffering the effect of the four quites, but a solid sword thrust gave Garrido the ear that his faena richly deserved.

The faena to his second novillo was the highlight of the afternoon. A wonderful sweet charging animal, it found the silk touch it needed in Garrido’s capote and muleta. The substance of the faena revolved around four wonderfully relaxed, cleanly timed series of derechazos. His natural, understated elegance underscored his work; it was a true pleasure to watch. As the faena advanced he took the left hand, and maintained the high level of toreo. There was no need for pyrotechnics to conclude, no manoletina or arrimón to ignite the crowd, just a series of natural and reverse passes (executed with natural grace) to prepare the novillo for the estocada.

The afternoon’s other triumphant torero was Francisco José Espada, he cut an ear off the excellent fifth novillo of the afternoon. As is logical given his inexperience, Espada, was not able to match the novillo’s excellent charge. His derechazos were acceptable, cleanly executed, but lacked emotion – meanwhile, the novillo was charging with verve and haciendo el avión. As the novillo slowed, Espada shifted to the left horn, extracting some further acceptable naturales. The faena itself was well structured inasmuch as it reached a crescendo with a beautifully executed finale of figure of eight toreo (this type of conclusion is oft abused, and when given for its own sake can seem redundant, but when well performed, as on this occasion, it can be a fitting conclusion). A pinchazo preceding the estocada did not prevent him from cutting an ear.

Espada’s first novillo had a clumsy charge that conveyed absolutely no emotion. His faena was firm, and his desire to please cannot be doubted, but, because of the animal’s poor charge, the faena lacked any feeling.   

The opening novillero of the afternoon, Román, is due to take the alternativa in Nimes’ spring feria. His opening novillo was weak, but noble, with tendencies towards manso. Its charge was buoyant and long (paradoxically, the novillos mansedumbre gave it an extra few stes at the end of the charge as it sought to escape the lure) allowing Román to construct his faena principally around five series en redondo, alternating between the right and left hand. The series with the right were better formed, and structured towards a crescendo, while the left hand passes, although excellent on occasion, were marred by enganchones. The attempted poncinas to conclude were well intentioned, but lacked a clean execution. It was an acceptable faena, but suffered the weak series with the left hand – given his upcoming alternativa, one might have expected a more emphatic performance with this type of novillo.

Román seemed more focussed on his second novillo, greeting it with an electric larga de rodillas. He started his faena with well executed estatuarios, which were followed by a couple of very good series of derechazos – the bull was charging with vigour and it was met by low, long, timed derechazos. On this occasion, Román’s left hand was as good as his right and the vuelos of the muleta danced as the stroked the bull’s charge. Román’s toreo was punishing and once the bull’s vitality was drained, he resorted to the figure of eight circulares that form the unnecessary coda to so many faenas in the twenty-first century. An insufficient media estocada prevented him from obtaining the ear that was probably heading his way.

At the conclusion of the novillada I was happy that José Garrido reaffirmed the good impression he had caused in Olivenza, he will certainly be a novillero to follow in 2014. It was, however, disappointing that Román, at this stage of his career, was not able to further exploit the charges offered by his novillos. Espada showed his technical understanding of toreo, whether he can develop into a finished product remains to be seen.