Victorino Martín
Bulls for Antonio Ferrera, El Cid and
Manuel Escribano.
The Victorino bulls were enough of a draw today
to bring attract an almost full plaza – another reminder early this season
that, programmed in the correct way, intriguing bulls bring in the crowds (and,
perhaps, an indication that, contrary to my observations earlier this week, the
absence of the G4 figuras may not have been as detrimental to this feria as to
the 2014 edition). Of course, the toreros billed with the Victorinos were a logical
trio. Antonio Ferrera, triumphed with these bulls in La Maestranza last year,
cutting an ear with the best faena of the feria. El Cid has been the Victorino specialist of his generation but is
undoubtedly on the wane – this corrida presented itself as a warm up for his
encerrona with Victorinos in San Isidro. I fancy that the encerrona may be a
bridge to far for the veteran Cid,
today would give us a better idea of his current form. Manuel Escribano has
been able to salvage his career on the back of a stand out performance with
Miuras in Sevilla a couple of years ago. He has since carved a niche for
himself combining his jovial concept of toreo with tough corridas, a career
path that held Juan José Padilla in good stead for over ten years.
Ferrera’s opening bull had a dozy charge that was
reminiscent of the Mexican Saltillo. Ferrera was assured throughout, but the
bull’s charge lacked the vitality to be moulded into emotive toreo. The
banderillas, shared with Manuel Escribano, were correctly placed. Muleta in
hand, Ferrera was able to carefully time the charge with either hand, the
series were cleanly executed, but did not ignite the crowd given the bull’s
characteristics.
The fourth bull gave a strong performance in pics
(an unfortunately rare occurrence) pushing the horse some distance on occasions,
withstanding a strong punishment and charging from several metres out for the
second pic. The bull continued to charge powerfully in banderillas with Ferrera
completing a solid tercio. After dedicating the bull to the crowd, Ferrera
began his performance with tester passs that confirmed the Victorino’s
vibrancy, although it displayed the worrying tenedency of leaving the torero’s
jurisdiction too readily. When it did charge, though, placed its head low and
followed the lures with desire. Ferrera channelled this supremely profound
charge into a couple of emotive series of derechazos that got the music
playing. Ferrera’s toreo al natural was slightly more untidy to begin, the bull
retained the threat that it would become rajado while Ferrera was unsure
whether to stay still or readjust his footing between each pass – nevertheless,
Ferrera was able to extract some silky naturales. Back on the right hand, in
the centre of the ring, Ferrera took the faena to a higher level by keeping the
lure right in the bull’s face and seamlessly linking five slow and long
naturales. Another excellent series of derechazos followed by a series of
passes naturales and cambiados taking the bull from the centre of the ring to the
tercio served to close this truly supreme faena. There was still time for some
doblones after he had taken the real sword and the inevitable murmur of
“indulto” – had we been in the provinces the call may have spread, but the
petition was quickly silenced (the bull was instead rightly awarded a
posthumous vuelta). Unfortunately Ferrera needed various entries with the sword
and therefore lost a certain two ears.
I would have liked to have seen El Cid from 2005, rather than his 2015
version, with this afternoon’s bulls. In 2005, Manuel Jesus might have cut a
couple of ears from this lot, perhaps more. In 2015 he floundered. El Cid’s bull was a technically
challenging animal that required conviction in order to be able to unlock its
charge. Manuel Jesus was unable to do so and was therefore only able to extract
isolated good passes; the faena teetered on the brink of emotion, but El Cid lacked the wherewithal to link a
whole series so his work dissipated into nothing.
The fifth bull of the afternoon was a fierce
customer. El Cid needed to be assured
and dominant in order to face the challenge posed by the animal. Once again he
came short. Where a low hand, good timing and firmness were needed, all El Cid displayed were doubts. It was
disheartening to see El Cid overcome
by his inability to hold his nerve. Here was torero that had understood the
saltillo bull so well and repeatedly showed the valour to extract worthy faenas
from dangerous Victorinos but now seemed to be reaching the end of his road.
While I wish him all the best for his encerrona, I cannot help but think that a
solid performance is beyond him.
Escribano returned the favour to Ferrera and
invited him to place banderillas to the third bull. The highlight of the tercio
was Escribano’s pair combining a quiebro and the violin up against the boards –
a risky effort that connected with the crowd. The bull’s charge was noble and
delicate; Escribano was able to rise to the occasion and torear with the
slowness the bull required. The highlight was the third series, al natural,
characterised by long, well timed passes. However, the bull was, after all, a Victorino and it
suddenly got the measure of Escribano – it guessed that there was a man behind
the lure and its focus change towards chopping its way through passes in an
attempt to catch Escribano. Manuel was able to withstand the bull’s stops and
starts and once again managed to unlock its long charges in a very emotive and
risky series of .beautifully crafted naturales. He killed with a tightly executed
full sword thrust that gave Escribano the first ear of the afternoon.
The sixth bull was disconcerting. Escribano
placed he banderillas on his own on this ocaacion and gave us a spectacular
tercio capped with a par al quiebro calling the bull while sat on the boards –
the banderillas were cleanly placed and their tight execution brough the crowd
to its feet. The bull reached the muleta full of vigour and Escribano struggled
to control it early on. However, just as it seemed as if the bull was imposing its
will on Escribano, it stopped charging. We are left with the question of
whether, with better control in the early part of the faena, the bull would
have lasted longer. This would probably have been, but, ultimately, I am not
sure that the bull would have given us a memorable faena in any event.
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