Monday 6 July 2015

Pamplona 05/07/2015 –Novillos El Parralejo: Posada, Varea & Roca Rey


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

El Parralejo novillos for Posada de Maravillas, Varea & Andrés Roca Rey

The opening novillo had allowed Posada to perform a series of aesthetically pleasing veronicas as it came into the arena. However, its classy demeanour was undermined by its lack of strength and motor. Posada began his faena with superficial derechazos, so as not to put too much strain on the novillo, but was unable to perform a rounded series on that side. The story was similar on the left, with the novillo developing an ever shorter charge. Posada tried to continue his faena on the right side again, but it was impossible with this bull. He managed the odd elegant muletazo but these were lost in a sea of dull, superficial flaps – he might have concluded the faena a few series earlier and saved us five minutes.

Posada began his second faena with a cartucho de pescao in the centre of the ring – it is always impressive to see a brave animal charge from the boards, and refreshing to see a variation from the typical pase cambiado – the ensuing naturales were clean, but rapid. The novillo was very good, repetitive and classy, the type of animal that had made El Parralejo novillos so desirable heading into this season. Posada succeeded in linking very good series en redondo with either hand, underscored by his elegant, unique, aesthetic concept of toreo. It was a long faena, based almost solely on toreo fundamental, with the odd sober remate to add variety to proceedings. Although, taken as a whole, the faena was well conceived, correctly executed and pleasingly constructed, it lacked consistency and an element of repose that marks the difference between good and great toreo. I have seen great faenas from Posada in the past (in Olivenza, this March, for example), it is a pity he was not able to perform to this level today. Nevertheless, given his artistic edge and passed performances, I continue to value Posada’s toreo and look forward to the next time I meet him on a cartel.

Varea got himself into a pickle on twitter this afternoon. The twitendido picked up a comment he made about encastes minoritarios being in a minority because they do not charge; needless to say this was not well received by twitter’s afición. While I am not about to vilify the kid for some comments without understanding the context in which they were made, I would hope that if he does make it in the senior escalafón he remains open to a variety of encastes (I am hopelessly naïve, I know) – if he does not make it, he may nonetheless find himself forced into facing minority encastes as the only route to contracts. The main problem with these comments is that one needs to back them up in the ring. Unfortunately, Varea was not quite up to task today. His first novillo was very classy, with a long, profound charge on the right side that, nevertheless, lacked an element of nerve to make it truly great. Varea was able to link his toreo en redondo pleasingly and accompanied his muletazos with the deep elegance that characterises his toreo. However, each muletazo lacked closeness giving his work a superficial air. The novillo called for emphatic toreo, Varea’s reply was half hearted. A pinchazo and estocada delantera gave way to a minority petition that was correctly dismissed by the president.

Matters improved with his quite to Posada’s second novillo, three artistic chicuelinas and a slow, emphatic media that had more than a nod to Manzanares padre. His faena to the fifth novillo also left a better impression. The ease with which he can perform clean, well linked toreo fundamental with either hand is certainly admirable. However, in order to fully develop his toreo he must ally this with greater closeness, purity and emphasis – he worked closer to this second animal, but when compared to Roca Rey he was still miles away. Varea concluded with poncinas, it is telling that he is the only torero to have tried to recreate Ponce’s invention; this would suggest that it is a difficult pass, credit therefore to Varea for performing them and doing so cleanly. However, his sub-par performance should not be readily dismissed. Here is a novillero who I have seen perform admirably on occasions this season, he must be held to this standard because he has shown potential to develop into a worthwhile torero.

Roca Rey left his calling card with a varied and nicely worked quite by tafalleras and salterillas to Varea’s opening novillo. His first opponent was mobile and nervy, with enough movement to create emotion and sufficient nerve to make toreo difficult. Nevertheless, Roca Rey was firm and determined to create a faena; moreover, he displayed the ability to impose his will on the animal and dominate it throughout a long, well worked faena. He received his opponent with a larga cambiada de rodillas. Executed with one hand it reminded me of Paquirri; calling the bull with ne hand, controlling it through the lance with the other. The key to Roza Rey’s performance was his calm, striking toreo – the novillo would not give away a clean charge, but Andrés controlled him throughout the faena with a low, powerful muleta. He concluded with an emotive arrimón and might have cut an ear with better sword work. However, over and above the lost prize, the importance of the performance was that it showed Roca Rey’s rich vein of form and precocious talent.

Andrés gave us another quite to remember to the fifth novillo – a long series of very tight gaoneras that, despite their closeness, once again displayed Roca Rey’s assured nature.  

The final novillo was underwhelming, it was reticent charging and lacked class. Nevertheless, Roca Rey stood firm and teased a very meritorious faena from his opponent. Once again, his work was underscored by his wherewithal and firm disposition. The toreo en redondo could not be brilliant because the novillo would not allow for such. However, it was closely worked, technically proficient and emotive. He sprinkled some pases cambiados and arrucinas into his performance as he continued to showcase his dominance over the scene and the novillo. His well-executed estocada allowed Andrés to cut an ear. However, the overwhelming impression, and one that hopefully will outlast the ear, is that we have a well formed torero that can give us a good tarde de toros. His alternative has been announced for later this year; he has shown enough ability for me to harbour hopes that will leave a mark on the senior escalafón. Whether he does or not will come down to a myriad of factors, however, I, for one will be cheering him on, having a top non-Spanish torero can only be good for the fiesta and would be further evidence of its universal appeal.

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