The view from the sofa, my thoughts on corridas I have watched on TV.
Monte La Ermita (formerly Carmen Segovia) Bulls for Antonio Gaspar Paulita, Victor Barrio and Martín Escudero
Another year, another season, another Feria de San Blas from Valdemorillo. Although the first taurine feria took place last week at Ajalvir, Valdemorillo is the first feria in a permanent plaza (Ajalvir is held in a portatil) and, more significantly for me, it is the first televised feria of the season. My thanks here to Canal Plus, for all the failings of the fiesta’s TV policy, having a dedicated channel that broadcasts a series of significant ferias gives the aficionado an excellent vehicle to enjoy the season.
Today’s cartel is comprised of last year’s Valdemorillo triunfador, Victor Barrio, Paulita and Marín Escudero. Barrio was sensational last year, and although his season did not have the dimension of the leaders of the new generation, he has the potential to join the likes of López Simón, Roca Rey and José Garrido in recycling the senior escalafón. The last time I saw Paulita he was disappointing in Pamplona. He did, however, triumph in Valdemorillo a couple of years ago and therefore deserves his place today. Martín Escudero is another new torero, only taking his alternativa last June, with potential to impress. Let us see how they perform before a string of Monte La Ermita (formerly Carmen Segovia) bulls, of Torrestrella origin.
Paulita began the afternoon with a couple of close largas de rodillas – he lost his balance after the second and lay at the mercy of the bull. Thankfully the animal spared him. After regaining his composure, Antonio completed the saludo capotero with well linked delantales. The bull charged powerfully at the horse. The picador was unable to place the pic correctly and was pushed emphatically towards the boards and on to the floor. The second pic was poor with the picador jabbing a couple of times before finding the right spot on the morillo. The bull was promising, it lacked focus but when it opted to charge, it did so with power, determination and emotion. The key to the faena would be to extract linked consecutive passes, to let the bull’s emotive charge gain momentum through a series. Paulita’s first four series, each with the right hand, were mixed, with only the second series being compact, linked and fulfilling. By the time Paulita took the left hand the faena descended into a succession of isolated passes. The performance concluded with some manoletinas and molinetes that gave proceedings a jovial edge. The estocada was full and effective, earning Paulita a modest petition for an ear. Nevertheless, the overwhelming feeling was that, despite the positives, Paulita was unable to extract the toreo that the bull’s charge warranted.
The opening tercio of Paulita’s second bull was unattractive. He was unable to focus the bull for his saludo capotero, the pic was placed too far back and the quite, by venoricas, although clean, was cold. The bull displayed class and carried the potential for a worthy faena in its charge. Paulita’s opening gambit was a series of passes ayudados naturales and cambiado – a delicate start that continued to showcase the bull’s sweet charge. En redondo, Paulita gave three smooth series of derechazos, extracting well timed toreo from the bull’s class. Although technically pleasing, the faena lacked an edge of emotional intensity. Once again, the impression was that Paulita was letting a good bull get away. Thankfully, he was able to partially rectify this with an excellent end of faena – he linked a couple of series of derechazos cloase to the boards, the first of which was particularly good, six very low derechazos and a genuflected chest pass. Notwithstanding, this was a case of too little too late and, despite Paulita’s excellent estocada, I felt that the two ears he was awarded were excessive.
Victor Barrio waited for his opening bull in the centre of the ring, seemingly hoping to give a series of delantales or chicuelinas. The bull’s distracted entry put paid to any hope of spectacle. The animal’s lack of focus continued into the first tercio as it ignored the horse when placed for the first pic. Although, when it did meet the horse it pushed low and hard. Incidentally, the horse had to go out passed the pic lines in order to meet the bull and perform the suerte – this earned the picador jeers, no doubt from sectors of the crowd that perhaps ignored that the pic lines were introduced in order to protect the picadors, not to grant them an advantage. The bull’s charge was disconcerting. It was mobile and nervy, but equally problematic (cutting the banderilleros short during the second tercio). This was the type of bull that, although demanding, could yield an important faena if the torero could overcome its problems and channel its mobility. Barrio started with an exciting, well linked, series of derechazos on his knees. The first series of toreo fundamental in the centre of the ring was more intermittent, but Barrio began to unlock the bull’s potential with a silky linked second series en redondo. The subsequent series, two with the right and one with the left, were short, but very well linked – Victor stayed close to the bull, kept the cloth in its face to ensure that it had no choice but to follow the lure. The toreo fundamental gave way to the typical arrimón, which started well, and included a wonderfully long natural, as well as some closely worked toreo. However, as is so often the case, Barrio extended the faena beyond the crowd’s interest. A half sword was sufficient to reduce the bull enough for the descabello, but it probably cost him an ear.
The fifth bull was greeted with a series of closed stanced veronicas, these were nicely worked, and served to take the bull from the boards to the centre of the ring. The single pic was well placed, but the bull’s charge seemed dull and listless. Barrio tried to excite matters with a quite by gaoneras, but the animal’s behaviour was undefined. I was hoping that, like its brothers, the bull would improve – it certainly displayed mobility during the banderillas, but this was allied to a lack of focus. Barrio was not going to allow this to put him off a faena, and he began his work with a pase cambiado – a bright start that, more importantly, showed that the bull might have a depth of bravura to allow for a faena. Thankfully, the bull responded to Barrio’s muleta and grew in stature. Its charge was soft and profound, and Barrio was up to the task of giving it the low, smooth faena that the animal needed. Once again Victor kept the muleta close the bull obliging it to repeat its charge and, especially linking the penultimate muletazo of each series perfectly with the chest pass. Perhaps owing to an excessive desire, to a heart that ruled the head, Victor’s faena was perhaps a few passes too long. Notwithstanding, Barrio concluded on a high with a very tight series of bernadinas. Had the sword gone in first time rather than second, I suspect that he would have cut two ears; the single ear he was eventually awarded was thoroughly deserved.
Martín Escudero is known for his still toreo – we did not have to wait long to see him display this concept, with a very tight (if slightly muddied) quite by saltilleras. The bull’s nerve allowed for a pleasing tercio de banderillas. Muleta in hand, Escudero was able to channel the bull’s mobile class into an excellent couple of opening series en redondo. He was relaxed and in control as he calmly worked linked his silky smooth toreo with the right hand. His naturales amped up the faena to another level. His timing was impeccable, and the passes en redondo were long and seamlessly linked. This was a highly emotive faena from a promising young torero. The bull appreciated the good treatment it received from Escudero’s muleta and continued charging with impteus and class well into the faena. Moreover, the well timed toreo was underscored by the closeness and stillness that characterises his concept. The pinchazo that preceded the effective, forward placed, estocada was no obstacle to the crowd petitioning for an ear, but it no doubt cost him the second. Nevertheless, the importance of his toreo could not be undone.
The final bull of the afternoon had an imposingly beautiful stature. A good specimen for a third class plaza. The lidia started well, with a solid pic to which the bull responded with a hard charge. It took a second, softer, pic which the crowd did not enjoy. Despite the two pics, the bull charged with mobility and power during banderillas, though it did not lower its head as much as one would hope. Martín Escudero stood up to the bull with determined firmness, standing in the centre of the ring to begin his toreo en redondo with the right hand. His firm hand and good timing was the perfect antidote to the bull’s power, and the result was a couple of very good series of derechazos. Escudero then took the left hand, giving a couple of good series, which lacked an edge of intensity because of the bull’s tendency to carry its head at mid height and to lose focus at the edge of the pass. As the faena progressed, the bull showed greater intention to become rajado, thereby resting from the faena’s crescendo. However, this should not detract from Escudero’s performance, he understaood the bull perfectly and gave it the room, height and distance that its behaviour required. After taking the real sword, Escudero gave a few pleasing manoletinas before giving a couple of pinchazos that prevented him from cutting the ear he needed to exit on shoulders. A real pity because his toreo had deserved it.
This had been a thoroughly interesting corrida, made possible by a very good, consistent string of Monte La Ermita bulls. The corrida did not give us a great bull, but, rather, each animal was good enough to allow for a faena. If only every corrida such good average. Paulita triumphed, but he was arguably the most disappointing torero. Escudero performed the best faena and displayed a toreo that may have a very high ceiling, while Barrio showcased his desire and willingness to please, two qualities that should hold him in good stead for the season to come.
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