The bullfighting regulations state that the defeated bull in a corrida generally does not leave the arena alive, except for exceptional grace granted for bravery. However, some animals experience a radically different fate, contrary to widespread beliefs.
Administrative archives and testimonies from breeders reveal unexpected trajectories, where the end of the arena does not always rhyme with immediate disappearance. Literature, for its part, has seized upon these singular stories, revealing the cultural and social stakes surrounding the post-corrida fate of the animal.
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When literature takes hold of bullfighting: between fascination and controversy
The corrida captivates, disturbs, and leaves no one indifferent. For generations, writers, poets, and chroniclers have focused on this ritual. Prosper Mérimée, Jean Cocteau, and many Spanish authors have attempted to grasp the symbolic significance of the fight between the matador and the bull. Some see the arena as a tragic scene where courage and violence, art and archaism clash. Supporters highlight bravery, while opponents denounce a tradition that offends modern sensibilities.
The origins of the corrida date back to ancient Rome, but it is in southern Europe that it takes root, from Arles to Nîmes, passing through Bayonne. Authors do not hesitate to explore the figure of the torero, the dramatic intensity of the third act, the tension that builds during the tercio de muerte. The terms of the paseo or the patio de caballos color their narratives, restoring the electric atmosphere of an arena where every gesture counts. But this literature does not merely describe: it questions, shakes up, and challenges the legitimacy of a spectacle where death becomes entertainment.
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Regarding what happens to the bulls after the corrida, the debate intensifies. Writers, journalists, and former toreros express themselves, revealing the practices, legends, and daily life of the arenas. The texts address the French Penal Code, the bullfighting exception, and the ethical issues that permeate society. Rafael Jiménez González (Chiquilín), a torero turned critic, shares his experiences in the arena and his doubts about the fate reserved for injured or spared animals. In contrast, Andrés Vázquez defends the idea that dying in the ring would be an honor, superior to an anonymous end at the slaughterhouse.
This sometimes tense dialogue between tradition and modernity nourishes a vibrant and often contested literature. Through each narrative, the question of the place of the corrida in society, the legal framework, and collective memory emerges.
What fates await bulls after the arena? Myths, realities, and forgotten stories
Few bulls leave the arena alive, and this is never a matter of chance. The ganaderías, these specialized farms, shape the lineage and strength of their animals. The journey of a fighting bull begins long before the arena: it is the result of meticulous preparation.
Here’s how this selection process unfolds:
- A carefully adapted diet to strengthen musculature,
- Behavior monitoring to acclimate the animal to stress,
- Planned movements to the arenas of France, Spain, or Portugal.
The moment of the fight marks the pinnacle of this existence, but death almost always awaits at the end of the road. In France alone, between 800 and 1,000 bulls are killed in the arenas each year.
However, the rule has exceptions. A bull that distinguishes itself by its courage may be granted indulto, a grace decided by the public and the matador. This rare privilege allows the animal to return to the ganadería to become a breeder and pass on its qualities to its offspring. Conversely, a bull deemed too dangerous, or one that has injured a person, is slaughtered according to established practices.
The future of the bull after the corrida remains poorly known. Sometimes, the meat of the fighting bull is consumed in the region, but most of the time, the animal disappears from public view. The horses that participate in the corrida also experience injuries or are sidelined without much mention. The toro embodies a diversity of fates, from brutal ends to grace, passing through oblivion or abandonment, a whole aspect of the ritual that official narratives seldom address.
Committed voices: these authors who reveal the behind-the-scenes
In the bullfighting world, writings serve as analysis, chronicle, or testimony. Numerous authors, journalists, veterinarians, and former toreros tackle the question of the fate of bulls after the corrida. Their words shake certainties, whether one is a supporter or opponent of bullfighting.
The National Council of the Order of Veterinarians, for instance, believes that the corrida cannot be compatible with the notion of animal welfare. This position, echoed in various official texts, reignites the debate on the suffering of the bull in the arena. Among the notable testimonies is that of Rafael Jiménez González, alias Chiquilín, who became a critic after facing more than 500 bulls. He candidly describes the violence of the arenas and the reality of the animals that lose their lives there.
Organizations such as the LFDA or the International Committee for the Rights of the Child (CIDE) highlight the participation of minors in these spectacles, calling for their exclusion. This international pressure resonates with a committed literature that sheds light on lesser-known aspects: the subsidy system for farms, the lives of injured horses, and the unfortunate fate of greyhounds (galgos) used for hunting and often left behind in Spain.
Alongside these voices of denunciation, some toreros like Andrés Vázquez take up the pen to defend the death of the bull in the arena, viewed as a form of ultimate respect compared to the passage to the slaughterhouse. These narratives, through their strength and uniqueness, break the veneer of folklore to expose the reality of a practice where tradition intersects with morality, and where every choice weighs heavily in the balance.
The corrida, far from the spotlight and official debates, continues to bring forth unexpected stories. Between rare grace, sacrificed fate, or discreet disappearance, the trajectory of the bull invites one to look beyond the spectacle, where reality is written without embellishment or fanfare.