Alexander Fiske-Harrison running the bulls in Cuéllar on the morning described in the article (Photo © Antonio Tanarro / El Norte de Castilla)
My article on the extraordinary fatality rate in the encierros, ‘bull-runs’, and other ‘popular’ taurine events this year, and why we continue to participate in them, is in The Telegraph today (online here.)
A more detailed breakdown of the figures about these “minor festivals” with bulls are in the post by the Deputy Editor on this blog here. A detailed breakdown of the figures about “major festivals”, i.e. what we call ‘bullfights’, including those with novice matadors or from horseback, are on The Last Arena, my bullfighting blog, here. All figures are from Spain’s Ministry of Culture and show that the mundo taurino, the ‘taurine world’ of Spain, is growing once again.
Alexander Fiske-Harrison, circled, with the bull which killed a 66-year-old man later on the morning described in the article. Note the colour of the horn. On the right is the chief pastor in the green polo shirt, Enrique Bayón Brandi (Photo © Antonio Tanarro / El Norte de Castilla)
Over the next few days I will be writing my annual thank you letter to the town of Cuéllar to be published in El Norte de Castilla after consulting various aficionados, toreros, runners and breeders of fighting bulls. Some of what I will write about, especially what was discussed at and after my dinner with the matador Manuel Escribano, is online here.
My dangerous summer is over due to my broken ribs, but to those who are still in the streets: suerte.
The Editor
Alexander Fiske-Harrison, striped jacket, discussing the run with local runners and Larry Belcher, with whom the article behins (Photo © Antonio Tanarro / El Norte de Castilla)
