We bid farewell to the bullfighter who was born in Chiva - Enrique Ponce
It was June 2021 when, upon the seasonal train’s arrival at Burgos station, Enrique Ponce decided to disembark mid-journey and put a comma in his unparalleled career. The event he had contracted at the multi-purpose arena of El Plantío was the first the legendary Valencian bullfighter stopped fighting. Today, three years later, Ponce returns to the Castilian capital in a farewell trance.
The goodbye of the genius from Chiva at the San Pedro Fair is one of the main attractions of this edition of the Burgos subscription, a cycle programmed by the company Tauroemoción, which will also see another icon of bullfighting, in this case horseback bullfighting: Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza, say farewell to this arena. Ponce and Hermoso are the main draw of a series that runs from June 29 (patron’s day) to July 3, consisting of four bullfights and a rejoneo (bullfighting on horseback) show.
In a cycle marked by the departure of both colossi, the program begins with an alternative, that of the promising Salamanca novice bullfighter Ismael Martín, who will join the senior ranks in an attractive bill of banderillero swordsmen where El Fandi will act as godfather and Manuel Escribano as witness. The bulls will sport the badge of the most important ranch this land has given, that of Antonio Bañuelos.
The following day, Sunday 30, the so-called Youth Bullfight is scheduled, featuring bulls from Valdellán, a Leonese ranch of Santa Coloma origin making its debut in this arena, with Curro Díaz, Morenito de Aranda, and one of the revelations of the last April Fair: David de Miranda. This event is the prelude to Ponce’s return and farewell to the Coliseum, scheduled for Monday, July 1. The master will be accompanied by Daniel Luque and Emilio de Justo to fight a herd from Juan Pedro Domecq, a ranch returning to Burgos after the pardon of a bull by Luque himself last season.
The following day’s event, Tuesday, July 2, is no less enticing. That day Morante de la Puebla and Andrés Roca Rey are announced, arguably the two bullfighters with the most supporters, each in their own right, along with the Mexican Joselito Adame, the leading figure of bullfighting in his country, who also knows what it is to triumph, and strongly, in this very arena. A bullfight from Román Sorando is prepared, a ranch with a long history from the Jaén countryside that has returned to its prime with renewed vigour in recent seasons.
And as a finale, on Wednesday, July 3, against specimens from Luis Albarrán, the last performance of Hermoso de Mendoza in Burgos. The centaur from Estella will be accompanied by his son Guillermo, who last year swept this arena where he obtained three ears, and the young Salamanca rider Sergio Pérez de Gregorio, one of the most promising rejoneadores of the new batch. The bet is served. The San Pedros, too. Now it’s your turn, aficionado. Drop by the lands of El Cid at the start of summer and enjoy, in the warmth of the peñas, an emblematic city and colourful festivities, with the bulls always as an excuse.
Ticket information for Coliseo Burgos:
Tickets on the servitoro.com website or by calling +34 96 330 85 93 from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6:30pm, or on the WhastApp +34 647 66 93 71.
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