Burgos: A 10-Out-Of-10 Fair

It’s been ten years since the refurbished Coliseum of Burgos opened its doors—though it feels like just yesterday. The inauguration featured a star-studded lineup: Enrique Ponce, El Juli, and Talavante, who was the first to burst through the Puerta Grande. Since then, this modern arena—completely renovated for greater comfort, with a retractable roof and the capacity to host all kinds of events—has become one of the city’s most cutting-edge venues.

Tauroemoción has embraced this tenth anniversary with a campaign slogan declaring it “A Fair of Ten”—and the programme lives up to the name. Four traditional bullfights, one rejoneo (horseback bullfighting), and a thrilling recortadores competition (featuring daring acrobatics over the bulls) make up this year’s edition of the San Pedro Fair, the first major festival of the summer season in Old Castile and across northern Spain.

And what better place to start than in the land of El Cid? At this time of year, Burgos enjoys pleasant weather, rich gastronomy, and a deep sense of history. Add to that a stellar lineup of bullfights that brings together both the leading stars of the moment and the fresh talent reshaping the future of the art.

Among the headliners, Morante de la Puebla and Andrés Roca Rey stand out. Each in his own way, they are the most influential bullfighters of today. Morante, the charismatic genius from La Puebla del Río, appears in an artistic and original card alongside Curro Díaz—one of the most elegant stylists of the ring—and Morenito de Aranda, a local favourite now enjoying a career-best moment. They’ll face bulls from the local breeder Antonio Bañuelos, who also serves as president of the Royal Union of Fighting Bull Breeders. This grand finale takes place on Wednesday, 2 July.

Meanwhile, Roca Rey takes the stage on the fair’s biggest day: Sunday, 29 June, the feast of Saint Peter. He’ll share the ring with Mexican star Joselito Adame—one of the most successful matadors of recent decades, who’s had great triumphs in this ring—and the promising young talent Roberto Martín “Jarocho”, making his hometown debut in what promises to be a standout event. They will fight bulls from El Parralejo.

The rest of the programme also holds strong appeal. On Monday, 30 June, the popular and dynamic trio of matadors who also place banderillas—El Fandi, Manuel Escribano, and Ismael Martín—return after their success last year, this time with bulls from Juan Pedro Domecq. Entertainment is guaranteed.

On Tuesday, 1 July, Cayetano—bullfighter of noble lineage—will bid farewell to El Plantío, while a new star is born: Marco Pérez, arguably the greatest hope for the future of bullfighting today, makes his debut. They will be joined by the always solid Emilio de Justo, a frequent winner in this fair, to face bulls from Núñez del Cuvillo.

Rounding out the fair is a rejoneo spectacle that opens the festival on Saturday, 28 June: bulls from Benítez Cubero for three masters of horseback bullfighting—Andy Cartagena, Guillermo Hermoso de Mendoza, and Sergio Pérez. It’s the perfect curtain-raiser for a fair that promises excitement, tradition, and top-tier talent from start to finish.