The Monumental of Las Ventas starts in exactly nine days its 72nd edition of San Isidro Fair
71 years have passed since that first San Isidro devised by Livino Stuyck to gather the serial of corridas around the festivity of Madrid patron saint. 71 previous editions that have been growing in number of celebrations as the years passed until reaching the current figure, this year of 34 afternoons. Thirty-four, nothing more and nothing less than a whole month of daily festivities in the most important square in the world.
Monumental of Las Ventas.
For some people it’s outrageous to go so many days to Las Ventas, for others it’s tedious because they think that the afternoons in which they see “something” are the least ones. And then there is a group of people who go every day as if they were the first, trying to renew the illusions on a daily basis because, talking about bullfighting, you never know when it will be. This group, that of the optimists, every afternoon takes something of what has happened in the ring, however small it may be. They feed on details: a stocking, a snatch, that pair at the top, an endless pass or the fulminating lunge. Although the bullfight has been boring they have that something to hold on to. For sure they are the happiest public, those that finished the Miura bullfight (usually the last one of the Fair) would start again another month of bullfighting.
This is the second year of the company Plaza 1, the almighty ship of Simón Casas and Nautalia, leading and several are the mainstays: more variety of encastes than ever; all the figures in the subscription; with representatives from eight different countries, it is the most international San Isidro in history; the run of the Livestock Challenge event joins the Corrida de las 6 Naciones, with 6 matadors from 6 countries; the Corrida de la Cultura consolidated with a great hand in hand El Juli-Ginés Marín; the classic press and charity …
Posters of the Fair 2018.
Juan Bautista, Juan del Álamo, Román, Paco Ureña and Sebastián Castella appear three evenings, 20 bullfighters will attend two afternoons and 28 will attend once. Five fighting bull ranches will fight two afternoons: Fuente Ymbro, Núñez del Cuvillo, Capea, Victoriano del Río and Alcurrucén (these last two also in the one of Culture). Surely an attempt has been made to make a complete fair and to the taste of the majority but it is impossible to please everyone. So we have to cross our fingers and let the spirit of the optimists flood us.
The only thing missing is the bulls are really fighting (not an easy fact…) and their opponents are at the height (which is the case of many) to enjoy the Fair and finish it with a good taste.
Happy week, bullfighting lovers!
