Logroño: A “Gran Reserva” Fair

From Sunday 21 to Wednesday 24 September, aficionados can enjoy three bullfights and one rejoneo spectacle. A line-up where “all the right names are present”—an oft-repeated phrase, but seldom achieved within such a concise programme.

The fair opens on Sunday 21 with a particularly special bullfight featuring matadors who have only recently taken the alternative. Fabio Jiménez, from nearby Alfaro, who was made matador on 16 August; Aarón Palacio, this season’s outstanding novillero, who took the alternative at Nîmes’ Vendimia Fair; and completing the line-up, Mexican promise Diego San Román, one of the strongest talents of his country’s ranks. The bulls come from Fuente Ymbro, a breeding that has become synonymous with triumph in recent years.

On Monday 22, it is time for lovers of toreo on horseback. And this is no ordinary event: in La Ribera, we find Diego Ventura and Guillermo Hermoso de Mendoza—the two “cocks of the roost”, the supreme master and the most determined challenger. Sparks are certain to fly. Alongside them, the distinguished veteran Sergio Galán and the Murube bulls of El Niño de la Capea complete what is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated bills of the season in this speciality.

Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 are reserved for the great figures. On Tuesday, local idol Diego Urdiales returns to his home ring, joined by Peruvian superstar Andrés Roca Rey—the dominant force of contemporary bullfighting, admired by younger generations and capable of filling any arena—and Pablo Aguado, an exquisite artist enjoying a season of brilliant consistency. They will face bulls from Núñez del Cuvillo, a breeding name that leaves no room for doubt.

The programme closes on Wednesday with a truly stellar line-up. With bulls from Garcigrande, Morante de la Puebla—the man of the year, in the midst of a historic season—appears alongside Talavante, current leader of the rankings and triumphant at the last San Isidro, and Borja Jiménez, the most consistently successful matador of the past three years, with resounding triumphs at Madrid, Seville and Bilbao among many others.

There are more than enough reasons to head to Logroño at the end of the month. Beyond the arena, the city offers a wonderful atmosphere, outstanding gastronomy, and a comfortable covered ring that provides the perfect setting for enjoying the spectacle of bullfighting. So don’t look for excuses—there are none. Pack your bags: the plan is ready and waiting.