Women who have taken the alternative
1. Juanita Cruz (Spain)
- Alternativa: Fresnillo, Zacatecas (México), 17 de marzo de 1940,
- Padrino: Heriberto García
- Bull Ranch: Cerro Viejo
- Additional Information: The first woman to perform in Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring. She did not wear the traditional taleguilla (bullfighter's trousers) but instead designed her own falda de luces (skirt of lights).
2. Bertha Trujillo (Colombia)
- Alternativa: Comacalco, Tabasco (Mexico), 12 May 1968
- Padrino: José Ramón Tirado
- Witness: Marco Gómez
- Bull Ranch: Trincheras
3. Raquel Martínez (México).
- Alternativa: Tijuana, Baja California (Mexico), 20 September 1981
- Padrino: Rogelio Leduc
- Witness: Adrián Romero
- Bull Ranch: Trincheras
4. Maribel Atiénzar (Spain)
- Alternativa: Pachuca, Hidalgo (Mexico), 28 November 1981
- Padrino: Ernesto San Román
- Witness: Raquel Martínez
- Bull Ranch: José Garfias
- Additional Information: As a novice, she performed six times in Las Ventas and five in Seville, cutting ears in both arenas.
5. María Velásquez ‘Lola de España’ (Spain)
- Alternativa: La Victoria, Lima (Peru), 19 January 1986
- Padrino: Daniel Palomino
- Witness: César Caro
- Bull Ranch: Checayani
6. Cristina Sánchez (Spain)
- Alternativa: Nîmes (France), 25 May 1996
- Padrino: Curro Romero
- Witness: José Mª Manzanares
- Bull Ranch: Alcurrucén
- Additional Information: First woman to be carried out on shoulders at Las Ventas (as a novice), the first to take the alternativa in Europe, and the first to confirm her status in Madrid.
7. Mari Paz Vega (Spain)
- Alternativa: Cáceres, 29 September 1997
- Padrino: Cristina Sánchez
- Witness: Antonio Ferrera
- Bull Ranch: José Luis Marca
- Additional Information: First woman to earn her doctorate in Spain and the first to take the alternativa from another woman.
8. Raquel Sánchez (Spain)
- Alternativa: Toledo, 27 May 2005
- Padrino: Eugenio de Mora
- Witness: Manuel Amador
- Bull Ranch: Peralta
9. Marbella Romero (México)
- Alternativa: Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico), 15 December 2007
- Padrino: Rafael Ortega
- Witness: Isaac Chacón
- Bull Ranch: José Garfias
10. Hilda Tenorio (México)
- Alternativa: Plaza México, 28 February 2010
- Padrino: Manolo Mejía
- Witness: Ruiz Manuel
- Bull Ranch: Autrique
- Additional Information: First woman to take the alternativa at Plaza México.
11. Sandra Moscoso (España)
- Alternativa: Ubrique (Cádiz), 19 September 2010
- Padrino: Finito de Córdoba
- Witness: Juan José Padilla
- Bull Ranch: Osborne
12. Lupita López (México)
- Alternativa: Mexico City Plaza, 13 March 2011
- Padrino: Mari Paz Vega
- Witness: Hilda Tenorio
- Bull Ranch: La Punta
- Other information: First alternative in a 100% female terna
13. Milagros Sánchez (Perú)
- Alternativa: Moralzarzal (Madrid), 20 April 2013
- Padrino: Jesuli de Torrecera
- Witness: Esaú Fernández
- Bull Ranch: Buenavista
14. Karla de los Ángeles (México)
- Alternativa: Mexico Square, 28 December 2014
- Padrino: Hilda Tenorio
- Witness: Lupita López
- Bull Ranch: Guadiana
15. Paola San Román (México)
- Alternativa: Morelia, Michoacán (México), 16 de mayo de 2015
- Padrino: Edgar García ‘El Dandy’
- Witness: Javier Conde
- Bull Ranch: Carranco
16. Conchi Ríos (España)
- Alternativa: Cehegín (Murcia), 9 de junio de 2016
- Padrino: Manuel Díaz ‘El Cordobés’
- Witness: Antonio Puerta
- Bull Ranch: Guadalmena
- Other information: First woman to cut two ears on the same animal in the Las Ventas bullring, when she was still a novillera.
17. Melina Parra (México)
- Alternativa: Guano, Chimborazo (Ecuador), 18 December 2016
- Padrino: Sánchez Vara
- Witness: Álvaro Samper
- Bull Ranch: La Viña
18. Rocío Morelli (Colombia)
- Alternativa: Duitama, Boyacá (Colombia), 8 January 2017
- Padrino: José Luis Angelino’
- Witness: Andrés Ruiz
- Bull Ranch: El Manzanal
19. Rocío Romero (Spain)
- Alternativa: Pozoblanco, Cordoba (Spain), 23 September 2023
- Padrino: José María Manzanares hijo
- Witness: Andrés Roca Rey
- Bull Ranch: Daniel Ruiz
Upcoming bullfighting events
Consult the calendar of bullfights in Spain: Seville, Valencia, Madrid… more than 150 bullrings and bullfighting shows.
Latest news - you're interested!
Soria at San Juan: The Bull as the Soul, Ritual and Passion of a People
16 June, 2026
Soria is waiting for you to experience the unstoppable spirit of San Juan! Don’t just hear about it…
Stone, Charm and Suckling Pig: Your Perfect Segovia Itinerary for 28 June
16 June, 2026
On 28 June, Segovia is the place to be for an unforgettable day of celebrations, outstanding food a…
Bullfighting in Torrejón de Ardoz: Madrid’s Ultimate Summer Experience
14 June, 2026
From the top matadors of San Isidro to the electric atmosphere of its famous night-time bull runs, …
The Annual Miracle of Castile: Burgos Awakens Under the Sun of the Sampedros
1 June, 2026
With the arrival of summer, Burgos shakes off its long slumber to prove that tradition is not merel…
Morante and the Bull Trial in Salamanca
29 May, 2026
Three contrasting bullfighting styles and six renowned Salamanca ranches come together on 12 June a…
Huesca: Basil, Sunshine and Peñas
27 May, 2026
Forget elitism and stern faces: the 2026 Huesca Bullfighting Fair proves that the bullring is simpl…
Visited 398 times, 1 visit(s) today
Last modified: 6 March, 2025
