Riojan matador Diego Urdiales won two ears at the San Mateo Fair in Logroño on Monday, September 21, but was denied a Main Gate exit.
The decision by the debuting president in the presidential box provoked an overwhelming outcry from the 9,000 spectators inside the three-quarters full La Ribera bullring, where local rules require a bullfighter to cut two ears from a single animal to earn the traditional shoulder-borne exit.
Urdiales opened the afternoon facing a bull that was short on strength. He greeted the animal with taste using classic verónica cape passes before executing a quite by chicuelinas. His initial right-handed series began to stir the crowd in the stands, but his most memorable work came on the left hand. Delivering natural passes with a low hand, depth, and great artistic precision, the matador from Arnedo excelled before economizing his passes as the bull offered less resistance. A secure and superb sword thrust earned him his first ear of the afternoon following an official notice.
On his second opponent, the fourth bull of the corrida named Sopapo, Urdiales encountered a noble animal and immediately recognized its potential. He greeted the bull with fine verónicas while stepping out almost to the center of the ring. Citing the bull from long range, he linked round passes on the right before turning to his left hand. Citing head-on with a centered stance, tempered control, and smooth movement, he delivered single natural passes in a display of classical elegance. An anthological sword thrust brought Sopapo down instantly.
Presidential decision sparks arena outcry
The arena audience immediately demanded both ears for Urdiales following the death of Sopapo. However, the president, making his debut in the presidential box, granted only a single ear. The decision sparked an overwhelming chorus of boos across the arena, as Logroño regulations mandate that a matador must cut two trophies from the same bull to secure a ceremonial exit through the Puerta Grande, leaving Urdiales with two total ears for the afternoon but no grand exit.
Diego Urdiales, born in Arnedo in the Rioja region, is celebrated for his pure and classic style of bullfighting. The annual San Mateo Fair in Logroño is one of northern Spain's prominent late-summer festivals, taking place every September in La Rioja and featuring major bullfighting events at the Plaza de toros de La Ribera.
Andrés Roca Rey secures single trophy
Peruvian matador Andrés Roca Rey, wearing sky blue and gold, walked away with a single trophy from his two bulls. Facing the second bull of the afternoon, a noble but weak and dull animal, Roca Rey was unable to stretch out with his cape. The bull's early lidia featured a quite by tafalleras from young debutant Aarón Palacio and two notable pairs of banderillas placed by Agustín de Espartinas.
Roca Rey began his muleta work on his knees in the center of the ring. As the bull lacked stamina, the faena lost momentum, and he alternated horns without exciting the crowd before executing an extended sequence of crowd-pleasing showmanship. A successful sword thrust earned him an ear following an official notice. On his second opponent, the sticky fifth bull, Roca Rey opened with his feet together and moved to the outer third with power, but struggled to find alignment on the right and suffered multiple cloth snags on the left before opting to desist. He delivered a low sword thrust and retired in silence.
Debutant Aarón Palacio faces tough afternoon
Aragonese matador Aarón Palacio, making his debut in night blue and gold, left the ring empty-handed after facing two difficult bulls from the Juan Pedro Domecq ranch. His first opponent, the third bull named Deseoso, lacked class and was booed by spectators as it was dragged from the ring. Palacio greeted the bull with two kneeling largas cambiadas and offered tempered series in the middle of the ring, but the animal weakened and folded after half a sword thrust, resulting in silence after a notice.
Closing the corrida with the sixth bull, Palacio delivered a dramatic greeting by kneeling in front of the bull pens to perform four largas cambiadas, bringing cheers from the stands. He continued his work on his knees with the muleta, showing courage against a complicated bull that refused to lower its head. After finishing with close-range manoletinas, Palacio struggled with the steel, recording two pricks, a low sword thrust, and a descabello to conclude his debut in silence.
