Peruvian bullfighter Andres Roca Rey and Spanish matador David de Miranda were carried out on shoulders in Malaga on Saturday after cutting five ears between them at La Malagueta. The two performers secured their triumphant exit on the final afternoon of the city's August Fair subscription season.
A sold-out crowd filled the bullring to capacity for the ninth fixture of the annual festival. Veteran Spanish matador Morante de la Puebla also claimed a single ear, despite suffering a dramatic toss from his second bull of the afternoon.
La Malagueta, a 19th-century bullring in the Andalusian port city of Malaga in southern Spain, hosted six bulls from the Torrealta, Garcigrande, and Nunez del Cuvillo ranches. Assessors noted that while the animals were uneven in presentation, they proved generally noble, though lacking in overall stamina and bravery.
Roca Rey Three Ear Performance
Andres Roca Rey delivered the standout performance of the afternoon, cutting three ears in total to emerge as the top earner of the event. On his second bull, a Garcigrande specimen fought fifth in the order, the Peruvian matador secured two ears after a notice following a display of immense power and authority.
He began his work with tight high passes, keeping firm control over a reserved bull that required constant guidance to link passes. Roca Rey persisted on both horns with relentless dominance, forcing the animal to look toward the wooden barrier before finishing with a clean sword thrust.
Earlier in the afternoon, Roca Rey opened his account on a Torrealta bull, the first fixture of the day. After initiating his fight on his knees and leading the bull to the center of the ring, he drew loud cheers from the crowd with two series of low right-handed passes, before closing down the distance so tightly that the bull's horn brushed his costume to earn his first ear.
David de Miranda Two Ear Performance
David de Miranda continued his strong record at La Malagueta by cutting two ears from his first opponent, a Nunez del Cuvillo bull that entered third in the running. The matador from Huelva opened with cape passes made with a single hand as if handling a muleta, before citing the noble but stamina-short bull with feet together in the center of the ring.
Although the animal shortened its charge on the right side, De Miranda maintained his stance, finishing with close-range bernardinas and a well-placed sword thrust to earn both trophies. During the first bull of the afternoon, De Miranda had also drawn applause with a series of cape passes by tafalleras during Roca Rey's opening performance.
On his second bull, a sluggish Torrealta that came out sixth, De Miranda started with low bent-knee passes before working between the horns. While attempting to close his performance with a chest pass, he was tossed without consequences, concluding his afternoon in silence after a notice.
Morante de la Puebla Bull Toss and Single Ear
Morante de la Puebla experienced a dramatic afternoon that included a dangerous fall before he was awarded an ear on his second bull, a Garcigrande beast fought fourth in the order. After delighting spectators with slow cape passes and stylish charges toward the picador, Morante moved near the barrier for his muleta work.
While working the bull on the left side, the animal tracked him down and flipped him into the air, pinning him beneath its horns for an agonizing moment. The Sevillian matador stood up unhurt and completed the fight pass by pass, delivering two deep right-handed passes of high quality to earn one ear after a notice.
In his opening fight against a Torrealta bull, the second of the day, Morante faced an unresponsive animal that shunned the capes and proved highly unpredictable. Unable to find rhythm on either horn against a bull that cut its charges short, the matador brought the fight to a quick conclusion and left the ring in silence.
