Although
many people think of matadors as the 'central' figures in the Fiesta Brava
(the late 20th Century tendency to make 'celebrities' of most anyone whose
'fame' is marketable makes this perception particularly difficult to resist)
the bos taurus ibericus is actually the sine que non of the bullfight.
Bulls typically achieve 'celebrity' in one of two ways, either by dispatching a torero (the more famous the torero, the more famous the bull) or by receiving an "indulto" (a term borrowed from the law, where it means a 'pardon' or 'reprieve') -- because of its bravery the bull, taken live from the Plaza and replaced by another, spends the balance of his days back on the ganaderia spawning future generations.
Manzanito--(1887)--Sevilla, Spain--Murube bull given an indulto after goring all the toreros in the plaza
Bonito--(1908)--Mexico City--(negro, zaino, de preciosa estampa) bull raised by Arribas Hermanos
Platero--(1935)--Mexico City (Vista Alegre)--(cárdeno oscuro) bull raised by don Matías Rodríguez
Bonito--(1936)--Mexico--bull raised by Heriberto Rodríguez, indultado during a corrida filmed for the taurine scenes in the movie, "Novillero," starring (among others) Lorenzo Garza
Arriero--(1941)--Mexico City--bull raised by Piedras Negras
Elefante--(1886)--an exceptionally brave bull from an unknown ganaderia, fought on three separate afternoons, receiving indultos twice -- unique in taurine history
Gonzalo--(1988)--Garlin, France--novillo (negro) raised by Roland Durand
Peleón--(1988)--Ronda, Spain--(negro) raised by Hros. Salvador Guardiola Dominguez, 560 kilos
Ralea--(1988)--Chiclana, Spain--(negro mulato) raised by Jandilla, 475 kilos
Sardinero--(1988)--Figueras, Spain--novillo (negro) raised by Hnos. Garcia Jiménez, 425 kilos
Zurito--(1988)--Carmona, Spain--novillo (entrepelado bragado y meano) raised by Felipe Bartolomé
Barbudo--(1801)--bull, raised by Peñaranda de Bracamonte of José Rodríguez, that killed José Delgado "Pepe-Hillo" in Madrid, Spain
Bravío--(1842)--bull, raised by the Duke of Veragua, that killed Roque Miranda "Rigores" in Madrid, Spain
Jocinero--(1862)--Miura bull that killed José Rodríguez "Pepete" in Madrid, Spain
Marinero--(1888)--bull, raised by San diego de los Padres, that killed the banderillero, Juan Sal "Saleri" in Puebla, Mexico
Perdigón--(1894)--Miura bull that killed Manuel García (Espartero) in Madrid, Spain. Perdigón's head is on display in the plaza Museum in Madrid.
Cachurro--(1896)--bull, raised by Ripamilán, that killed Juan Gómez de Lesaca in Guadalajara, Spain
Lengueto--(1897)--bull, raised by José María de la Cámara, that killed Julio Aparici "Fabrilo" in Valencia, Spain
Zaragatero--(1904)--bull, raised by Arroyo Hondo, that killed the banderillero, Rafael Melo "Melito" in Guadalajara, México
Desertor--(1905)--Mirua bull that killed Domingo del Campo "Dominguín" in Barcelona, Spain
Matajacas--(1907)--bull, raised by Tepyahualco, that killed Antonion Montes in Mexico City
Escribano--(1913)--bull, raised by José Bueno, that killed Andrés del Campo in Madrid
Almejito--(1914)--black novillo, raised by López Plata, that killed novillero, Jaime Ballesteros in Cádiz, Spain
Cocinero--(1917) bull, raised by Benjumena, that killed Florentino Ballesteros in Madrid, Spain
Bailador--(1920)--the very small bull (290 kilos), raised by the "Widow Ortega," that killed José Gómez (Joselito) in Talavera de la Reina, Spain
Bombito--(1922)--bull, raised by Guadalest, that killed Manuel Varé "Varelito" in Sevilla, Spain
Pocapena--(1922)--bull, raised by Veragua, that killed Manuel Granero in Madrid, Spain
Extremeño--(1926)--bull, raised by the Marqués de Guadalest, that killed Manuel Báez "Litri" in Málaga, Spain
Gallego--(1926)--bull, raised by Florentino Sotomayor, that killed Mariano Montes in Vista Alegre (Madrid), Spain
Michin--(1929)--bull, raised by San Diego de los Padres, that killed Carmelo Pérez, in Mexico City (Plaza el Toreo de la Condesa)
Fandanguero--(1931)--bull, raised by Graciliano Pérez Taberno, that killed Francisco Vega de los Reyes "Gitanillo de Triana" in Madrid, Spain
Granadino--(1934)--bull, raised by Demitrio y Ricardo Ayala, that killed Ignacio Sánchez Mejías in Manzanares, Spain
Marchoso--(1935)--novillo, raised by Zacatepec, that killed the novillero, Miguel Gutiérrez "Marchoso" in Mexico
Cobijero--(1940)--bull, raised by Piedras Negras, that killed Alberto Balderas (as he was luring it to the center of the plaza so that José González "Carnicerito de México" could safely 'dedicate' it prior to the kill) in Mexico City
Farolero--(1941)--bull, raised by Concha y Sierra, that killed Pascual Márquez in Madrid, Spain
Reventon--(1943)--novillo, raised by don Heriberto Rodríguez, that killed the novillero, Félix Guzman in Mexico
Islero--(1947)--miura bull, 495 kilos, that killed one of the most famous matadors of all time, Manuel Rodríguez "Manolete" in Linares, Spain
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