The man admired by many Spaniards as the finest bullfighter ever seen is recovering in hospital after being gored by a bull during his comeback from retirement.
José Antonio Morante, more commonly known by his matador’s moniker Morante de la Puebla, suffered the injury on Sunday, while bullfighting in Seville. Video footage showed him being lifted off his feet as the bull’s horn punctured his buttock, before colleagues drew the animal away from him by distracting it with their capes.
After initially being in a very serious condition with the 10-centimetre wound, which perforated his rectum, Morante is now recovering.
They are tortured with hooked ribbons, called banderillas that just piece the skin in order to enrage them and “prove the skill and bravery” of the matador before they even start trying to kill the bull. A skilled matador can kill the bull quickly, but a poor one can require multiple stabs over 30 minutes or longer.
I went on a highschool trip to Spain, and a bullfight was one of the events. It was horrific. The matador was not skilled, and the poor bull died incredibly slowly and painfully. I’m actually getting a little choked up just recalling it.