Actualidad Taurina
Domingo, 15 de abril. Novillos de Chinampas (juego desigual), para Ricardo Rivera (silencio, silencio y palmas en el que mató por Jairo Miguel), José Manuel Montes (vuelta y vuelta), Mario Aguilar (oreja y palmas) y Jairo Miguel (ovación en el único mató. Herido en su 2º -cornada penetrante de tórax con obstrucción del pulmón izquierdo, pronóstico grave). Un cuarto de plaza.
I am conflicted about the motherland's policy on minors in the bullring. Ever since the summer of '96 when Julian "El Juli" Lopez was dominating the front page of the nation's newspapers (not just the arts and culture pullout) after having been granted an indulgence in the Monumental Plaza in Mexico City, I was thrilled that our liberal policy regarding matadors allowed us to enjoy talent for which Spain had to wait. It allowed some of these prodigies to build a notoriety for themselves in the Americas, that they may parlay into a ready audience (and ready cash) once they were old enough to perform in front of a Spanish audience. The Spaniards will not allow anyone under the age of 16 to kill a bullock or a bull in public.
In "El Juli's" case, it's one of those things that could not have turned out better if it had been written with a pen. At the age of 14, this relatively unknown prodigy with a sixth sense for his art is granted an indulgence in Mexico's most prestigious arena (an indulgence is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon both the matador and the bull-breeder, the bull is allowed to live and it happens very seldom. It's like a perfect game in Baseball) and has a very successful season in the Americas, he turns fifteen, forges a few documents and confirms his masterpiece in france. Then, at the age of SIXTEEN moves back to Spain and books more events than any other matador in recorded history. Shatters the previous record of performances in a season. In 1998, he performed in over 150 celebrations, killing more 300 bulls averaging two "trophies" per appearance. He has not been out of the headlines for a minute in the proceeding decade.
In Jairo Miguel's case, it's the exact opposite. He showed even more promise, and started performing even younger! He's 14 now and has been killing bulls since he was 12. He performed at ~40 festivals last year earning about $200,000. He does the professional children's thing, and is home-schooled by a private tutor during the season. He would brag to the media that he didn't fail any classes last semester, and this semester he is actually ahead of the curve in terms of his studies. (i.e. he has now mastered everything there is to know about arithmetic fractions) And then, this kid, on top of the world is celebrating in the first evening of the Feria Nacional de San Marcos (in my favorite city by the way), is gored to within an inch of his life. Literally. He has a small puncture in his lung, he was on a respirator but now breathing under his own power. The doctors say that if the wound had been an inch to the right or left, he would not have even made it to the operating room. That's a grave prediction since all 1st class bullrings have an operating room on premise and a surgeon standing by.
You know that friend you have who moved to L.A. to try to "make it"? You know how you admire their resolve and gumption, their willingness to go out on a limb, for what is effectively a pipe dream? Their courage and willingness to risk it all for the applause of the crowd? Now, imagine the penalty for a terrible audition is death, and you have an idea of the kind of resolve it takes to make it as a matador.
No one likes to see what happens when it goes bad, and I wonder if this decision isn't too big for a fourteen year old to be trusted to make.
The only reason I couldn't drop this is because I heard KCRW do a piece on this story, and as usual, it was full of misinformation.