The bull, by the horns: Bullfighting season 2026, an area of hopeful unknowns (Morante, Garzón, younger individuals with a future, tv…) | The bull, by the horns | Culture | EUROtoday

One of the good and excellent news of the 12 months 2026 could be that Morante would keep at house and never reappear.

The thriller was born on the identical afternoon of October 12 when Morante staged his farewell to bullfighting. And that evening they are saying that the bullfighter whispered that he had not minimize his ponytail, however that he had gotten rid of the addition, as if to say that it was not a retreat, however a relaxation.

And, since then, the rumor mill has not stopped; They say that the brand new businessman of La Maestranza, José María Garzón, has traveled to Portugal, the place the Sevillian bullfighter appears to dwell in seclusion, to attempt to get him wearing lights on the subsequent April Fair; and the individual accountable for Las Ventas, Rafael García Garrido, has mentioned on Abc that he doesn’t rule out that Morante will struggle in 2026 in Madrid, and means that the bullfighter may very well be within the goyesca of Ronda, in San Miguel de Seville and on the Autumn Fair.

In different phrases, there are various who need Morante de la Puebla to return to the ring as quickly as April dawns; some, as a result of they do not know how they’re going to save the truthful with out their presence on the posters; others, as a result of they consider that the social gathering is over on October 12, and the bulk, as a result of they love gossip.

Here is the primary hopeful unknown: that Morante is not going to return in 2026; Don’t come again, please. The reverse may very well be interpreted as a slight, a deception, a disappointment; It could be one thing like if October 12 had been a theater, a joke, a joke. That ritual of an artist who calmly goes to the middle of the ring and takes his arms to the addition whereas an viewers in love attends, overwhelmed, excited and stunned at an sudden scene… That ritual is a dream stuffed with feeling that the bullfighter shouldn’t be approved to interrupt.

One of the good and excellent news of subsequent 12 months could be that Morante would keep at house and never reappear

Whether the gesture of October 12 was consciously ready or a momentary outburst, it acquired in itself a historic significance that nobody ought to tarnish.

Morante has the correct to relaxation, and so do the followers. He suffers from a psychological sickness, and the remainder from a saturation of artwork, of creative shock from which we now have not but recovered.

Morante has made us dream, and has no proper to wake us up.

You can return everytime you need, after all, however with out forgetting that your farewell – or relaxation – was a public dedication that you will need to respect.

And the businessmen, who rack their brains to make the posters, as is their obligation; Those who assume that bullfighting ended on October 12 ought to bear in mind the deaths of Joselito and Manolete, and they’ll understand their enormous mistake; and lovers of gossip, watch heartfelt packages.

Morante’s case may be very critical; for his sickness, his creative genius and his work. And all of us, he and the others, have the correct to relaxation. If he reappears tomorrow, the bullfighter will betray himself, destroy his mystique, the ritual, his persona… Everything will sound like a mockery.

That Morante doesn’t return in 2026 can be nice information for the artwork of bullfighting.

Another unknown: José María Garzón, businessman from La Maestranza in Seville.

He has probably the most troublesome subject to resolve, which is the absence of Morante; however Curro Romero additionally withdrew and the April Fair continued.

He is aware of that Seville is in no way demanding, that he’ll miss, sure, the bullfighter from La Puebla, however he also can substitute him in his coronary heart as quickly as Juan Ortega or Aguado overlook concerning the genius, take an actual step ahead and attempt to occupy the rostrum that they have been by no means in a position to snatch from Morante.

Garzón has two issues: placing collectively a pretty truthful and thrilling his purchasers, the subscribers, who went from 7,500/8,000 in 2008 to lower than 2,000 right this moment. Because? Because the Pagés firm by no means supplied them affection or any benefit. If Las Ventas has achieved greater than 19,000 subscribers in 2025, what purpose is there for La Maestranza to not cease that dynamic.

Another hope: tv. García Garrido has already introduced that Telemadrid will as soon as once more broadcast the entire San Isidro Fair. It wouldn’t be in any respect unusual if RTVA did the identical with the Seville cycle, given, as well as, the nice viewers information achieved within the final San Miguel Fair.

Garzón has two issues: organizing a pretty April Fair with out the bullfighter from La Puebla and growing the variety of subscribers.

And probably the most pressing hope: the bullfighting competition cries out for a radical renewal of the ranks of bullfighters. It is an pressing want for some figures to go for a greater than deserved retirement; They are on the prime on their very own deserves, unquestionably, however their potential to shock has lengthy since run out; Their essence jar is empty, they don’t excite and curiosity them much less and fewer. The downside is that they’re within the arms of highly effective representatives, they take over the festivals and block the best way for others.

But the competition wants new faces, bullfighters with a starvation for achievement, and with the power to proceed trusting within the current and way forward for bullfighting.

And there are, and superb ones; At least, that is what they’ve demonstrated within the few alternatives they’ve been supplied. All of them should be at festivals, to be identified and valued. Everyone deserves to be allowed by firms to show that they are often trusted.

Who are they?

Surely many names will stay within the pipeline, however listed here are a number of of them from the conviction that all of them have sufficient causes to be excited: Samuel Navalón, Isaac Fonseca, Sergio Rodríguez, Alejandro Chicharro, Jarocho, Daniel Crespo, Manuel Diosleguarde, Aarón Palacio, Adrián de Torres, Jorge Martínez, Javier Zulueta, El Astigitano, Calerito, Mario Navas…

And the bull… The bull has a sophisticated treatment. For years, ranchers have been deciding on just for the muleta job they usually have earnestly sought kindness earlier than caste, the enjoyment of the bullfighters earlier than the thrill of the followers. A direct consequence of right this moment’s bull is the disappearance of the luck of varas. Today persons are applauded for not stinging.

The 2026 season subsequently presents some fascinating unknowns that have to be resolved, basically, by entrepreneurs with initiative and creativeness. The competition doesn’t finish with the retirement of Morante, La Maestranza regains new air after virtually 100 years of the Pagés household, a legion of younger bullfighters asks for passage and it could be good if the businesses understood it this manner, and welcome, one other 12 months, tv. The bull factor goes to take a very long time, and who is aware of if there isn’t a treatment…