To the Ring and Back Again
El Torero
A Skydiver`s Story of Becoming a Bullfighter
PHOTOS Andrea MacScott TORERO Scott MacScott DESIGN Andrea MacScott Kalonice Template LOCATION Rumipamba Town, La Moca Neighborhood. Pichincha Ecuador. 12-16-2012
All Content and Photographs Copyright MacScott Family 2012.
The Inspiration
Facts The Corridas de Toros are popular for the celebration of Quito´s Foundation. This tradition was inherited from the Spaniards since 1534.
The bulls weigh from 400 to 500 kgs. This corrida was at Plaza Belmonte in Quito. The city has 478 years.
L
ast week in Quito Ecuador I had the pleasure to see my first bull fight. The three Toreros each took two turns for a total of 6 bull fights. I noticed the differences between the Toreros’ styles. Some would remain perfectly still as the bull passes them as the crowds cry Ole, whereas other would move their legs slightly as they lead the bull past them. The final quality is judged by a guy with a large white feather in his hat and confirmed by the crowd.
I
The reward being one ear, two ears and the best also gets the bulls tail. They no longer cut those parts off, nor kill the bull in the public forum, but the fights are still ferocious and real.
J
ust from this one experience I could feel that it was not just a man vs. animal type of event. It was intellect and reason vs. unbridled power. There is great skill needed to be a good torero (bull fighter). You not only need to understand and respect the ferocity of these 800-900lbs angry animals, but you have to understand yourself. Place yourself in harm’s way with the confidence that you can control your mind, emotions and actions.
f you can do that then you need only gain skill through experience in order to intelligently overcome the beast. Being a man that continually strives to control his actions through reason/intelligence vs. emotions, especially during extreme moments when nature pushes strong emotions into our immediate consciousness, I had to give this a try. This is my story of the first time I was a torero.
I
Tip!
preach what I live and one of my greatest messages is that anyone can do anything that they want. You need to give yourself certain qualities like ingenuity and perseverance, for most great things in life do not happen easily. You have to make them happen. After a couple of days, Andrea, my true love, found a real (meaning no tourists) torero event happening in the small town of Rumipamba in La Moca, which is in the Central Highlands of Ecuador (approx. 9000’ elevation).
I
had no idea of what to expect beyond an acceptance of the repeat of what I saw in Quito. I was told that anyone can get into the ring and try their skill, for better or worse.
In the Ring
The crowd
The situation was interesting. There were 8 bulls and they released them one at a time into the arena where about 10-15 people ran around/ away and tried not to get hurt. I noticed that there were 4 people that had the proper equipment, meaning a cape; the others had only their wits which were sometimes cloudy from beer.
The crowd was happy. This was a gathering of ranchers. Old friends were talking about life, teenagers were courting. Good meals were made and beer was plentiful.
olĂŠ
Let the Games Begin
I
sat with Andrea and her mom on a small blanket and watched as the first bull was released. Everybody watches. There is an understanding that the bull can kill or harm anybody at any second so you better not turn away. They do not harm the bull or cover the horns in any way. It is natural. If you get hurt, you are probably brought to an elderly woman or rancher for rustic care as there are no ambulances or hospitals nearby. I was witnessing something that happened the same way it did 200 years ago. This was good entertainment for happy people that live hard lives. Time for me to add to the entertainment...
Parachutist Magazine Since I did not have a cape I borrowed the small blanket that we were sitting on and grasped a copy of Parachutist magazine. You see, if you take an interesting photo with their magazine, they print it. Here is my submission.
B
ut I am getting ahead of myself. That photo was from the second bull I fought. It is appropriate to note here that ¨fight¨ is not an appropriate word as these battles are mostly one sided, similar to you fighting a fly. The only ones being injured today were the people. The bulls had the weapons; we had what we were born with, and maybe a towel (note- never leave home without your towel). I was not sure how long I was going to last so I wanted to get my para-
chutist photo. So besides trying to position myself with my face to the sun, the magazine clearly showing, the blanket covering as much of my body as possible all the while keeping the bull in a good cross angle so that the attack looks good for the camera, I had to remember – how did those professional Toreros conduct themselves last Tip! week.
Tip!
I
really hope that they feel that my efforts are fit to print as this was not one of my better efforts. I can still picture the two sharp horns that are being driven with an eternity of evolution for the sole purpose of impaling and flipping me away. Andrea, captured the charge, the lowering of the head, the attack, and very near miss; all from a prospective that allows us to see the powerful muscles of this animal. I now know that not having a blanket might have been better since it did not hide my movements, but I was able to put it over his eyes for my escape. Notice the magazine still falling in the last shot. How am I still alive? fter staying in the ring for two bulls, I wanted to see how the photos were coming out; best to understand now if I should do something else besides staying alive in relation to the camera. Besides, I have been in the ring for about an hour now. I had to apologize to Andrea’s mom, as the blanket is now contaminated with bull saliva and whatever from our encounters. So I offered to buy lunch. $2.50 for grilled trout, rice and chochos. I passed on the beer.
A
After a wee bit of digestion while watching people being flipped in the air, diving under or over the fence, and generally running for our amusement, I decided to go back into the ring. This is strange, because this is not what I wanted. I wanted to act like the professional Toreros, not like some inebriated yahoo trying to impress a girl by running around in the ring laughing. Granted there were about 4 people there that knew what they were doing. If I was to make this a better situation, I needed a cape and, why not, a 10 second lesson. Introducing Henry, a cool Chagra, an Ecuadorian cowboy. I walked back down to the arena and looked for somebody with an extra cape. I saw one, jumped into the ring where 4 guys stood and asked to whom it belonged. Henry spoke up but was reluctant to lend it to me, fearing that I wanted it just for show. I confirmed that I was legit and was granted the cape. It weighs about 20lbs, which was a surprise, but seems normal in hindsight as the cape provides a level of protection from the horns of the bull.
The cape is also much bigger than my blanket which is essential. I have gathered that the bulls sense motion. So the trick is not to move, let the bull charge you, don’t move, watch which way the bull’s head turns, and move the cape to that side of your body.
If the bull does not favour a direction and is coming straight for you, you have to motion the cape in such a way as to lead the bull away from your body.
Expect that the bull will pass right next to you, often grazing you as he goes by. But you cannot move your feet until his eyes have passed you.
The cape should block your body from the bull’s vision. When you are bringing the cape around during a charge, it is essential to keep the cape in front of your body as well as to the side. E.g. the bull passes to your right; your left hand is still on your left side while your right hand extends out to the right, creating the movement in the cape necessary for the bull to see it and not you as the target.
Once he is passing you and you are leading him around you with the cape, he will hopefully continue until his hind legs have passed you. Then you move your leg (one closest to bull) back and turn to engage the bull who is undoubtedly engaging you again. It is best to keep two meters between you and the bull. That is your control distance. Move slowly and smoothly to keep this distance. The bulls charge jerky movements (like walking).
After a while Henry came over to me. Maybe he sensed that I did not yet realize or put into practice all that I am writing here. Up to now, He really did not give me a 10 second lesson, it was more like 2 seconds and sounded like “watch the head�. (Personal note, there is something beautiful about instructions consisting only of verb+noun. This is not the first time such simplicity has led to a life event. Maybe I will add the story of the Bandit at Quincy in ‘97 at some time). Back to this story, Henry was also worried as this bull was big and getting tired which means unpredictable. So we waited for the next bull as I practiced cape movements while not moving my body. This was now my forth bull. I was eager for the charge. I was taunting, I was aggressive. I spent more time in the center of the ring now. I enjoyed being away from the safety of the fence. I was hanging out with the other guys with the capes, the ones that knew what they were doing.
Finally I got my chance. The bull stairs right at me. The person next to me goes for the safety of the fence, but I hold my ground.
T
H
he bull charges. I watch his head, holding the cape directly in front of me.
Tip!
is head is moving slightly side to side, there is no commitment, I wait too long to taunt him to my right side. Tip!
His charge is now upon me and he lowers his head to deliver that powerful upward thrust of his horns.
I step back, not realizing that I overextended my cape movement to the right, revealing my body. The bull sees me, stops and thrusts his horns up again at me. He is upon me.
ITip! have nowhere to go except away. I do a back roll; thinking that I should go with the blow and getting low may reduce the thrust. I luck out. My back roll was faster that his thrust. He misses me. His head is now above me as the momentum of his attack carries him over me. He cannot stop to attack again, he has to jump over me. I roll to my feet, cape still in my hands and see the bull about 6 meters away and turning about.
PHO T O CH R ON ICL E
I
release my right hand from the cape to pick up my hat and slowly place it on my head.
T
his is personal now. He is coming for me. His turn is complete and he is squared on me again. I stare at him intently as I purposefully adjust my hat. Nothing else exists. I am deliberately slow in taking my hand from the brim of my hat. I am not going to let him get the better of me again. I am engaged, I feel the control of my emotions. I feel the control of my actions. I feel the control of a Torero. He Charges‌
I
bring him to my right in good fashion and hear the cheer of the crowd.
TORERO I understand what it is to be a Torero and I like it.
Since you have read this far, reward yourself by watching the video. Note: no human was harmed in the filming of this video.