The Plaça de Toros d’Alcúdia is more often a venue for concerts by Lou Reed or Anegats, or other public renditions, than an arena for bullfights. Twice a year, however, six young bulls are brought to the Colosseu in Alcúdia for a bloody showdown. One such Corrida (bullfight) happened a week ago, last Sunday, on the occasion of the Festes de Sant Jaume. The Alcúdia bullring is situated in what used to be part of the Mediaeval fortifications, the so-called Bastió de Sant Ferran.

Bullfights in Mallorca seem to be on their way out. Not so long ago, there used to be half a dozen occasions when corridas were held at the Plaza de Toros in Palma but, now it’s down to one day a year or two. The same is true in Muro and the same, again in Inca. Felanitx for the last fifty years only ever had one day of bullfights per year, but this year will be the third year running without a Corrida or Novillada due to the deplorable state of the arena site and the implied repercussions for the safety of the spectators. A Novillada is a bullfight with youngish bulls, those younger than three years of age, as often used to be the case here in Mallorca.

There were a few dozen protesters outside of the bullring in Alcúdia last week trying to picket the spectators away from the cruel fight. I venture to say that there won’t be more than two days of bullfights per year in all of Mallorca, within the next ten years and, perhaps none whatsoever shortly after that. Bullfights are banned in Catalunya from 2012 already. Soon, you will have to go to Andalucía, Pamplona or Madrid to watch a decent Novillada, or even Mexico or Chile soon after that.

The next bullfight event in Alcúdia will be held in two weeks time on August 15th at the occasion of the Festes de La Mare de Déu d’Agost. If toros take your fancy, book your seats soon, Sol or Sombra.

The photo was borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of diariodemallorca.es and the photographer, Miguel Garau.

Muchas gracias.