Famed matadors appear right on your doorstep – in Vera!

YOU might have heard of Juan Belmonte or Manolete? They were toreros that were so esteemed they created their own epoch. The years of their most activity were named after them.

Well, in Vera on the 25th just so, one of those personages is to appear. Without a doubt within 20 years from now someone will ask you did you ever see the great Enrique Ponce and here is your chance to affirm so with a visit to the Plaza de Toros in Vera at 5:30pm.

The ranch of bulls is special too, Luis Algarra. Serious toros and can do damage in an instant. Also listed to torear is Sebastian Castella, who announces himself as a French man, showy, very good with a cape and prefers to be seen in mostly the big plazas facing difficult bulls and a new young matador, Javier Jimenez is coming to Vera

Oddly in the taurine world the torero considered No: 1 is the personage that has participated in the most corridas.

Until Enrique Ponce reached his full prime as a full matador in 1992 only a handful of men had performed the miraculous hard work of joining the 100 club, that is 100 corridas de toros.

Enrique worked his way up the ladder of performances and accomplished the impossible of completing 100 corridas in a single year! He was what the public wanted to see. But then he did it the next year and for eight consecutive years. A record all experts believe will never be broken. He is winding down his efforts to just 50-60 corridas this year but see them you must.

Last week’s ABC read that his technical dominance of the bulls in France’s top plaza, Nimes, the old Roman coliseum, even made the walls tremble as the adoring crowd shouted his praises. He was injured badly but still killed the bull perfectly.

I am worried he might not appear in Vera, being a third class ring but then again, he is a TORERO and that’s what they do best – carry on in pain and discomfort to bring the ritual sacrifice to a proper end. Sunday the 27th also is a novel event with Almeria’s own torero Jesus Almeria performing.

Jesus visits the club taurine de Mojacar often and has many friends therein. Also the son of the legendary El Cordobes who always puts on a show will be there. The Spanish season is winding down and these events are on our doorstep. Come on in. You might be surprised.