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When I say "hero," think "mythological," even "demigod." Seven ears from four bulls in two afternoons, in Madrid, the most difficult bullring in the world. Two stunning afternoons in Madrid's Plaza Monumental de Las Ventas have raised José Tomas to bullfighting's firmament, alongside names like Juan Belmonte, Joselito or Manolete. You normally have to be dead to be included in this bullfighting echelon, and José Tomas nearly did that as well, ending his second afternoon in the infirmary, seriously gored but out of danger. It needs to be described in Spanish, for the English translation, tremendous, does not do justice to the original word - apoteósico. It is thirty-six years since a bullfighter was awarded four ears in one afternoon in Las Ventas, as Tomas achieved the other week, and on his second appearance Tomas impressed with his determination and fearlessness, being repeatedly tossed and gored. His injuries were all that prevented the ecstatic crowd from carrying him out of the ring on their shoulders - again.
José Tomas has always been atypical, even in his character - where most bullfighters are either extroverted or shy, José Tomas is reserved but self-assured, reflexive. He was born in 1975, became a professional in 1996 and had great success at Madrid's Feria de San Isidro three years running, from 1997-2000. He was unusual, too, in becoming equally popular in Madrid, Seville and Barcelona, all of which consider themselves the true centre of the bullfighting world. He dislikes fighting in in bullrings where the bullfights are televised - it is not quite clear exacly on what grounds, probably monetary. He retired unexpectedly in 2002, coming out of retirement in 2007 amidst enormous expectation.
"Triunfo," triumph, is a much overused word in bullfighting but totally applicable here. José Tomas' triumph has been recognised by every bullfighting critic in the land, by aficionados of all social stations, by the informed and uninformed, even by many who would like to see bullfighting abolished. Singer-songwriter Joaquín Sabina wrote of the first Jose Tomas' triumphant afternoons that it was, "Better than perfect, sublime." And El País, referring to José Tomas' death-defying second afternoon, headlined its critique "A good afternoon to die."
José Tomas has always been atypical, even in his character - where most bullfighters are either extroverted or shy, José Tomas is reserved but self-assured, reflexive. He was born in 1975, became a professional in 1996 and had great success at Madrid's Feria de San Isidro three years running, from 1997-2000. He was unusual, too, in becoming equally popular in Madrid, Seville and Barcelona, all of which consider themselves the true centre of the bullfighting world. He dislikes fighting in in bullrings where the bullfights are televised - it is not quite clear exacly on what grounds, probably monetary. He retired unexpectedly in 2002, coming out of retirement in 2007 amidst enormous expectation.
"Triunfo," triumph, is a much overused word in bullfighting but totally applicable here. José Tomas' triumph has been recognised by every bullfighting critic in the land, by aficionados of all social stations, by the informed and uninformed, even by many who would like to see bullfighting abolished. Singer-songwriter Joaquín Sabina wrote of the first Jose Tomas' triumphant afternoons that it was, "Better than perfect, sublime." And El País, referring to José Tomas' death-defying second afternoon, headlined its critique "A good afternoon to die."
