Oh, but you don't have to look at the tragic part of it. You don't look at the death aspect: but you look at what happens before that, at the bullfighting, where you slow the bull down, you break the bull and once you have done that you can try and show your artistry in front of the bull. It’s always been said that a bullfighter cannot know fear, only respect. Let's say that someone who is fearless - if you are not afraid of something it is because you don't know just how dangerous it is, and that makes it.... you are not afraid, it is a crazy thing, isn't it?

Luis Mariscal - Matador, talking to Robert Elms, Bullfighting Aficionado

The Bullfights for Fallas

Bullfighting is Spain’s oldest and best loved sport, particularly here in Valencia.

It is also its most controversial national sport.

The dispute between its supporters and opponents has been almost as hard fought and passionate as the fight to the death between matador and bull.

Aficionados will tell you that it is a high art form rather than a sport and represents man’s struggle against nature and his own internal demons. Animal rights activists both in Spain and around the world continue to condemn bullfighting as an anathema in a civilised society but millions of Spaniards see the bullfight as just a great day out.

The Bullfight
In a corrida (an afternoon or evening fight) it is usual for six of these fighting bulls to be slaughtered. The fight involves three matadors with their band of helpers – the picador horsemen, who lance the bulls and the banderillos who stab them with barbed spikes.

The Bulls are specially bred from an ancient bloodline to fight. Spain is now the only country in the world to breed this particular species of “toro bravo”.

The final act of the three-part corrida involves a series of intricate daredevil moves and passes by the matador before he makes his final lethal thrust between the bull’s shoulder blades. If the spectators approve of the matador’s performance they wave white handkerchiefs to signal to the fight’s president that he should reward their hero with a trophy – one or both of the bull’s ears and/or its tail.

FERIA DE FALLAS

Jueves -Thursday, 8 marzo-March.
Festejo de promoción.(Opening Celebration) Erales de Remonta,(Bulls between a year and two years old) with Juan Carlos Martínez, Daniel Palencia y José Arévalo.

Viernes-Friday, 9 marzo-March.
Novillos de Carlos Falé de Felipe,(Young Bulls) with Pérez Mota, Oliva Soto y Alberto Gómez, que debuta con caballos.

Saturday-Sábado, 10 marzo-March.
Toros de Mª Luisa Domínguez Pérez de Vargas (Bulls), with Paco Senda, José Calvo y Francisco José Palazón. 

Domingo-Sunday, 11 marzo-March.
Toros de María José Barral (Bulls), with Jesulín de Ubrique, Manuel Díaz "El Cordobés" y Rivera Ordóñez.

Lunes-Monday, 12 marzo-March.
Toros de Samuel Flores (Bulls), with El Califa, Luis Miguel Encabo y Tomás Sánchez. 

Martes-Tuesday, 13 de marzo-March.
Toros de Los Chospes (Bulls), with Manuel Amador, Fernando Cruz y Ambel Posada.

Miércoles-Wednesday, 14 de marzo-March.
Toros de El Torero (Bulls), with Serafín Marín, Paúl Abadía "Serranito" y Juan Ávila.

Jueves-Thursday, 15 de marzo-March.
Toros de Alcurrucén (Bulls), with César Rincón, Enrique Ponce y Manuel Jesús " El Cid".

Viernes-Friday, 16 de marzo-March.
Toros de Núñez del Cuvillo (Bulls), with Vicente Barrera, Morante de la Puebla y Alejandro Talavante.

Sábado-Saturday, 17 de marzo-March.
Por la mañana-In the morning.
Novillos de Román Sorando (Young Bulls), with Raúl Martí, Ángel Teruel y Sebastián Palomo.

Sábado-Saturday, 17 de marzo-March.
Toros de Las Ramblas (Bulls), with Juan Serrano "Finito de Córdoba", David Fandila "El Fandi" and Eduardo Gallo.

Domingo-Sunday, 18 de marzo-March.
Toros de Fuente Ymbro (Bulls), with Víctor Puerto, Julián López 'El Juli' and Miguel Ángel Perera. 

Lunes-Monday, 19 de marzo-March.
Por la mañana-In the morning.
Rejones(horseback bullfighting). Reses de Benítez Cubero, with  Moura Caetano, Rui Fernandes, Álvaro Montes, Andy Cartagena, El Cartagenero and Leonardo Hernández hijo (son). 

Lunes-Monday, 19 de marzo-March.
Toros de Román Sorando (Bulls), with Enrique Ponce, José María Manzanares and David Esteve.

Plaza De Toros Valencia

Designed by architect Sebastián Monleón the Plaza de Toros first saw use in May 1851. The design is based a Roman theater with a Doric Simple architectural style. The bullring structure is actually a 48-sided circle with the bullring being 52 meters in diameter. It currently seats just over 12,000

Bullfight terms and words

The Building

Plaza de Toros - Bullring
Toril - Enclosure for the bulls
Puerta grande - The main door to the arena
Gradas - Highest seats at the back of the ring (cheapest seats)
Barreras - Front seats
Sol/Sombra Sun/Shade - the choice as to where you sit
 

The Fighters, the Equipment and the Animals

Corrida - A Bullfighting show
Muleta - A small red cloth stretched over a stick (Palo)
Paseillo - The parade of fighters at the beginning
Matador - The top bullfighter
Picador - Fighter to weaken the bull
Novilladas - Beginners fights
Rejoneadores - Horse-mounted fighters
Capote - The red cape
Banderillas - Barbed darts on coloured shafts forced into the bull's shoulders
Espada - The matador's sword also called the Estoque
Puntilla - A dagger that is stabbed into the base of the bull's skull
Rejon - a metre and a half stick with a dagger on the end used by fighters on horseback
Novillo - Young Bull
Novilla - Young Cow
Eral - a Bull of between 1 and 2 years old
Toro - A fully grown Bull
Vaca - A Cow