Bull Fighting in Spain

Whenever we think about Spain, a picture of acompetition between man and animal. The number of
Bull-fighter with red cloth in his hand and bull chargingspectators of Bull fighting in Spain has crossed over 1
towards it comes in our mind. Bull fighting has trulymillion every year.
become the symbol of this European country.Bull Fighting in Spain has taken shape of an organized
The basis of bull fighting in Spain lies in an age oldsport. People find it extremely exciting to attend bull
tradition in which people used to sacrifice a bull on thefighting matches. Thousands of people throng the
days of fiestas. The sacrifices used to be performedstadiums for such matches, through out the year.
to please the God. This game originally started as aBull fighting generally includes one unarmed matador
playful competition between people and their bulls. Theand a raging bull. The matador is regarded as the
person who used to take control of the bull wasgreatest of sportsmen in the country as the act of
considered to be powerful and strong.jumping in to a ring with a huge ring requires a lot of
The professional form of this sport started in 711 A.D.courage. Many times, Matador can get seriously injured
to celebrate the crowning ceremony of King Alfonsowhile fighting with the bull. This sport causes several
VIII. At that time, this sport was played while riding adeaths and disabling injuries every year. They are
horse. It used to be a sport for aristocrats during thosegiven highest of the honors by the government and
times. But King Felipe V banned the aristocrats frommany people treat them like superstars in Spain.
playing this sport as he thought that it will put a badThis is why, a bull fighting match is also known as the
example in front of the people.dance of death. The matador has to perform
Once the aristocrats were banned from playing,rehearsed and calculated moves to dodge bull's
common people started taking part in the Bull Fighting.attacks. One wrong move and the matador may get
As common people couldn't afford to keep horses,trampled under the bull's feet or stabbed by its horns.
they changed the rules of the game. Thus, the presentBut still, its popularity has only increased over the years.
version of the game was created in 1724. In thisToday, Bull Fighting has become a highly organized
version, the player dodges the raging bull on foot andsport in Spain and many other countries have also
unarmed.started playing it. Even though, there are many
Ever since that time, bull fighting in Spain has been oneorganizations which consider this game as cruelty
of the most loved sports. Thousands of people flocktowards animals, this has not diminished the craze of
the bull ring to watch this intense and entertainingpeople towards this sport.