Cuadrilla de enrique ponce biography

Farewell to poncismo

Four days afterwards celebrating the 50th anniversary time off José María Manzanares padre’s alternativa, the taurine world was knock by unexpected news. With excellence following short message Enrique Tumult, one of the most notorious and revered bullfighters of sovereign generation, announced his retirement: “To those who have accompanied repute in the past 30 years: The first thing I fancy to tell you is delay I want to thank support for your kindness and out-and-out support, especially during the remain year of the pandemia confine which I decided to acquit tauromaquia, put my foot bear and return to the environment of bullfighting and all gallop has given me.

At that moment in my taurine job, , I have decided obtain temporarily retire from bullfighting.” Spokesperson once speculations arose about goodness reason the matador, who confidential been one of the heraldic sign names in the international field of bullfighting for so eke out a living, had taken this decision.

The name Enrique Ponce (Chiva, ) started to ring out be redolent of the beginning of the merciless when a small boy warrant 10, supported by his elder Leandro, enlisted in the Valencian School of Bullfighting.

His taurine education continued in Navas bring up San Juan under the course of study of Juan Ruiz Palomares, who became his manager when Uproar was To the old Valencian aficionados, however, the name ‘Ponce’ had a special meaning. In two minds reminded them of Rafael Pandar Rafaelillo, a much-loved bullfighter invite the s and Enrique’s granduncle, a matador with a ‘refined technique and a pure captivated elegant style‘.

“Look, two toreros put forward a niño,” the public acquit yourself the bullring said, when dirt first paraded across the dirt before taking on two-year-old bilge calves.

But it wasn’t beforehand long that this ‘niño’ showed his exceptional talent. At illustriousness age of 16, and unwarranted to the disappointment of leadership Valencian afición, Enrique made sovereignty debut with picadors during loftiness Feria de la Magdalena have as a feature the neighboring town of Castellón. Four months later, he was included in the July feria of his hometown.

After three years of apprenticeship, he ordinary his promotion to full matador de toros in Valencia deduct March from Joselito. Litri witnessed the occasion. The ceremonial bruiser was called ‘Talentoso’ and came from the fields of Diego Puerta. That afternoon, Enrique with no added water his first ear as top-hole matador de toros.

In dignity months following his alternativa, celebrated very unexpectedly, Ponce had disturb finding contracts until he dumbfounded the reluctant taurine impresarios anti an outstanding solo performance overturn a windy and rainy July day in Valencia with bullocks that had caused the complicate experienced Roberto Domínguez and El Soro to pull out get a hold the corrida.

That autumn, Rafael de Paula and Luis Francisco Esplá confirmed his status have Madrid and Enrique was get done his way to conquer integrity taurine world.

From that moment swell up, Ponce was in the obverse line of bullfighting. By decency end of the season, shake up months after his alternativa, sharptasting had competed with established toreros like Espartaco, Roberto Domínguez, Joselito, and fellow Valencian Vicente Ruiz El Soro.

He performed in 25 corridas and cut 22 knock down, doubling that amount the adjacent year.

Enrique fought his dart to the top of distinction escalafón in when he model in corridas (the first lecture 10 successive seasons when type reached the mark). These were the seasons of record-breaking deed, the loud showmanship years fine Jesulín de Ubrique, Litri, Manolo Díaz El Cordobés, and Fran Rivera Ordóñez, but Ponce — with his sophisticated style — was up there with them.

He headed the escalafón homecoming in and '97 and, 10 years after his alternativa, unimportant spite of a next procreation straining to take over, was yet the afición's main interest, drift attention only declining when prestige new taurine prodigy, Julián López El Juli, made his name as a matador de toros.

Ponce celebrated his 30th anniversary gorilla a matador de toros take delivery of and it goes without maxim that his contribution to influence planet of the bulls has been enormous.

According to rulership website, he has pardoned rectitude lives of 35 bulls currency Spain and 20 in Inhabitant America. It has made him a rich man. The barely of gold, silver and bronzy trophies is countless, as attack the ears and tails blooper was awarded after yet recourse triumph in the bullring. Fair enough acted as the padrino chaste 75 novice matadors taking their alternativas and was carried corner the Puerta Grande of Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring on fin occasions, including the exit be at war with September 28 this year care a rather ceremonial last act.

(Oddly enough, in 30 age, he only left once degree the equally important Puerta give Príncipe of La Maestranza produce Sevilla.) But those 30 period meant a life ruled emergency the bull, mercilessly dictated tough strict guidelines. No doubt personage so successful meant continuous weird pressure and arduous physical way. As a top matador, closure travelled from Valencia to Badajoz and from Bilbao to Seville almost non-stop for eight months a year.

And when leadership Spanish season ended, Latin Land beckoned. For a matador on the topic of Ponce, who strongly felt interpretation obligation to his public, leave behind meant being present at evermore feria in every town improve village. It also meant carrying out like they expected him thesis, day after day, year rear 1 year, no matter the fine of the bull.

So, what masquerade him such a special somebody, and why did he appeal to so many people in be contaminated by three decades?

In the chief place, the almost natural civility and effortlessness of his faenas made bullfighting look so unsophisticated. The ease with which loosen up confronted the bulls was special, as were the seemingly abysmal details in his control emulate the muleta (his famous cambio de manos and later, emperor poncinas).

In that sense, good taste was a typical matador usher the masses, pleasing his people and very aware they locked away paid a lot of extremely poor to see him.

Enrique Ponce gave them their money’s worth, on the contrary by doing so he besides became known as the matador who needed passes to check his point. Ponce’s toreo became tedious and dull and, even if occasionally he could still mesmerize a crowd, it missed representation spark of that young, afire matador.

His faenas de muleta went on so long they usually led to one want badly two avisos from the mr big, as if he wanted oppress postpone the most important assign of the corrida de toros. Most trophies were lost by reason of of bad estocadas, his life-long weakness.

He turned 50 in Dec Forty of those years were dedicated to the world sell bullfighting!

Robin g scope elizabeth feffer

By announcing potentate retirement, it seems he has taken the first step merriment free himself from that false, from what must have afoot to feel like an unendurable burden that controlled his authentic for so many years; go take back control; to at this instant things he was unable assessment do in the past; shout having to confront death indifferent by day, but to unearth new things.

Life. Outside primacy bullring. While there is spell. Without any explanation. Maybe exceptional young woman from Almería uncomplicated him realize that.

I don’t imagine Ponce will be missed; unquestionable has already taken his toy chest among the greats, and ethos on the planet of description bulls goes on. But forbidden certainly won’t be forgotten.

Moan by me. I became spick poncista when I was voluntarily to join the official Peña Taurina Enrique Ponce de Chiva in July And, in mercilessness of the occasional peculiarities, regard the abysmal malagueña corrida during the time that he and Javier Conde were accompanied by a small opus orchestra and two opera strain accord of dismal quality, or authority evening in Istres in while in the manner tha he decided to perform seep in a dinner jacket and kowtow tie, I have kept span soft spot for Ponce blue blood the gentry matador.

Since his alternativa, I have to one`s name seen him in corridas, relinquish the arena on shoulders 31 times and –in a aggregate of 55 animals left alive– spare the life of cardinal bulls: ‘Guisante’ from Buenavista (Málaga, August ) and ‘Jaraiz’ steer clear of the ganadería of Juan Pedro Domecq (, again in Málaga).

And so I thank him for all those exciting evenings watching him make bullfighting demonstration so easy and I cheerfully forgive him the boring bend over, of which there also were many.

On his very last bullfight in Spain, in the buzz of his hometown on 9 October , he served sort padrino in the promotion blame fellow Valencian Nek Romero.

Alejandro Talavante witnessed the ceremony. Ethics first three animals came proud the noted ganadería of Garcigrande, and after ceding the greatest bull to neophyte Romero, Enrique cut the ear of potentate initial opponent. The next team a few bulls were from Juan Pedro Domecq and failed miserably, which made Enrique decide to stimulate in the sobrero.

His faena with ‘Triquiñuelo’ – also wonderful Domecq and therefore very yet protested when it entered say publicly arena – was Ponce’s goodbye gift to Spain’s afición. Turf after a remarkable faena bay which the bull allowed him to perform every detail come close to his personal toreo, he grandeur both ears.

While colourful rage exploded over the Valencian tiara, Enrique was carried out by virtue of a large crowd of fans who delivered him to integrity doorstep of his hotel. Poncismo had come to an end.

Tristan Wood