Portuguese Bullfight in Stevinson, CA

[Dan Brown]

This is a "bloodless" form of bullfighting that is allowed in the USA and I am told that this is the form used in Portugal also:). The black pad on the bulls back is velcro! and the tip of the stick is also velcro! This particular event is done on horseback but I don't know what it is called. Ole!!:D

Camera Model: NIKON D300
Shutter speed: 1/800 sec
Aperture: 5.6
Exposure mode: Av
Flash: Off
Metering mode: Multi-segment
ISO: 800
Lens: 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6D
Focal length: 90mm
Focal length: 135mm (in 35mm film)
AF mode: AF-C

[Gus Cobos]

I like this version of bull fighting, nobody gets hurt...I see that the bull is wearing some padding on his horns...:eek::D:cool:

[Harold Davis]

that's some awesome action, dan. that horse is on one heck of an angle!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Glad to here it is bloodless, great action shot Dan!

[Brian Barcelos]

Hey Dan, Nice Pic. In Spain the main part of Bullfighting is with the Matador on foot where as in Portugal it is the "Cavaleiro" on horse back. In Portugal it isn't bloodless, The velcro is replaced by sharp blades. The bull isn't slaughtered as in Spain and will usually live to fight another day. I'm Portuguese by the way, Well my parents are since I was born here in the States but you know what I mean. The horse is a Lusitano and were bred for this, some of the most intelligent horse's in the world, their ancestors were used by the Portuguese during the age of discoveries mounted by Knights. Sorry for rambling on so much.
Brian

[Alfred Forns]

Thanks for the info Brian Had no idea !!!

... I like the bloodless version Sweet action and great skill on the horse !!!

[Dan Brown]

Thanks alot Brian, I had my suspicions about the Portugal version!:p

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Watch out with those horns!
Lots of action here. Great picture. We celebrate it bloodless since 1984, thanks God for that!

[Dave Leroy]

Great action shot Dan and a lovely looking horse. From the sign by the onlookers there must be an accident or two!
Dave

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Doesn't look like fun to be in the horse's position. Do they get hurt?

[Dan Brown]

That's a good question Alex? I would imagine that they do at times but I must say that we watched 7 fights and no horses fell or were visibily injured. Once a bull took a cupla shots at a horse up against the wall of the arena but didn't seem to be affected?

[Brian Barcelos]

It's me again. The horse's are hardly ever injured. They go through some pretty intense training. Youtube has a few good videos for anyone who would like to see what the Portuguese Bullfight consists of. Here is a video link to some amazing horse's taunting and evading the bull. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljfnkc6gjuk
It's not really that graphic and no animals die in the vid. Enjoy.
Brian