Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas – Madrid, Spain.

Tercio de Banderillas
In Spanish, the word Torero describes any of the performers who actively participate in the bullfight. The main one who is the leader of the entourage and who kills the bull is addressed as Maestro (master) and his formal title is “Matador de toros” (killer of bulls) but the word “matador” by itself is only used in English and never in Spanish. The Bullfighting is called Corrida de toros (also known as tauromaquia, from Greek: ταυρομαχία – tauromachia, “bullfight”).
Each torero (matador) has 6 assistants. 2 picadores (lancers) mounted on horseback, 3 banderilleros (flagmen), and a mozo de espada (sword servant). Collectively they comprise a Cuadrilla or team of bullfighters. The Spanish Bullfighting is highly ritualized, with three distinct parts called Tercios. The start of each Tercio is announced by a trumpet sound.
At the Tercio de Banderillas (banderillas third), each of the 3 banderilleros attempt to plant two barbed sticks (banderillas, literally “little flags”) in the bull’s shoulders. These further weaken the enormous ridges of neck and shoulder muscle through loss of blood, while also frequently spurring the bull into making more ferocious charges. By this point the bull has lost a significant amount of blood and is exhausted. The matador then enters with his cape and sword, tiring the bull further with several runs at the cape. The placing of the banderillas may be done by the matador. If the presidente decides that the bull is extraordinarily weak or unwilling to fight, he may order the use of black banderillas, considered to be a disgrace to the breeder.
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© 2011 Jordan Kevrekidis