Ever been to a bullfight?

Koptain Liverpool

I was at a festival at a small Spanish town recently. It had the same running of the bulls as in Pamplona which was enjoyable to watch (I was hoping the bulls would catch the runners however). I didn't however go to see one the many bullfights that took place during the week. I think I just don't get the point of it.

I'm reading Death in the Afternoon by Hermmingway at the moment. He makes the point that the Spanish view it as art and not sport. Spanish people I talk to also emphasis that fighting bulls have an idyllic life compared to other cows. They're reared on huge free range estates and fed all the best stuff etc.

I'm still not convinced though.

Have any of you ever been to a bullfight? What did you make of it?

I do like this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWAIjYs9Lws

wazky

No, but a donkey boxed me in the jaw once.

Belle E. Flops

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

fighting bulls have an idyllic life compared to other cows. They're reared on huge free range estates and fed all the best stuff etc.

and then they are speared and have lances twisted and gouged into them . It is absolutely barbaric. I don't know how anyone can find it OK to do this in the name of 'sport' and 'entertainment'.
Disgusting

Mint Aero

It's their culture.

Arrow.

I was at one as a very young child and hated it!! Barbaric. Disgusting. I was really upset for one of the bulls and just wanted him to pummel the bullfighter.

How can these gimps even call themselves 'fighters'? Yeah real brave spearing an innocent animal that has nowhere to run.

Maybe it's part of the reason I love seeing bulls 'get someone' in the Pamplona bull run. Different, sure, but still!

Wacker The Attacker

No.

I've watched Rebecca Loos trying to **** off a pig though.

Seaneh

Ran with the bulls at San Fermin in Pamplona, never watched a fight. No interest.

Wacker The Attacker

F**k Bulls.

Wheres the f*ckin' bull at? I'll smash that motherf*cker's head with a bat

Koptain Liverpool

Mint Aero wrote: »

It's their culture.

So anything is acceptable if it's a cultural tradition? I don't think so.

MonstaMash

I attended bullfighting in the arena in Albufeira Portugal, but they don't kill the bull there I'm glad to say.

All in all an enjoyable evening of horsemanship skills etc.

MonstaMash

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

No.

I've watched Rebecca Loos trying to **** off a pig though.

Link?

FreshKnickers

No.

Given the nature of the topic I really should have answered that question in Spanish instead of English.

No.

Wacker The Attacker

MonstaMash wrote: »

Link?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a16159/farm-under-fire-over-pig-masturbation.html

Old News

anncoates

Watched one once.

Wasn't pretty but what else could he do when that flashy yank was trying to steal his field?

steddyeddy

No nor have I been badger baiting, dog fighting or bear baiting.

Nino Brown

I was at one in Portugal when I was a kid, the bull won 2 out of the three fights I saw that night, it was pretty cool.

Mint Aero

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

So anything is acceptable if it's a cultural tradition? I don't think so.

Yeah whatever

end of the road

Mint Aero wrote: »

Yeah whatever

why bother? nothing to say?

Mint Aero

end of the road wrote: »

why bother? nothing to say?

Whatever you say :rolleyes:

goose2005

steddyeddy wrote: »

No nor have I been badger baiting, dog fighting or bear baiting.

lightweight. What about cockfighting, that used to be our national sport in the good old days.

steddyeddy

goose2005 wrote: »

lightweight. What about cockfighting, that used to be our national sport in the good old days.

Or good old fashioned English baiting! :P

Nino Brown

It’s hilarious how hypocritical people can be.
For all the people who are so anti bullfighting, have you eaten any eggs lately, or products containing eggs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6i2zg-dkOs
How about Ham, rashers or sausages?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKMhd9dTN9o

Those fighting bulls live a much better life than most of the animals we pick up off the shelves in our supermarkets. I’m actually against bull fighting too, but we can hardly get up on our high horses about it now can we?

steddyeddy

Nino Brown wrote: »

It’s hilarious how hypocritical people can be.
For all the people who are so anti bullfighting, have you eaten any eggs lately, or products containing eggs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6i2zg-dkOs
How about Ham, rashers or sausages?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKMhd9dTN9o

Those fighting bulls live a much better life than most of the animals we pick up off the shelves in our supermarkets. I’m actually against bull fighting too, but we can hardly get up on our high horses about it now can we?

I don't get satisfaction over seeing an animal i'm going to eat being tortured before death. That's not something I class as entertainment.

Nino Brown

steddyeddy wrote: »

I don't get satisfaction over seeing an animal i'm going to eat being tortured before death. That's not something I class as entertainment.

But just because we don't see it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I wouldn't get any enjoyment out of it either, but the end result is the same.

And in Portugal they don't kill the bull, and guys actually wrestle the bull (after its tired out a bit), but there is more of an element of sport to it, the bull has more of a chance to win, I saw two guys badly gored when I saw one as a kid. The bull left in much better shape than the bull fighters.

Hootanany

Yep very expensive to watch the blade has to go between the shoulder blades for it to be a perfect kill, The sad bit is a tractor comes in and drags the Bull out when it's dead. Won't go back to another one.

PCX

I went to watch a bull fight after running with the bulls in Pamplona.

The bulls that do the run in the morning are used in the bull fights that evening. One of the matadors got caught by a bull in one of the fights the evening i went. He had a fsirly bad wound to his cheek and blood all over his fancy costume.

He went on to finish fight but didn't get a clean kill. While the bravery of the matadors was without doubt the cruelty that went on wasn't either.

I'm not easily shocked but it was all a bit grizzly for my taste and i wouldn't go again.

sheesh

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

So anything is acceptable if it's a cultural tradition? I don't think so.

surely a regions culture has a great influence on what is acceptable and what is not. you might not agree with it but some people in a different region might think it is ok. I'm not defending it but calling it barbaric and by association the people that go to bull fights barbaric is an oversimplification these people do not see anything wrong with it.

The Gride

Was at one in Spain a few years ago. They killed the bull which was not much bigger than a calf. It was horrible.

Barna77

Hate it, it's disguting.

Arrow. wrote: »

How can these gimps even call themselves 'fighters'? Yeah real brave spearing an innocent animal that has nowhere to run.

Well, it's the English translation. The word "torero" doesn't imply any fight at all. Not that "matador" is any better... :mad:


/smartarse...

Legs.Eleven

The nearest I've come to one is accidentally stumbling into a bar in Madrid full of old men watching it on the telly; I spent the duration of my beer staring at them staring at it trying to get my head round their fascination with it. It's fcuking disgusting.

Nino Brown

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

The nearest I've come to one is accidentally stumbling into a bar in Madrid full of old men watching it on the telly; I spent the duration of my beer staring at them staring at it trying to get my head round their fascination with it. It's fcuking disgusting.

To be fair, they'd prob look at the Irish trying to figure out our fascination with a bunch a small lads beating the arse off a horse to make it go faster than the other horses.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Been to the bullfights a few time in Seville, great entertainment.
I don't get all those who condemn it without ever having been to one.

Arrow.

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Been to the bullfights a few time in Seville, great entertainment.
I don't get all those who condemn it without ever having been to one.

How can you not get people not liking the killing of innocent animals for entertainment?

It's really not something you need to experience to know you don't agree with it.

El Horseboxo

Was at one in Medellín. Didn't like it. Expect when the bull knocked the fúck out of the toreador.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Went to a Korean bullfighting festival once. They get two bulls to fight each other.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JbEwMEZXkw

Karl Stein

Bull 'torturing'.

If it was fighting it'd be a bit more like boxing or MMA where no weapons are allowed.

Nino Brown

Carlos Roca wrote: »

Bull 'torturing'.

If it was fighting it'd be a bit more like boxing or MMA where no weapons are allowed.

You mean like this?

UCDVet

Arrow. wrote: »

How can you not get people not liking the killing of innocent animals for entertainment?

It's really not something you need to experience to know you don't agree with it.

To me - it's exactly the same as eating meat.

Let's be honest - in Ireland - food *is* entertainment. I'm watching a cooking show right now. Holidays come along....and what do we do? Have a big dinner. Cook a turkey. We aren't starving, fighting for life, and need to eat whatever we can.

No - we could live our lives without eating meat. We choose to eat meat because we ENJOY it. It's entertainment. It's for our own pleasure.

I eat pepperoni pizza because I enjoy it more than cheese.

Most people I know who are against animal fighting will happily eat meat. Their justification is meaningless and hollow - 'It's okay I *eat* animals, they just play with them'. Whatever. It's all entertainment. They don't need to eat animals to live. It's not a 'Them or Me' situation. It's a matter of they *like it* so they are happy to have them slaughtered.

If someone is a vegetarian and against bull fighting - that's cool - I can respect that. But if someone is happy enough to eat meat for their own pleasure and entertainment, but against bull fighting....well, that just seems hypocritical to me.

I don't watch bullfights....but I think you could even argue that it is MORE humane than eating meat. 10k people can watch a bullfight and enjoy it - and one bull dies. How many bulls do you need to entertain 10k steak lovers for dinner? A lot more than one.