Bullfighting Sports Tradition - Essay Example

The importance of bulls traces back its roots to old Spanish customs in which they were revered and bulls were sacrificed in honor or divine justice. "Bulls also played an important role in the religious ceremonies of the Iberian tribes living in Spain in prehistoric times. While religious bull cults go back to Iberians, Greek, and Roman influences converted it into a spectacle." (Quijote, 2001)Bullfighting was a sport or a tradition among the elite or upper class of society in ancient times.

However, it was stopped as it was thought to be a bad influence on the public. At this time, it was not the bull on which the fight was carried on but horses. After that, the local public took it as a sport and since they could not afford it, they started bullfighting on bulls and the tradition continues. Bullfights or corrida take place in the presence of the president and the local audience in Spain. First of all the pasillo happens in which all the participants of the bullfight introduce themselves.

Two participants called alguacilillos enter the ring and ask for keys to the gate behind which are the bulls. The doors are called Puerta de los toriles. When the bulls come out the main show starts. The bullfights take place in three parts called tercios. In the first part, the bull's ability to move his head is hampered by lances used by two picadors who are riding on blindfolded horses. In the second part, three people called banderilleros make the bull chase them around and use sharp colored sticks called banderillas and stab them in the body of the bull, specifically his back.

Finally, the third and last part includes the killing of the bull by the matador. In my view, this is a very cruel sport and a symbol of inhuman behavior. Usually in this sport, the bulls are made weak by putting sand on their backs. They are also made weak by drugging the animal or cuttincuttingg the bull's horn, which hampers coordination. Sometimes the weak and placid bulls are selected for the fight so that the win is easy. The game is not only cruel to the bull but there are other victims as well.

The horses are blindfolded so that they don't behave abnormally when they see the bull suffering or get scared by the bull. If these blindfolded horses are in any case charged by the bull, then the horses can get hurt. In addition to that, the rider can also be thrown off the horse and get severely injured.

The participants are showing off their courage by killing an innocent animal. In the end, the ears of the bull are cut off as a token or a gift for the killer. It is a shame in my view to carry out such horrendous actions and use them as a show of courage paying no heed to the rights of the innocent animal.