Sol y Sombra

Gerardo Sánchez

Gerardo Sánchez, then a novillero (now a matador de toros), faces the novillo Tepipiani from the ganadería Tenexac.

Photographed in Tlaxcala on November 20, 2016.

Rafa Serna

Spanish novillero (now matador de toros) Rafa Serna warms up with his capote in Tlaxcala, Mexico, during the bullfight of November 20, 2016.

Rafa Serna

Spanish matador Rafa Serna took his alternativa in 2017. I saw him perform twice as a novillero in 2016, once in Ronda, Spain, and once in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

Here he awaits the entrance of the matadors in Tlaxcala, during the bullfight of November 20, 2016, at the Plaza de Toros Jorge Aguilar Ranchero.

Omar Gonzalez

After the professional matadors tested each cow at the tienta at Hacienda Tenexac, less experienced matadors were given a chance to cape the cows.

Here is Omar Gonzalez, from Mexico City, facing his first live animal in a ring. He made a number of quality passes, such as these two, with both feet firmly on the ground.

Sabino Breton

Don Sabino Breton views the tienta at his Hacienda Tenexac.

Don Sabino Bretón mira a la tienta en su Hacienda Tenexac.

Sergio Flores

Sergio Flores tests a cow at a tienta at Hacienda Tenexac. This cow was deemed the most brave of the three tested that day.

Sergio recently suffered serious injuries at a bullfight in San Luis Potosí, luckily reports are that he is recuperating and will leave the hospital soon.

Sergio Flores tienta una vaca en la Hacienda Tenexac. Esta vaca fue la vaca más brava del día.

Recentamente Sergio sufrió heridas serias en una corrida en San Luis Potosí. Dicen que va a salir el hospital pronto. Que le sigua mejorando!

 

Espada y Muletas

A bullfighter's sword (espada), and two capes (muletas) at the bullring at Hacienda Tenexac.

Una espada, y dos muletas, en la plazita de toros en la Hacienda Tenexac.

Fermín Rivera

Another photo of Fermín Rivera, at the bullring at Hacienda Tenexac.

Fermín Rivera, en la plazita de toros en la Hacienda Tenexac.

Sergio Flores

Matador Sergio Flores (on the left) relaxes with friends before the tienta at Hacienda Tenexac on July 28 of this year. At a tienta, matadors wear "country style" clothing, not the "suit-of-lights" that they typically wear at a bullfight.

Matador Sergio Flores (a la izquierda) se relaja con amigos, antes de la tienta en Hacienda Tenexac, el 28 julio 2017. En una tienta, los matadores se vesten en un traje de campaña, no el traje de luces de una corrida.

Fermín Rivera

Fermín Rivera is a matador from San Luis Potosí. He was one of the matadors invited to Hacienda Tenexac on July 28 of this year to help test three cows at a tienta. Here he relaxes before the tienta outside the hacienda's bullring.

Potosino Fermín Rivera es uno de los matadores invitado a Hacienda Tenexac para un tienta el 28 julio de este año. Aquí relaja afuera de la plazita en la hacienda antes de la tienta.

Omar Gonzalez

Omar Gonzalez is a personable young man from Mexico City who became interested in bullfighting via the charreada (Mexican rodeo) which his family is involved in.

He came to Hacienda Tenexac, near Tlaxcala, Mexico, to face his first live animals, during a tienta, or testing of the cows.

It is believed that fighting bulls receive their bravery from their mothers. Therefore, before a cow is allowed to breed to produce fighting bulls, she is tested for bravery in an event much like a bullfight, held in the ranch's own bullring. The breeder judges how the young cow charges the cape, and especially, how she charges the picador. For every ten tested, they keep approximately two.

I was very fortunate to be invited to a recent tienta by my friends at the Hacienda Tenexac.

Here, Omar practices his capework atop the walls of the bullring at the hacienda.