In the face of prohibitionist politicians, bullfighting in Colombia is very much alive. The stands were filled in the plaza of Manizales, where a countryman entertained himself by carrying out his two engagements. Juan de Castilla was declared the winner in a fair that also saw the harshness of the Festival with the brutal goring that Ricardo Santana suffered on the second afternoon of the serial. Although he did not want to bring up the subject, because the important thing is what comes this season, De Castilla starred in one of the moments of the last 2024 season by fighting in Vic and Madrid – one of Miura – on the same day. Then he touched the trophies in Las Ventas on a couple of occasions, and stood out again in Pamplona, making a place for himself in the fairs on his own merits. The one from Medellín also starts triumphing this season. The young bullfighter, who combines his profession with his work, continues to fight with unwavering faith to achieve his goals. Let’s hope, for the good of the Fiesta in Colombia, and the world of bullfighting in general, that he continues to search for his dreams without giving up, and that he manages to touch them. Related News STANDARD SALES No A poster from Madrid for Madrid, and with Adolfo bulls! Rosario Pérez Rafael de Julia, Damián Castaño and Adrián de Torres premiere the season on March 23 at Las Ventas – What does it mean to have been the winner of Manizales? – It’s a dream come true. Since I can remember bullfighting, thirteen or fourteen years old, I have been training very hard. I remember that I came to train with my teacher every morning and, while we saw the bullfighters of the moment leaving the clubs, we were going to a park to pursue the dream of being this, the winner of Manizales. Fortunately, we already achieved it, and I think it is a small step to confirm that we are on the right path and doing things well, even if it is a very long process. – What hopes has that child who went to the park to train achieved? – That child dreamed, above all, of fighting with bullfighting figures, something that little by little I am achieving; I dreamed of living in Spain, and I already live there, and make a living from bullfighting. That dream also motivated that child to sacrifice himself, without caring about anything other than becoming a bullfighting figure. It is almost impossible, but we are moving forward, and fortunately it is being reflected in those triumphs that I am having here in Colombia, and the impact with the fans, worldwide. I think that is what matters, that the fans feel identified and with a reference that I believe is now me. I hope I can bring joy to my country, and there can be a world-class bullfighting figure from these lands. -Right now your country urgently needs a figure like you. How is the situation? -The political situation is very precarious, very complicated. There is a lot of fear and fear, but not only for the bulls, but for the entire country. But in the bullfighting field it is even more complicated. We are in intensive care, and we need a lot of unity and a lot of help from figures, ranchers, big businessmen… and we have seen little. But with a good stroke of luck, which I hope we will have, and above all with the efforts of all the Colombian fans who are fighting to keep bullfighting alive, it is possible that it will be achieved. We are waiting for a ruling from the Constitutional Court at any time, which could be positive or negative. I hope it is positive in favor of the bullfighting, although anything can happen, and it can happen from this moment, two years from now. -The cross at the Manizales fair has been the very serious mishap suffered by Ricardo Santana. -It is worrying that one of the best banderilleros in my country has been injured, because I think he is not even gored, but it has been one of the worst mishaps in recent decades worldwide. Being a countryman, and a great bullfighter like he is, it is very painful. I am asking God a lot for his health. It is at an extremely delicate point. I know your body is not responding to antibiotics and you are having a lot of difficulty with several organs affected, including your spleen, kidneys, and pancreas. We need a lot of patience, very good doctors and, above all, a lot of faith so that he can get out of this painful situation. -What was the happiest day of your bullfighting career? -When I won Manizales! It was the dream that that child wanted to achieve and he finally achieved it. From then on, I think the happiest day will be when the big door to Madrid opens, even if it is almost impossible. – He couldn’t have started 2025 better, already achieving his dream. How is the season looking? -Very exciting. I hope it is very extensive and full of many triumphs. I am looking forward to returning to Madrid, returning to Pamplona, to the first-class bullrings and also taking that small step towards not only remaining the bullfighter who kills the hard ones, but also the bullfighter who bullfights the hard ones well and thus earns a space for myself, I’m not going to say in the first level ones, but I will say in the medium level bullfights. – Will he return to San Isidro? – Things are known. Not for sure, because the figures are the first people they talk to, but there is something… -You said that it is very complicated to leave on the shoulders of Madrid, but last year you offered three very important evenings, especially the last one. in which he earned the respect of all the fans, by removing, with great merit, the dew from the fifth bull of the afternoon. -I think that September’s performance was one of the most important of my life, even though things did not end up being rounded out, but people did see that I have the ability to bullfight well, and above all, that I have a lot of power with any type of circumstances, no matter what bull they throw at me. We remember a lot about that Couto de Fornilhos bull, which for me has been one of the most important things in my life. It arose unintentionally, but that’s what life is all about, being aware and ready for any circumstance, and when the occasion demands it, showing your face. In addition to ability, you also have to have ambition, and therefore courage, to show my face.-People saw that I was willing to go forward and face those very difficult circumstances, because the bull could put the piton in me.-Do you see your dedication to the Festival rewarded?-My circumstances are what they are, and We will continue to advance and grow. If bullfighting at some point wants to reward me with something, welcome. I feel like I’m giving him absolutely everything, without asking him for anything at all. Life knows perfectly well how I’m breaking my heart to get what I want, and if it were fair, it would give it to me. But in my head there will be no memory that I didn’t try. The memory will remain that I did everything to achieve it. If I get it I’m going to enjoy it a lot, and if not, I won’t have anything to reproach myself for.-But he’s getting there-Little by little. If this is almost impossible… The most likely thing is that this year I will get into the piton sometime, or sometimes, and nothing happens.-He has been without mishaps for years, thanks to the fact that he is powerful.-To the most powerful bullfighter As Joselito was, he was killed by a bull. I see that he looks death in the face, without lowering his gaze. Aren’t you afraid of death? -No. I have a lot of respect for her, I know she is there, and that every time I put on a light suit she is a faithful companion. I know that he hovers and swarms around me for a long time, but I’m not afraid of him. For me, every moment and every instant are unrepeatable. For this reason, I try to give a lot of intensity to everything I do on a daily basis, to the moments and people I love, so that they feel that I am giving them the most important thing I have, my time, because I know that that time every day It is being discounted, it is ending, and I know that at some point in my life I will have to be completely accompanied by death. And when I have to arrive, let it be a good guide to go to the other world, but that is why I try, while I am in this world, not to let anything escape me.-And with that intensity live…-I think that intensity is the basis of my life. Many times I don’t even sleep. All the time I am thinking, training, working or doing things that are in line with my profession and what moves me. I try to take advantage of every moment of my life to train, to learn, to grow, to improve. Every moment, for me, is magical. -Wouldn’t I prefer to be able to sleep one day when I return from work? -I’d rather be suffering with a crutch in my hand before the most bloodthirsty bull in the world, than to be delivering packages all day. That does not mean that I am infinitely grateful to the company that feeds me and helps me have my dreams, because they allow me to be calm when training, knowing that I have something in my refrigerator thanks to them; but my profession is to be a bullfighter. – Do you see the day soon when you can dedicate yourself solely to your profession? – Phew… there is still time for that. – What do you consider to be your greatest virtue as a bullfighter? – The ability I have to understand the animals, develop a fight for them and interpret everything they need so that they can attack. -And what do you spend the most hours training because it costs you more? -To dominate with the cape. I still have a lot to improve, I have a lot to correct and learn, and above all to develop. I feel that it is a very pending subject that I need in my life. Topics like the sword are being much better, and it is a matter of regularity. But with the cape, I do see myself improving a lot. -Tell me what your ideal poster would be, counting on you. -I would have loved to fight with maestro Domingo Ortega, because of the mastery he had with animals. Also with Antonio Bienvenida and Luis Miguel Dominguín. Now I would love to fight with José Tomás and Morante de la Puebla.
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