Tomás Rufo: «The bullfighters are the ones who cry the most; I have come to think that I am bipolar »

“What comes to mind when you step on this scenario again?”

“One precious and very recent memories.” Valencia resisted: I have had important afternoons before, but I lacked that blow on the table. And it has arrived. Although you can always be better, I think it is the beginning of something beautiful in this square.

“From the laying, a more mature bullfighter was seen and, above all, a natural series that was the summit of her task.” Is that the bullfighting?

“I always look for excellence.” I really like to fight with the left hand, but I am aware that it is very difficult, especially in a first place. I think that with that bull I first got it. People sang it, agreed and pushed for me to come to shoulders. That task is going to give me a lot of morals and I think that also the fan, because Tomás Rufo will once again occupy the position that maybe in a previous time I had.

“The key to triumph?”

“Ambition, desire and wanting to succeed yes or yes.”

—Your Puerta Grande had even more impact on the presence of the maximum figure and the full lines.

—They with Roca Rey for me is a privilege. It is the maximum bullfighting figure and that is where I get my best version. I like to compete, I am a competitive bullfighter and the fan demands competition

“Honestly, did I prefer the exit on shoulders alone or the photo with Roca Rey?”

“Man, I like to go out alone, but because the prominence is focused on one.” But it is clear that always going next to a maximum bullfighting figure is very important and gives a lot of category. That is, leaving my shoulders, I would have been as happy.

—Thanks to that poster of ‘There are no bills’, many of those who came to see Roca also met you.

“I am aware that it was a very good opportunity, an extraordinary showcase.” The finished paper, television … In the afternoon, I can’t afford to fail.

—In the alley he was very complicated with Florito. What does the Mayoral of sales?

“Many tranquility.” It helped me a lot in my beginnings and still very present in my career. He is a key man. As he knows me so much, he is the person who, when he has to squeeze me, squeezes me. On Monday he approached me several times and said: “It’s today or yes, you have to press” so on your knees, at the door of Chiqueros …

Manuel Benítez asked his son Julio if he was willing to die to be a bullfighter. How far are you willing?

“I have always said that this is my life and I am willing to get my goals.” I don’t mind paying any tolls.

“How was the change in attitude?”

—I was several years with the Lozano house, with Luis Manuel and with Pablo, and the truth is that phenomenal, very happy and grateful. I have made a bullfighter with them and we have achieved many things, but I think it was the time of change and arose. Victor (Zabala, Madrid and Valencia manager) proposed things and a seasonal approach that I liked. One does not know whether it is right or mistakes until it takes the step. And I think I have succeeded; I am very comfortable and I am happy. We have started very well in a first place. I have a beautiful and a bit different season than the previous seasons.

“There is a double gesture with Victorinos.” Is it closed?

-Yeah. I had been wanting to get out of the most common, logically, being at these fairs, with these livestock and these posters, but demonstrating the fan that I am able to kill any type of run. After giving him many laps, we decided to kill a couple of bullfights of Victorino, one in Dax and another in Valladolid.

The old Victorino said that one could not have been killed without having killed one of the a crowned.

“The other day we were tempting there and Victorino told me that to be the figure of bullfighting, different fits had to be killed.” In the end, a figure has to be above the bull they put, be it from Juan Pedro or Victorino. I am very happy to open a little and make this decision.

“He is excited, but comes from dragging a severe injury.” Has it been hard?

“It was Durillo, but I don’t like to complain.” Things come as they come. He dragged the injury since last season, but this winter the body told me that here. I was not able to shower me alone. When I took the junk, I couldn’t. The first day of the countryside I went to Jandilla. I was completely lame and Borja Domecq told me: “I don’t see you.” And I said: “It’s normal, if I don’t see me.” But then it has been a miraculous recovery; Maybe I am not one hundred percent, but very close. The work of professionals has been fantastic. I owe everything. With the discipline that Fisios put me, I have been able to reach this point. I have taught me some habits that I did not have. My team has to be very much before the run to download my knee, work and heat it to avoid a relapse.

“Some bullfighters say that before fighting they don’t want to see anyone and that the character springs at least.” With an injury it becomes one more, say, ‘unbearable’?

“I was unbearable.” At times, I thought it was even bipolar because one day I was the happiest in the world, I saw that I was moving forward, and the next day I did not want to speak to me or my parents. It was something strange, because one day I got up with my left foot and said: “I don’t get.” And I was already pissed off because what I wanted was to recover and fight. So, if you see that you do not arrive, the world is coming a bit, and it already annoyed me not enough not to be in Valdemorillo. Valencia could not miss it for anything in the world.

“Have you needed psychological help?”

“No, thank God, no.” I consider myself a very strong person mentally and, simply, connect with my nearby people and my family is worth it. I vent, I say what I think and if anyone has to tell me something, because they tell me and that’s it, right?

“Do bullfighters cry?”

“I think the bullfighters are the ones who cry the most.” For many reasons, because of anger, because things do not come out, because there are certain moments when you are more sensitive. And for more things that I would not know how to explain, but I have cried and cry. I don’t mind. When you have an important triumph, you remember a lot about what you have happened, of the people who have helped you, from which it is no longer there, but I feel with me and that I know they help me. And I get excited.

“Who remembered first when he obtained his ear that he raised on his shoulders?

“Of my father, who is the one who fights with me day by day; From my attorney, of my friends. Floro, who was the happy uncle. They fight with me too on a day -to -day basis, not just that of the run. Maybe there are people who do not know that we have been preparing a whole year for a run, with many trips, a lot of field, a lot of economic effort to buy bulls and kill them behind closed doors. As each one happens, nobody knows. But the effort pays off.

—Your the most praised hand is the left -handed, that of the tickets. Do you live well or survive in bullfighting?

“I do nothing more than fight and live well.” When you are able to do important things to the bull, you can live from it and very well.

“Other hobbies?”

“I really like hunting, it’s my escape, a hobby that I love.” I try to have my best possible.

-Whimsical?

“Yes, I really like cars, I like everything expensive.” I like to come dressed in a bullring like God commands and for that you have to go to the bull … the bullfighters, in addition to being, they must seem. I don’t know what will I have, but, outside the bull, I am a normal uncle and, above all, classic. That is why I have never made a dress with embroidery or rare colors.

–And in school (in non -bullfighting) what was Tomás?

“I studied until baccalaureate already reluctant.” I decided to dedicate myself to the bull. My mother, who is a teacher, tried as an active and passive to study a career, but impossible.

“And the notes?”

—The better in bullfighting school …

“Did you have seen ‘afternoons of loneliness’?”

“I want to go see her this week.” So far it has been impossible for me with preparation. I have not moved from the field. You have to thank Roca who has lent themselves to make a film so that people see how we bullfighters, normal people we suffer, with very top points, with very down points, and that we play our lives really. Here a bull can take you and God knows what can happen. I personally thank Serra and Roca because I think people are going to open their eyes a bit and they will realize that there are no lies here.

—The awards to this film have been slapped to the Minister of Culture. What do you think of Mr. Urtasun’s decisions?

“If I say what I think, they denounce me the same.” He has neither feet nor head, really. The day they delivered the National Award of Bullfighting, Andrés (Roca Rey) said something like “Minister, here we are.” And here we are. We are not going to let the fight win and I think its decision has had a rebound effect. Now we still have much more supporters, people have put themselves much more in favor; Famous people who did not give their face now removed the mask and says: “Here I am” and that is what we have to do, we are in a free world. I believe that now bulls are more than ever.

“Can it be born in Pepino?”

-I hope so. My town is very bullfight. And I hope and wish that Cucone can have a bullfighting figure.

“Some contact in your family with bullfighting?”

“Well, the closest thing is that my father is butcher and collected the bulls of the bulls. I accompanied him, but what I liked was to play football, like 95% of the children today. I started chopping the bug and with 14 years I to do a calf at a party and said: “Jo, I like this, I’m going to try.” And I signed up for Toledo’s school without having taken a hood in my life.

“And now what?”

“I will try by all means to position myself really, that you can’t give a fair without my name, that is, you have to count on me.” Now it’s my turn to throw in front.

—It says with the support of the main company, that of sales, and the one who says he sends more in bulls, Florito. Is it impossible to go on the independent path?

“I don’t think it’s difficult.” In the end, when a person in the square leaves with decision and and triumphs, there are no more noses to the companies to hire him. You end up being the owner of your career. It is clear that you first have to have the opportunities and not let them escape. The one who has the last word is me with the crutch and the sword.

“We are on earth punished by the Dana.” How has the government’s treatment to affected?

“The best I get into a puddle that I shouldn’t, but not very well, I think the thing has gone very late and very slowly.” These people needed soon and really.

“Bullfighting festivals have arrived before that some aid …

—The solidarity part of this bull world has been seen, such as the one organized in May Manzanares. Everything that is done by these people who have been so harmed is little.

During the interview, in one of the Nayas of the Bull Square (of course, it is raining), Hugo, the teenage son of our partner Mikel Ponce is present. We asked the bullfighter how he would encourage the kid to go to the bulls.

“I encourage all young people to come to bullring because it is a unique experience.” I think we are going through a time when youth goes to the bulls and hopefully this will continue. That is why I also think it is important that young bullfighters continue to be leaving and that young audience feels a bit identified with us.

Hugo stares at him and throws the last question:

“Does it fear?”

“I spend a lot of fear before going to the square, because one has many doubts, she does not know if she will be able to be well, to live up; You don’t know if your classmates will overwhelm you. But then you bring a very very very big preparation and, when you really want something, in the end you get it. When the bull comes out, you forget everything. And all you care is to curdle. I encourage you to come.