The seriousness of Roca Rey's goring was evident even before the medical report; but when it was known, it was classified as "very serious". A total trajectory of 35 centimeters, with a descending path of 20 and an ascending one of 15. A barbaric amount of muscle damage, but fortunately "without causing vascular damage".
The violence with which the bull lifted and dropped him with the horn inside his thigh determined the prognosis. At the exact moment of truth, in the crucial time of the final thrust, on his last evening at the April fair, the Peruvian star knew that triumph could not escape him. After enduring so much uncertainty with the beast's unpredictable nature, after showcasing his own, the courage and integrity, I mean, to withstand pauses, changing rhythms, and violence, he attacked without a single doubt. Just as the performance had been.
The Maestranza felt the tension of the performance, closed with some reverse passes and the audience on their feet. RR was getting ready to secure the triumph with the final thrust, with everything at stake, but the five-year-old bull from Toros de Cortés (Victoriano del Río) surprised him just before; the bullfighter moved forward with full commitment and was caught with brutal force while burying the sword deep. The cruelty of the moment was terrible, with the horn inside his thigh, amidst bursts of rage. When he fell on the sand, the hole in his leg spoke for itself.
The medical team rushed him to the infirmary, where the intervention began. The standing audience demanded the two ears from the box, a glory to cover the blood and rightfully reward the bullfighter's integrity. A truly raw performance. Impressive from the moment he started with those chilling knee-level passes, always pushing the boundaries that define the greats. It was a lengthy operation led by Dr. Octavio Mulet's team. A tough Seville fair, four days after Morante's fall. The gap in the season is now enormous.
The bull from Victoriano del Río was dedicated to El Juli, who in 2013, also in Seville, suffered the most serious goring of his career from the same breeding. Terrible coincidences in life.
Roca Rey had dedicated the bull from Victoriano del Río to El Juli, who in 2013, also in Seville, suffered the most serious goring of his career from the same breeding. Cruel twists of fate.
The bullfight from Victoriano del Río and Toros de Cortés - 3rd, 5th, and 6th - came with three five-year-old bulls, disappointing in their performance - 4th, 5th, and 6th. Unfortunately, it was a significant stain on a high-level bullfighting fair. The part with the four-year-old bulls lacked life, the euphemism for lack of bravery. A major disappointment. The first of the bulls aged five also failed to deliver. The excitement was absent until the fifth bull entered, showing a fighting spirit, many edges, hesitating and measuring every move. A tenacious charge, a fierce attack. It was named Soleares. The sixth bull was also disappointing in a different way. All very different in appearance yet equally respectable. Their seriousness levelled them.
Roca Rey had set the tone early on with a series of passes at the beginning of the evening. Just like in the opening passes of the performance. But intentions were not enough: the bull, handsome - with a narrow head -, well-built - with a generous neck -, and gentle - with a calm demeanor - lacked the bravery needed. RR took care of him in the first two series of right-hand passes, waiting for him, on his terms, without pushing him too much, except in the final pass of each series, when he demanded more seriously to link with the chest pass. The bull never found its rhythm, and despite the care, when presenting the left side, the energy was already drained, and it completely faltered. The good intentions were nullified, and from there, all attempts to revive the performance - the circular pass, the close encounters, and so on - were in vain.
The big bull that opened the bullfight was not up to the task. Lacking in power and substance. Jose Maria Manzanares dealt with it as if he were in a closed-door situation, even when the bull almost caught him off guard in a scary moment. The bigger and bolder fourth bull, which opened the series of five-year-olds, was equally inconsistent. It didn't even offer a chance to shine. Manzanares dealt with it and dispatched it without much fanfare.
Curious scenes unfolded around Javier Zulueta, with the most striking being Ramón Valencia in the managers' box after so many years in the business box. And, not surprising but still noteworthy, his father and uncle acting as ushers to clear his path. Both bulls from Toros de Cortés fell to him. A short, jabonero bull, showing its horns, did not lift the evening from boredom. Curro Javier's performance, making a comeback, gained more significance. Zulueta's performance was only decent given the limited material. Some high assists with a certain flair and a few well-executed right-hand passes, trying to salvage something. The young Sevillian entered with the last bull, a challenging and bitter one. He turned his guts into courage and made an effort. The audience demanded an ear despite the poor final thrust. The round of applause rewarded his determination.
Medical Report: Roca Rey, two trajectories of 20 and 15 centimeters
Injured by a bull's horn, on the inner face, upper third of the right thigh, with a total trajectory of 35 cm, with a descending path of 20 cm and an ascending one of 15 cm, causing extensive rupture of the vastus internus and sartorius muscles, dissecting and impacting almost the entire superficial femoral vascular-nerve bundle, without causing vascular injury. Wound exploration and cleansing, hemostasis of femoral and muscle vascular branches, applying hemostatics. Effective hemostasis confirmed. Aspirating drainage in both trajectories. Approximation of muscle-aponeurotic planes and skin. Prognosis: Very Serious. Transferred to Hospital. Surgeon: Dr. Octavio Mulet Zayas