Bullfighting in Madrid

https://www.madrid-traveller.com/madrid-bullfighting-schedule/

It appears that there is a TBD bulllfight planned for August 31st.

Thanks. I saw the TBD event on that website, but didn’t see it on other sites. That made me question whether it really was scheduled, especially since there does not appear to be a way of buying tickets yet. Is it common for the schedule to be this uncertain for Madrid?

I’m only seeing a fight on 8/28 and one possibly on 9/1 according to the serviotoro.com website. The Las Ventas website doesn’t list fights that far out. Schedules change more frequently than one would think.

If you’re dead set on seeing a fight and that is the only option, then by all means drive the 40 minutes to Colmenar Viejo. The drive is an easy one. As of 7/9 the cheapest ticket from the website was €50.50. Buying your ticket at the venue is much less expensive.

I will recommend not buying a ticket very far in advance, if at all. I say that because tickets are non refundable and there’s always a possibility of bad weather or you will change your mind. Note below that a printed ticket is required, not digital.

Here are the conditions if buying from the servitoro website for that series of fights:

“The price includes management fees and the promoter’s surcharge.
Seats are not individually numbered at the time of reservation. The best available seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. All seats in the same order will be together.
To enter the venue, it is essential to present a printed PDF ticket. Entry will not be permitted with an invoice or digital ticket.
Please confirm receipt of the email containing your tickets (check all folders, including spam or junk mail).
A discount of €35 has been applied. Offer valid from 4th of July while stocks last.”

The last fight I went to was in Madrid (2007) and we bought tickets the day of the event from one of a number of kiosks just outside the bullring.

Yeah go and see bullfighting if you want, but I'll speak up on behalf of the people who don't support going out to Spain and being complicit in animal cruelty.

That's probably enough so you can get on with the rest of your thread and others don't need to say much.

Thank you GerryM for mildly stating your displeasure with bullfighting. Some people respond by demonizing the people for just asking a question about bullfighting.

Thanks. I guess I'll wait a bit to see if the Madrid bullfight solidifies on the website, and if it doesn't go to the Colmenar Viejo bullfight and pay the day of the event. Super excited to see this bit of Spanish culture.

In Madrid, in Plaza Mayor, there is a bar that is devoted to bullfighting. Alongside the heads of various bulls mounted on the wall, there are numerous pictures of matadors getting gored by bulls. To me it felt like "revenge of the bulls."

I'm sorry to post this, however I went to a Bullfight in Madrid when I was 16 with my mother (this was 50 years ago). I live on a ranch, raised many farm animals, had animals processed for eating. I've been a veterinary tech for small animal vet and do much of my own vet care of horses. But watching the Bull Fight was one of the most traumatic experiences I have had in my life. It is brutal, bloody and gross. Please be aware that there are many parts of the bull fight.

1. they wear the animal down by horsemen stabbing it with large spikes, damaging its muscles and bleeding it down. The bull madly runs around trying to defend itself and it is enticed to gore the horses (equipped with padding) but the horses are clearly upset and scared as well.

2. Then a series of smaller spears called darts are stabbed into the bulls back and left there to bounce around and further bleed, weaken and intimitate it.

1. Its then that the matador uses a small, red cape to drawing the bull in so that he can attempt to kill it with a sword, aiming for the heart or aorta, if unsuccessful, the matador may use a second sword or call for an executioner to deliver the final blow.

Its not like a rodeo where the bull is made uncomfortable for 8 seconds and the cowboy takes the brunt of a 1200 lb animal, its not like cowboy bull fighting where the cowboy puts himself in the bull's path and had to jump out of the way and teases the bull by waiving scarves. Spanish Bull Fighting is brutal torture for the animal. The human is well armed and the bull worn down, physically damaged, bleeding and finally killed (hopefully skillfully) to end its suffering. Please consider this before going or taking any loved ones.

Super excited to see this bit of Spanish culture.

This bit of Spanish culture is a stain on the nation and is well and truly past its sell by date. The fact that it's still allowed (along with all the other acts of torture against bulls) is beyond comprehension. It is an absolutely abhorrent, sickening spectacle and I really struggle to understand why anyone would want to see it.

I assume that the plaza de toros in Colmenar Viejo is a smaller one.
This means that you are closer to the, um, action.
I saw a few corridas in Spain in my teenage years, and let's say that the one in saw in a small venue in Murcia province was the last one I ever saw. Things got gruesome, and I was close. Proceed with caution!